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 - A delightful & adventerous culinary memoirThis is one of the relatively few books out there that I can say, without reservation, that I completely enjoyed to the least and last ... even the somewhat whimsical final chapter about the caterpiller. Others have already reviewed the book in considerable detail, so I'll just add a few short tidbits that stood out for me in particular ... * I absolutely adore Ms. Dunlop's adventerous spirit. Theodore Roosevelt's famous "man in the arena" speech somes readily to mind. * I also admire, and heartily agree with, Ms. Dunlop's astute observations regarding certain silly and deeply ingrained western culinary biases ... such as a general dislike or aversion to rubbery textures, bone-in cuts, offal, bitter vegetables, etc. I also share her love for adventerous dining ... and her disapproval of those who conspicuously indulge in endangered species. * I also deeply appreciate her efforts to not just share her culinary travels, but also her insights, immersive personal experiences, and the socio-political context of her travels ... it greatly helps to humanize the book for the reader. Disappointingly few authors succeed in that vein. Some successful examples (of fully immersive travel memoirs) are Peter Mayle's "A Year in Provence", and Joseph Campbell's "Sake and Satori". Both are highly recommended - the latter in particular, for those who enjoy high-brow reading. My one minor nit with this book are Ms. Dunlop's recipes ... she does a wonderful job in leading up to the recipes themselves in order to give full weight and background to her personal experience and attachment to each (something too few cookbook authors do in their headnotes). However, the recipes themselves are somewhat imprecise in places ... such as omiting the recommended knife-cuts to use (ironic after having learned so many in her culinary schooling), or neglecting to explain some of the more esoteric or hard to find ingredients to her western readers. I also found myself occasionally pining for some of the photographs her memoir mentioned ... none were included. Highly recommended ! I look forward to exploring Ms. Dunlop's other published works. Rating:  - Repetitious I just had to add my opinion to all the excitement about this book. I struggled to complete it. Halfway through I was bored. I never felt connected to the author or felt that I really got to know the people she met. Her excuses for eating fancy food and endangered species were bogus. Some chapters read like essays which she probably already had published in periodicals and was merely recycling. And I hope the recipes were meant as jokes: bear paw! She was a braggart, too. Her stories about travel were about the only parts I liked. I suggest those who like travel memoirs try Paul Theroux and those who like food memoirs read Julie Child's book about her years in Paris. Rating: - Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper: A Sweet-Sour Memoir of Eating in ChinaThis is a must read for any and all cooks, anyone interested in foreign cultures, travel devotees and especially those who want an authentic journey through China. As someone who does not cook and does not like to cook I was not sure this was the best book for me, however, it provides a truly indepth understanding of the foods, customs, habits and daily life of the citizens of China. And the author's journey into various restaurants, private kitchens and cooking schools makes even this non-cook long to walk in her shoes. This is not just a story of cooking, but a history story, a love story, a travelogue, a diary, and much, much more. How do the Chinese live, work, eat, play and study? The answers are here, written with great respect and love for the Chinese. Rating: - Best down the PikeSuperb! Fuchsia Dunlop writes with precision, clarity and humor. The best book on Chinese food to come down the pike in a long time. Rating: - Superb Book For the Armchair TravelerAt this point in my life I'm certain that I will never get the chance to visit China. If by some miracle I get there, I will never be able to have the experiences that Fuchia Dunlop had, and so beautifully wrote about. I have to admit that I am very envious of her gastronomic adventures! She was able to immerse herself in a completely different culture, and conveyed the sights, sounds, tastes and feel on each page of her book. I enjoyed each and every chapter. She was honest about her experiences, how she actually ended up in China, and at the end finally found balance in an ever changing country. I highly recommend this book.
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