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3.6 AVERAGE
3.6 AVERAGE
challenging
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
One of those memoirs where I think the story behind the storytelling is important to grok and thus, I finished this book, despite the wildly wavering stylistic choices: when Huang writes about food, he suddenly sounds like a general food blogger/columnist going on a postmodern rampage about the cultural importance of food, but as soon as he talks about his friends, it's all cribs and shawties and b's and copping and pussy and ratchets. Not having grown up in the US, it was also hard for me to understand how old he was at which time, because the storylines sometimes went back in time instead of progressing chronologically, and the only markers of time were things like, him stating he was a freshman. For the longest time I thought he was in college when he was actually still in high school. I think? Well, this FOB just had a hard time following.
I mean, the linguistic wavering does a great job of reflecting the type of code switching Huang appears to have needed to go through as a Taiwanese-American; his constant struggle of not being a proper Asian enough, but also not being accepted as an American, either. And to find people who similarly feel like outcasts, he turns to hip hop and adopts the language and style.
So, as much as my head was spinning from the changes in register, the basketball references, and the nearly forcefully adopted, demeaning way of talking about women, it transparently shows the reader how much Huang rebelled and wanted to be his own person instead of a stereotype of what his relatives or folks at school were expecting him to be. He calls himself a rotten banana, and this book is clearly for others who may feel they're the rotten bananas of their community.
I mean, the linguistic wavering does a great job of reflecting the type of code switching Huang appears to have needed to go through as a Taiwanese-American; his constant struggle of not being a proper Asian enough, but also not being accepted as an American, either. And to find people who similarly feel like outcasts, he turns to hip hop and adopts the language and style.
So, as much as my head was spinning from the changes in register, the basketball references, and the nearly forcefully adopted, demeaning way of talking about women, it transparently shows the reader how much Huang rebelled and wanted to be his own person instead of a stereotype of what his relatives or folks at school were expecting him to be. He calls himself a rotten banana, and this book is clearly for others who may feel they're the rotten bananas of their community.
This wasn't my cup of tea, though I found Huang a very interesting narrator. His own antics entertained him and he broke out in laughter throughout the book. He is a smart man that thinks about race and identity much more than probably most people. His almost rap lyric narrative interrupted the flow of his own story for me, so I had a hard time with this book.
Listened to this on a road trip with John in Oregon - really great and funny, mostly coming-of-age in a Chinese American family story and then some food biz stuff at the end. Audiobook narration is excellent, author has a really clear 'voice' to his writing that comes through as he reads.
Was curious about reading this after watching the show. And well, let's just say the show is a very sanitized PG version of a show loosely based on this book. At times dark, at times funny, at times relatable, at times cringy and annoying (Eddie Huang can definitely come off as needlessly snobby and superficial at times), but it was nevertheless an entertaining read. I always appreciate a chance to read about different perspectives and culture.
Funny and unique. I did not get most of the sports and sneaker references, and only some of the hip hop ones. So Wikipedia was deployed a few times ;)
This book is a great book. I never thought that restaurant owner's book just showed up at the right time of my life. This book is great, is so great that gives me so many thoughts and emotions. Love this book. As exactly Eddie said in the book, his restaurant is not a restaurant, it is an idea, so as his book. It is not a FOOD memoir, it is an idea, this idea might be, maybe, or it will change some other people's life.
Eddie Huang, this book is great. I believe that one day, one day, before I am turning into my 30s, I can yell it out.
Eddie Huang, this book is great. I believe that one day, one day, before I am turning into my 30s, I can yell it out.
Freaking funny!! You will learn a bit about Chinese food and a lot about Eddie Huang. A very entertaining read.
I highly recommend the audio book read by the author as I enjoyed his voice and editorializing.
A self-described " contrarian with a cause", Eddie's story will resonate with people who are clever enough to question the state of the world and struggle to come to terms with their place in it. His account of his family and experiences are simultaneously honest and empathetic. It's refreshing to read both about his frustrations and the ways in which he has come to hold many complex perspectives rather than over simplifying himself or his experiences in pigeon holes.
A self-described " contrarian with a cause", Eddie's story will resonate with people who are clever enough to question the state of the world and struggle to come to terms with their place in it. His account of his family and experiences are simultaneously honest and empathetic. It's refreshing to read both about his frustrations and the ways in which he has come to hold many complex perspectives rather than over simplifying himself or his experiences in pigeon holes.
funny
lighthearted
reflective