Reviews for Eating Identities: Reading Food in Asian American Literature

The average rating for Eating Identities: Reading Food in Asian American Literature based on 2 reviews is 3 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2019-01-02 00:00:00 Rachelle Dodson A mildly interesting book about the role of food in literature and specifically the role it plays in Asian American identity. From cooking to eating to what it can say about class, gender, sexuality, etc. author Xu talks about what food may say about Asian Americans. That's basically it. I found it very academic and dry. I also hadn't read any of the literature the author talks about which probably didn't help. Even if I had, though, I'm not sure there's more that I would have gotten out of it. Books about food, eating, the role of food in society and the human condition, etc. are interesting but this is clearly for a specific audience that just wasn't me. Not the end of the world, of course, but not really for a casual reader, either. Recommend library borrow unless you have a specific interest and/or knowledge of the works Xu examines.

Review # 2 was written on 2016-09-24 00:00:00 Daniel Parker Lurie's collection of essays on children's literature starts well, devoting the first half to the analysis of writers and poets who have written principally for children. Included in her review are Alcott, Rowling, de la Mare, Dr. Seuss, Masefield, Baum and, though not a children's writer for the most part, Rushdie. Her premise is that these writers retained an essentially child- like view of the world. Her evaluation of de la Mare and Masefield along these lines is keenly sympathetic. It is a shame that their works are no longer easily found. The second half is more of a hodge-podge of literary criticism and reviews. One focuses on the Opie's study of children's play and rhymes, a work into which I have long wanted to delve. Others on near magical quality of nature in children's stories, illustration as enhancement as well as clues to social values, and of the need for fairy tales are lacking. Little is said here that hasn't been said before, and, often, better. The second set of essays has an catalogue style. Overall, Lurie seems to add little original insight into the study of children's literature. Her sprinkling of author trivia tidbits (Masefield ironically suffered horribly from sea sickness) keeps the book enough on the right side of fun. However, it is not likely that any intelligent reader of these works would not have been able to come to the same conclusions. (This is really a 3.5 star book because of the floundering, unfocused 2nd half.)