I got this book because I saw a video of Jennifer Lee sharing with viewers some of the best ideas from this book about Chinese food. The book had some fascinating histories about fortune cookies, General Tso's Chicken, and the unorthodox relationship with Chinese food and Orthodox Jews.

But like a "traditional" Chinese-American meal, the ending was lacking. The book dragged on a couple chapters longer than it should have and the flow of chapters could have flowed better. For example, how come all the chapters on fortune cookies were scattered all over the book?

I really want to love this book because it has some fantastic ingredients. Maybe that's why I pick on it so much. ( )

Erratic. Where was the theme that held this book together? Some chapters were interesting; some ridiculous. I should have noted CT's review, but I missed it. ( )

Initially, I was not sure why some people gave poor reviews to this book. However, I did come to understand the point some have said that Lee pretty much ends the book three chapters early. After writing a very nice chapter that brings the book full circle (Chapter 15), the rest of the chapters just seem tacked on. She should have ended the book there, or at the least used that chapter as the actual last chapter of the book.

Having said that, the book is fairly well-written. You think you are just going to read about fortune cookies, but you embark on an interesting journey where you learn not only about Chinese food, but also about Chinese history, culture, and their migration experience around the world. It is a voyage of discovery for the author, but it is also a learning experience for us. I thought the chapter on restaurants was a bit on the long side, but she was ambitious in looking for that "greatest restaurant" (she comes to a decision, but you will have to read the book to find out). There are some passages in this book that are very moving, for example, the experiences of the family that moved to that rural town in the Deep South which was pretty much tragic until they finally left. And by the way, the story does make a very sad commentary on the racism and prejudices in the United States as well. I think for some readers who gave negative reviews, the fact that the book covers so much seemed to them like the author was meandering. However, rather than meandering, she is giving a very good context to Chinese food and fortune cookies. I found it fascinating how the concept of Chinese food has evolved and adapted itself around the world. Just for looking at that you get a good reason to read this book. Aside from what I mentioned about the last chapters, the book flows pretty well. I learned a lot that I did not know before, and I enjoyed the story.

Overall, this is a pretty good read. It is a very accessible way to learn a bit more about Chinese culture and history through the perspective of food. I would not really call it a book just about food, but there is enough to draw "foodie" readers. Also, readers who like memoirs will likely enjoy this book. ( )

This book suffers from a common problem among books written by journalists: poor structure. The chapters seem to have been placed in an arbitrary order, making the book feel more like a poorly-organized collection of essays rather than a cohesive whole. The quality of the chapters also varies wildly, some being straightforward affairs while others are attempts at playing with chronology but often end up being confusing.

However, I'd still recommend this book, especially if you're at all interested in the culinary culture of America. This book is chock full of interesting facts about Chinese food in America and Chinese immigrants to America that I'm sure I'll be spouting for some time to come. If you can tolerate some rather clumsy writing and organization, this book is well worth your time. ( )

interesting essays about Chinese food in America. ( )