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jess_mango's review against another edition
4.0
Several years ago, I read two novels by Diana Abu-Jaber: Arabian Jazz and Crescent. I really enjoyed both books and found them unique from other novels that were out at the time since they focused on the Arab-American experience. Both books were big hits in the book clubs that I read them in. My friend Amanda still cites Crescent as one of her all-time favorite book club books. In her memoir, The Language of Baklava, Abu-Jaber share her memories of food and family and growing up between cultures. Abu-Jaber’s father is from Jordan and her mother grew up in America and is of western European stock.
I found the book really interesting from a personal perspective since I am an American of European descent and my husband is from Pakistan. We are definitely a food-centric household. Many of our memories are built around food and we both love to cook. Our future children may face multiple culture clashes… food-related, tradition-related and definitely religion-related.
Abu-Jaber’s memoir was funny and insightful as to what it felt like to grow up in such an environment. Her observations about the influence on members of both sides of her family on her life were humourous and heart-felt.
There are recipes interspersed throughout the chapters. These recipes are related to the memories relayed in the chapter. Some of the recipes are for Jordanian food and others for more American fare.
I recommend this book to those who enjoy foodie memoirs or coming of age memoirs.
I found the book really interesting from a personal perspective since I am an American of European descent and my husband is from Pakistan. We are definitely a food-centric household. Many of our memories are built around food and we both love to cook. Our future children may face multiple culture clashes… food-related, tradition-related and definitely religion-related.
Abu-Jaber’s memoir was funny and insightful as to what it felt like to grow up in such an environment. Her observations about the influence on members of both sides of her family on her life were humourous and heart-felt.
There are recipes interspersed throughout the chapters. These recipes are related to the memories relayed in the chapter. Some of the recipes are for Jordanian food and others for more American fare.
I recommend this book to those who enjoy foodie memoirs or coming of age memoirs.
littletaiko's review against another edition
4.0
This is one of those books that makes me appreciate my book club so much. I probably would have never read this book if we hadn't been in search of something food related to read for our annual anniversary potluck. The Language of Baklava was such an interesting look at the author's life growing up with a Jordanian father and American mother. At the core of her life is the wonderful food from her father's heritage. As an added bonus, the recipes for the various dishes are included in each chapter. I'm really looking forward to our upcoming meeting now!
scarletohhara's review against another edition
5.0
Oh. What a beautiful book.
A beautiful combo of a memoir and a recipe book, this one is going to be on my kitchen bookshelf forever!
A detailed review here - http://thegreenteaevenings.blogspot.com/2012/01/language-of-baklava.html
A beautiful combo of a memoir and a recipe book, this one is going to be on my kitchen bookshelf forever!
A detailed review here - http://thegreenteaevenings.blogspot.com/2012/01/language-of-baklava.html
emjay24's review against another edition
4.0
Awesomely readable memoir by Diana Abu-Jaber, a woman growing up in both the US and Jordan, with a Jordanian dad who loved to cook, and an american mom. Each chapter includes yummy looking recipes, and food is mixed into each story about her life. It's so interesting to see the way her dad and uncles try to fit into american society, and then how the tables are turned for her and her sisters and mom when they go to live in Jordan a while, then the adjustment back to the US. I loved reading about the difference between the fake type food americans eat vs the real type food they eat in jordan. i just loved the writing style and the stories. The only bad thing is that the book was so great at the beginning and middle, but by the end, when she has grown up, it starts to get boring and blah. i liked her more as a kid than i did as an adult. still a really great book though and highly recommended for everyone!
slc54hiwi's review against another edition
5.0
I heard about this book when the author was interviewed on NPR. It's really a food autobiography, or an autobiography with food woven into the author's life story. Alternately laugh-out-loud funny and poignant, the food descriptions are marvelous. The author's account of her father insisting on providing home-cooked Jordanian feasts for her to eat at school instead of the god-awful school lunches everyone else consumed is hysterical.
red_magpie's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this one--beautiful language and lots of food. What could be better?
loribulb's review against another edition
5.0
One of the most enjoyable books I've read in a long time... I was going to simply photocopy several of the recipes that intersperse the text before returning my library copy, but then I realized that there was so much more to the book that was going to be re-read. So I decided to buy my own copy.
alilv's review against another edition
4.0
Probs 3.5
A cute memoir written well. Got me a bit excited for Jordan (except when she talked about the rainy season which isn’t ideal) albeit rendering it a bit of a literary fantasy.
I like memoirs.
A cute memoir written well. Got me a bit excited for Jordan (except when she talked about the rainy season which isn’t ideal) albeit rendering it a bit of a literary fantasy.
I like memoirs.