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allieeveryday's review against another edition
4.0
I wanted to read something else about the U.S.S.R. after finishing Midnight in Chernobyl, when I realized that I had very little grasp on Soviet/Russian history. This was a pretty good choice, as it covered roughly 100 years of historical events without falling too deep into any one part.
Mastering the Art is not so much a cookbook, though it does have recipes at the end. Rather, it's a memoir with the perspective of one family that encompasses a lot of different viewpoints on the Soviet Union — whether von Bremzen's strict-Party-line grandfather; or her dissident mother who rejected all that Stalin stood for; or von Bremzen herself, torn between benefiting from Party education and meals and suffering the poverty that permeated every other aspect of her childhood.
Of course, as von Bremzen is now a cookbook author and food writer, the history includes plenty of thoughts about food — its scarcity and how families would stretch ingredients during the famine years, the hypocrisy of the Party leaders and their feasts to show off the Soviet bounty to other world leaders, the national obsession with mayonnaise and the kotleti (hamburger patties) Stalin's food minister "brought back" from a tour of the U.S., and how the food evolved through the decades as leadership changed and the Soviet Union eventually collapsed.
There's a lot here, obviously, as Russia encompasses such a big hunk of the planet, and this is such a broad look at it, and a lot of different ethnicities and cultures and cuisines are present. It was really good, and I enjoyed von Bremzen's storytelling a lot.
I know the reason it doesn't include more about the more recent years is because von Bremzen and her mother emigrated to the U.S. in the '70s and then only went back for visits once the borders opened to travel to and from Russia, but I do wish it had included a little more about how she became a food writer, even though it's not strictly pertinent to this story. It was just a little surprising to read that she was writing a cookbook of Russian cuisine (ok sure, makes sense), then winning a James Beard award for it (what! how!), and there was little else about her career other than snippets of travel and restaurants. Small complaint.
Mastering the Art is not so much a cookbook, though it does have recipes at the end. Rather, it's a memoir with the perspective of one family that encompasses a lot of different viewpoints on the Soviet Union — whether von Bremzen's strict-Party-line grandfather; or her dissident mother who rejected all that Stalin stood for; or von Bremzen herself, torn between benefiting from Party education and meals and suffering the poverty that permeated every other aspect of her childhood.
Of course, as von Bremzen is now a cookbook author and food writer, the history includes plenty of thoughts about food — its scarcity and how families would stretch ingredients during the famine years, the hypocrisy of the Party leaders and their feasts to show off the Soviet bounty to other world leaders, the national obsession with mayonnaise and the kotleti (hamburger patties) Stalin's food minister "brought back" from a tour of the U.S., and how the food evolved through the decades as leadership changed and the Soviet Union eventually collapsed.
There's a lot here, obviously, as Russia encompasses such a big hunk of the planet, and this is such a broad look at it, and a lot of different ethnicities and cultures and cuisines are present. It was really good, and I enjoyed von Bremzen's storytelling a lot.
I know the reason it doesn't include more about the more recent years is because von Bremzen and her mother emigrated to the U.S. in the '70s and then only went back for visits once the borders opened to travel to and from Russia, but I do wish it had included a little more about how she became a food writer, even though it's not strictly pertinent to this story. It was just a little surprising to read that she was writing a cookbook of Russian cuisine (ok sure, makes sense), then winning a James Beard award for it (what! how!), and there was little else about her career other than snippets of travel and restaurants. Small complaint.
ayereads's review against another edition
5.0
never in my life have did I thought that I will enjoy a non fiction this much. you see nf is not my cup of tea, but this book- is SPECTACULAR.
it is everything- gentle, sad, beautiful, informative, strong. I was gripped by the narrative voice of the author, she writes with so much ease which made this book more engaging for such an otherwise dry topic.
hands down my favorite non fiction book EVER.
it is everything- gentle, sad, beautiful, informative, strong. I was gripped by the narrative voice of the author, she writes with so much ease which made this book more engaging for such an otherwise dry topic.
hands down my favorite non fiction book EVER.
kurwaczytaj's review against another edition
4.0
Výborně pojatý eintopf, kdy se autorce podařilo nenásilně skloubit kuchařku, rodinou ságu, cestopis, psychologický román, sociologickou a dějepisnou studii a satiru. Možná ještě nějaké žánry ale nebuďme hnidopichy.
Anya je ruská židovka, která utekla v sedmdesátých letech do USA a během svého života v SSSR poznala jak disent, tak život vyvolené smetánky a při své poslední návštěvě Ruska i prostřednictvím bývalého kremelského kuchaře i spoustu intimních tajemství nejkrvavějšího masového vraha v celé historii lidstva.
