Kitchen Chinese: A Novel about Food, Family, and Finding Yourself

by Ann Mah

Book Overview

"Ann Mah's Kitchen Chinese is a delicious debut novel, seasoned with just the right balance of humor and heart, and sprinkled with fascinating cultural tidbits."
--Claire Cook, bestselling author of Must Love Dogs

Kitchen Chinese, Ann Mah's funny and poignant first novel about a young Chinese-American woman who travels to Beijing to discover food, family, and herself is a delight--complete with mouth-watering descriptions of...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0061771279
• ISBN13: 9780061771279
• Release Date: February 2010
• Publisher: William Morrow & Company
• Length: 368 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.8" x 7.9"

Customer Reviews

A delicious debut novel!!

As an author, I receive lots of requests to write quotes for books. This one jumped to the front of the pack. Ann writes beautifully and has a sharp eye and a fresh perspective. She also has a great blog at [...]. Here's my quote: "Ann Mah's Kitchen Chines is a delicious debut novel, seasoned with just the right balance of humor and heart, and sprinkled with fascinating cultural tidbits. Read thoroughly. Share with friends."

a real page-turner

I really enjoyed this book. I couldn't put it down, and when it was over, I wanted more. It's a fun story about a young Chinese American New Yorker, who, upon getting sacked from the dog-eat-dog world of fashion magazine publishing and dumped by her on-and-off boyfriend, decides to take off and go stay with her sister in Beijing. Adventure, romance and hilariousness ensue, horizons are broadened, and meaning is found. Although everyone would enjoy this book--it's got a bit of everything and reads a bit like a movie (in a good way)--as a Chinese American woman about the same age as the protagonist, I sunk comfortably into the familiarity of her experience and existence, imagining myself in her shoes, laughing and almost crying as she deftly described the challenges of 2nd generation Chinese Americanhood. Read this book! You won't regret it!

Stuck with me

It's been a while where a book captured my attention and stuck with me like this one did. I picked it up on a new release table and tossed it into my bag to read during an air flight. Well, I didn't want to stop reading even after my flight landed. Her voice reminds me some of Helen Fielding's Bridget Jones and perhaps, I could really relate to her as I am Chinese American also. The descriptions are intriguing and the characters are often funny and flawed. Some parts could have flowed a bit better transition wise, but overall the story was captivating. Her depiction of the expat life of her glamorous sister and pals was well done as well as the lives of her free spirited and fun loving colleagues from work. Hope Ms Mah writes more books...I am a fan!

Awesome read about life in new Beijing!

This book just shot up to be one of my favorites. As someone who has worked in China and is a big fan of all its many types of food, I can definitely say this work is a perfect mix of great reading, interesting facts, and with a story that keeps you up all night just to see what happens next. I think the book fills a real void in something that I'm always interested in hearing about: what is it like for someone coming from another country to experience the "real China?" Too many books focus on China's history, politics, foreign relations, etc. This work, however, allows the reader to really "feel" what it is like to live as someone who has just landed, unprepared, and is thrown into the wild new world of emerging Beijing. Mah has an excellent knack for pulling in the reader. This books is one of those reads that makes me pass up on heading out of my house just so I can read another chapter. The author's descriptions of sights, smells, and people is spot on. You can't get a better understanding of what's it's like in Beijing! The recipes leave your mouth watering and the story as a whole is fun. The main character is hilarious and her experiences as a transplanted New Yorker are fantastic. I think this should be required reading for anyone heading to China or anyone who wants to know what it's like to live overseas.

terrific contemporary tale

Isabelle Lee grew up on Chinese-American cuisine though she never cooked any as her mom was the family chef. However, she can talks a good game as she grew up listening to her mom discuss food. However, her career in New York tanks so she heads to Beijing where her sister Claire practices law. She and Claire are not bosom sisters. However, Isabelle feels good about seeking her roots when she obtains work writing about Kitchen Chinese cuisine to the western expatriate population. Still the transition is not smooth as she struggles with adjustment since the cultures in New York and Beijing are a zillion light years apart and she begins to learn Claire's secret. However after considering going back to the States, the siblings warm up to one another and soon Isabelle finds she likes life in Beijing. This is a terrific contemporary tale starring a fascinating lead character who feels like a fresh water fish in the ocean. Roots aside, Isabelle realizes her racial classification is backwards as American comes way before Chinese. Even the language she speaks is 99% English and a few Kitchen (and bathroom) Chinese words. As she struggles to adapt in order to connect with her sister and her heritage, fans who take the journey with Isabelle will appreciate the trip. Harriet Klausner