Memoir is a fairly new genre for me. If you’ve never read it, but you enjoy character-driven novels, you might enjoy reading “creative nonfiction” as it’s called. This week I’m reviewing (and giving away five copies) of a memoir called Trail of Crumbs.
A place and its people are often linked to its food. What I miss most about my Texas roots is the Tex-Mex and the barbecue.I long for the spicy Thai food so abundant in the Pacific Northwest that I enjoyed when we lived there. In my New England home, pizza has transcended the frozen disk or a chain delivery standard to which I had become accustomed.
In Trail of Crumbs: Hunger, Love and the Search for Home (January 2008, Grand Central Publishing) food writer Kim Sunee’s self-discovery simmers as she embraces different cultures and cuisine. Her story begins as an abandoned child in an orphanage in Korea, takes her to her adoptive family’s home in New Orleans.
As a child living in New Orleans, she struggled to fit in with her white classmates, but
found comfort in the kitchen at her grandfather’s side as he stirred up red beans and rice, jambalaya and other Cajun specialties. As a student, she lived in Paris and Sweden and quickly picked up the language and cuisine of those countries as well, using the food as a means of finding her way in the culture.
Falling in love with the founder of L’Occitane, Olivier Baussan, brings her to his home in Provence, where she should be happy, yet slips deeper into self-doubt. She is unsure of her ability to live up to the role of step-mother, hostess and lady of the house. Although the story is compelling and her experiences are interesting, I began to feel that as an author, she felt detached from her own life story. Then it hit me that, whether intentional or not, this is an incredible literary device and does serve to advance the plot of her “search for home.”
“I want to know everything about you. No secrets between us, okay?”
I nod, knowing this is impossible. How can he know everything about me, when I don’t even know myself?
Food is a supporting character throughout this novel, so as I read I found myself wanting to nosh–not on popcorn and Oreos, but to graze on soft cheeses and fresh seasonal fruit. Since none of those things are in my American cabinet, I was safe. However, each chapter ends with a few recipes that you can try on your own if you wish.
Because these types of stories are of a person’s real-life journey, there is no simple wrapped-up ending. One of the marks of a good memoir is that it leaves me wanting more. If I passed Kim Sunee on the street, I’d want to look her in the eye and see that she’s okay–that she’s happy and whole. I have a feeling that she might be.
To enter to win one of five giveaway copies, please leave a comment. If you’d like, tell me if you are new to memoir or the title of one that you’ve enjoyed.
Would love to win this one,I love books relating
to different cultures
Sounds like an interesting read.
Love to read this!!
Thank you for having such a great giveaway!
sounds like a great read!
great giveaway!
I’d love to win this… thanks!
Count me in please. Sounds interesting!
I blogged your contest on this post:
http://laurawilliamsmusings.blogspot.com/2008/01/sunday-120-edition-of-contest-galore.html
enter me please
Please count me in. Thanks!
Sounds great
This book sounds wonderful. Please count me in! 🙂
please enter me thanks
I am relatively new to memoirs but I have read a couple. This one sounds good too!
I’ve fallen in love with some wonderful memoirs lately myself. and food memoirs are the best! I’d love to read it!
My Mom would love this!
I’m relatively new to memoir. I just read “Left to Tell” by Immaculee Ilibagiza. Well worth the time!
please enter me!
As I battle the Flu for the 2nd time this year…I hope all of you stay well and have a great New Year…
This sounds like a great book.
I’d love to win!!!!!!!
Thanks for offering and considering me for this prize!!!
Sounds like a great read! One I wouldn’t want to put down! I would love to win and read this book!
This sounds interesting. I am pretty new to memoir – other than Angela’s Ashes.
Sounds very interesting. Sign me up!
sounds like a very interesting story
I am new to memoir but I am intrigued now
Oh this sounds wonderful. I love food books.
I’d love to win!
I’d love to win this book.
I’m new to memoir, and I’d love to win.
I am new to this genre and to this website. The book sounds very interesting and I would love to read it.
make me want to put the kids in the car and go to the library and stop by central market to pick up some fresh bread and some fun exotic cheese, drop the kids off at a sitter and sit by the fire and read! I’d love a copy…but more than anything I look forward to reading this book
Sounds great!
I would love to win a copy!
I’ll add you to the links
http://www.prizeatron.com
I would LOVE to win this!! always love a good read!!
Would love to win this wonderful book am new to memior!
Please enter me in your giveaway. Love to read! Thank you!
I would love to win this:)
new to memoir thanks
A good read. Please enter me.
I don’t think I’ve ever read a memoir before.
I recently read Barack Obama’s memoir, which was very moving. I’m interested in this one because my son came to us through international adoption
This sounds like something I would really like! I think that the best memoir I’ve read lately was Paper Daughter.
I am a newbie, but just working on the time for it all!! Thanks!!
I go through long stretches where I LOVE memoirs. I just finished “LOOK ME IN THE EYE” – Augusten Bourroughs brothers’ memoir.
My favorite memoir is “Girl Meets God” by Lauren Winner. I can’t say enough good about that book. I also enjoyed “The Glass Castle” but it is very, very sad.