Autorka pod záminkou mapování ruské - sovětské - ruské "gastronomie" vypráví dějiny své vlasti. A nejen pomocí "velkých" historických faktů ale i drobných příběhů z historie své rodiny, rodin příbuzných a známých, postřehů z života běžných i privilegovanějších obyvatel. Pokouší se pochopit komplikovaný postoj svůj i jiných lidí k oficiální propagandě, státu a jednotlivým vůdcům Ruska. Není překvapením, že nejkomplikovanější vztah měli Rusové a stále mají ke Stalinovi.
Možná nejdepresivnější kapitola je věnována současnému putinovskému Rusku. Rusku, kde přes dlouho proklamovanou družbu mezi národy naplno kvete ruský rasismus.
Každá kapitola se věnuje jednomu desetiletí a na závěr knihy je ke každému desetiletí ještě krátký text a jeden recept.
Knihu velice doporučuji. Ti, kdo ještě zažili ruskou okupaci, možná poznají některé paralely se životem v ČSSR a hodně mně oslovilo jaký "stockholmský syndrom" pociťovala autorka a její matka nejen během života ve své vlasti ale zejména po odchodu do zahraničí. Kniha je vyvážená. najdete v ní nejen hrůzy života v této zemi ale i těch pár pozitiv. Docela slušný prostor dostal i vztah Rusů k alkoholu a vztah běžného Rusa k vodce, kolem které se točí nejen celý jeho život ale která ovlivňuje i "velké" dějiny této země.
Anya je ruská židovka, která utekla v sedmdesátých letech do USA a během svého života v SSSR poznala jak disent, tak život vyvolené smetánky a při své poslední návštěvě Ruska i prostřednictvím bývalého kremelského kuchaře i spoustu intimních tajemství nejkrvavějšího masového vraha v celé historii lidstva.
Autorka pod záminkou mapování ruské - sovětské - ruské "gastronomie" vypráví dějiny své vlasti. A nejen pomocí "velkých" historických faktů ale i drobných příběhů z historie své rodiny, rodin příbuzných a známých, postřehů z života běžných i privilegovanějších obyvatel. Pokouší se pochopit komplikovaný postoj svůj i jiných lidí k oficiální propagandě, státu a jednotlivým vůdcům Ruska. Není překvapením, že nejkomplikovanější vztah měli Rusové a stále mají ke Stalinovi.
Možná nejdepresivnější kapitola je věnována současnému putinovskému Rusku. Rusku, kde přes dlouho proklamovanou družbu mezi národy naplno kvete ruský rasismus.
Každá kapitola se věnuje jednomu desetiletí a na závěr knihy je ke každému desetiletí ještě krátký text a jeden recept.
Knihu velice doporučuji. Ti, kdo ještě zažili ruskou okupaci, možná poznají některé paralely se životem v ČSSR a hodně mně oslovilo jaký "stockholmský syndrom" pociťovala autorka a její matka nejen během života ve své vlasti ale zejména po odchodu do zahraničí. Kniha je vyvážená. najdete v ní nejen hrůzy života v této zemi ale i těch pár pozitiv. Docela slušný prostor dostal i vztah Rusů k alkoholu a vztah běžného Rusa k vodce, kolem které se točí nejen celý jeho život ale která ovlivňuje i "velké" dějiny této země.
ifiwasapuppet's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
kwbat12's review against another edition
3.0
This was an enjoyable audiobook experience. I was transported back to the history of the city in which I live, through descriptions of meals and the social context that built them. Anna and her mother cook Soviet dishes in big meals as they wander back and forth through time and describe vignettes of life in the USSR and abroad. I enjoyed this book for the history and the entertainment, for the Russian phrases peppered in, and for the food, of course. I also enjoyed the audiobook, especially as later chapters drew me in.
kairosdreaming's review against another edition
4.0
This review can be found at www.ifithaswords.blogspot.com or Amazon.com as part of the Vine program.
bundy23's review against another edition
It'd be unfair to give it a rating as I only gave it an hour or so before I gave up.
I'd never read a "food memoir" before and I doubt I ever will again as it wasn't interesting to me at all and the story was just a rambling mess that jumped all over the place but the biggest failure of all had to be that her bland descriptions of the food she missed so much didn't make me hungry in the slightest.
She also spent a lot of time complaining how food outside of Russian didn't taste authentically Russian. Really? Who would've guessed?
I'd never read a "food memoir" before and I doubt I ever will again as it wasn't interesting to me at all and the story was just a rambling mess that jumped all over the place but the biggest failure of all had to be that her bland descriptions of the food she missed so much didn't make me hungry in the slightest.
She also spent a lot of time complaining how food outside of Russian didn't taste authentically Russian. Really? Who would've guessed?
laurehhn's review against another edition
5.0
Wow. I so enjoyed this book! A fascinating memoir and personal family history of a daughter, mother and grandmother, that is simultaneously a history of 20th century Russia/USSR that examines the country's culture and relationship with food through each decade from the early 1900s and the fall of the Czars, to the early 21st century Putin-era. Highly recommend!