I’m a newbie and would love to read this book!!
this book sounds really good. 🙂 Please enter me in the giveaway!
This sounds like a great book!!
I would enjoy reading this book. One book that I’ve enjoyed recently (that is not quite a memoir, but kinda…) is “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life”.
I have not read a memoir before, but this definitely sounds interesting. Please enter me in the drawing!
I would be new to reading memoirs.
Enter me please. Thanks!
sounds wonderful…fingers crossed…
This sounds like a very interesting book! I just finished “The White Masaii” (a memoir) and I’m hooked to this style of writing. Thanks for entering me!
Sounds great. Never read a memoir before, but I would love to start 🙂
Memoirs are actually my favorite genre to read. The first one that comew to mind when I think of which have been my favorites is “The Glass Castle” by Jeannette Walls. I reread it again recently. I lent it to my sister who has never read memoirs and she loved it. “Eat, Pray, Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert is another good one that has been a bit hit recently. The next one on my list to get is “Dishwasher: One Man’s Quest to Wash Dishes in All Fifty States” by Pete Jordan. The guy wrote a zine for a while about his adventures traveling and working as a dishwasher, and I read and really enjoyed the issues I was able to get my hands on.
Sounds like a great book…I’d love to get my hands on a copy!
This sounds like a really interesting book, I would love to win it!
This sounds really interesting!
I’m new to memoir and would like to check it out.
This sounds like a good book!
I’ve read one memoir before called The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom it was scary and sad. I’d love to read this one.
Sounds great! Count me in!
Sounds like some interesting reading, count me in!!
Oh, I love a good memoir and can recommend several. Angela’s Ashes comes to mind, Through Painted Deserts, Girl Meets God, Eat,Pray, Love. Another food based memoir is Animal, Vegetable, Miracle.
This sounds like a wonderful book.
Looks like a great read!
This sounds interesting. Would like to know more about how she felt about these places.
I would love to read this. I haven’t read many contemporary memoirs.
I love “foodie” books, food blogs, cookbooks,and food! I have read all of Ruth Reichl’s books about her love of food and life as a restaurant critic and love Julia Child’s book about her life in France and discovering food and learning to cook – “My Life in France”. I would love to read this one too!
I’d love a copy! 🙂
Enter me please. I just read A Walk with Jane Austen which is part-memoir:-)
I’m a memoir newbie. Would love to check it out– never met a good book I didn’t like. 🙂
I don’t usually select memoirs, but this one sounds fascinating. Please enter me!
I’ve read some memoirs, but I can’t remember the exact titles right now! Must not have made a terribly big impression, huh? I’d love to read this one, though. :0)
Sounds really good!! Best Memoir I’ve read lately was Anthony Bourdain’s book on his rise in the cooking world.
Sounds like a great read. Please enter me.
This book sounds great. Memoir is a terrific genre.
This sounds fascinating! I believe food is central to life and that it does more for us then keep us alive. I think it may affect us in ways we wouldn’t think of so I’d love to read this and see what it has to say. I’m new to memoirs but would love to try one!
Please enter me!
Oh the book sounds lovely. Does “Eat, Pray, Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert qualify as a memoir? If it does, I highly recommend it 🙂
I’m intrigued and would love a new read!
I’ve read a few memoirs. Currently, I’m reading “The Hidden Place”~ a memoir. This one looks good. I have 2 Korean-born brothers.
I love a new book!
Toss me in the mix please!
new to memoir! but sounds interesting! i’d love to win one!
This sounds like a wonderful book and different from anything I have read before.
I would love to read and review.
Thanks!
I am always looking for a good book. Thanks. Count me in too.
wanna win too
count me in!
I’ve been doing lots of reading since my son was born, since it’s hard for me to nurse at the keyboard. I’ve decided to try branching out into new genres of books besides my usual fantasy/sci fi or romance staples. I’d love a copy of this book.
This sounds wonderful! I am new to memoirs, although I have loved many biographies. One of my favorites is Camille Claudel… I also spent some time after college living in Paris, and so the idea of experiencing different cultures and finding one’s way through food has always intrigued me.
I love memoirs! Sounds like fun!
I’d love to win this one!! I am new to memoir – but absolutely love food related reading… I read cookbooks
I’m definitely in the mood for a book like this. Since my husband and I changed our lifestyles to ones that are health-driven, I’ve become obsessed with food… exploring food and learning about food and experiencing food in a way I never did back in the drive-through days.
This sounds so perfect for me. I love reading and cooking;). Seriously, it sounds heart touching and I would love it.
Sounds interesting. Sign me up.
Hi, Sounds like a wonderful book to me. It reminds me of my husband’s family. His sister is Thai/American, a child of the Vietnam War. My husband’s dad adopted her from her mother who was selling her on the street. She was very ill with infantigo and almost died. His sister has always had trouble fitting in no matter where the Air Force sent them! Please sign me up for this memoir. I would love to give it to my sister-in-law. Thanks very much…..Cindi
Sounds intriguing!
I’m a newbie as well and would love to win:)
I’d love to win this! I’m new to memoir.