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The Book of Salt
The Book of Salt: A Novel | Monique Truong
9 posts | 30 read | 350 to read
The Book of Salt serves up a wholly original take on Paris in the 1930s through the eyes of Binh, the Vietnamese cook employed by Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas. Viewing his famous mesdames and their entourage from the kitchen of their rue de Fleurus home, Binh observes their domestic entanglements while seeking his own place in the world. In a mesmerizing tale of yearning and betrayal, Monique Truong explores Paris from the salons of its artists to the dark nightlife of its outsiders and exiles. She takes us back to Binh's youthful servitude in Saigon under colonial rule, to his life as a galley hand at sea, to his brief, fateful encounters in Paris with Paul Robeson and the young Ho Chi Minh.
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Simona
The Book of Salt: A Novel | Monique Truong
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Pickpick

The narrator of the story is a Vietnamese cook in Gertrude Stein‘s Paris household. He ponders about his life in #Vietnam, about racial and cultural prejudices, colonialism, love and lovers, cuisine, ... The story is full of nostalgia, but with subtle humour and fine prose. #FoodAndLit #ReadingAsia ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
P.S. The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas by G.Stein is going to be in my March reading list, for sure.

Librarybelle Very nice! 4y
BarbaraBB Sounds great! I still need to read Alice B Toklas too (edited) 4y
Butterfinger Wonderful review. 4y
Simona @BarbaraBB It will be on my next month Bookspin list 😁 4y
43 likes5 comments
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TheSpineView
The Book of Salt: A Novel | Monique Truong
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RealLifeReading
The Book of Salt: A Novel | Monique Truong
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I was thinking of other food novels that I've read and came across a few new-to-me ones when looking at Goodreads - the first three on the top row. #readjanuary #foodiefiction

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Foragingfantasy
The Book of Salt: A Novel | Monique Truong
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Thrift store book haul. ❤️

Jenni_Capps I enjoyed The Hollow, hope you do as well! 8y
Foragingfantasy @Jenni_Capps oh good! I just cover bought it. 8y
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Fuzz
The Book of Salt: A Novel | Monique Truong
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Mehso-so

This was an interesting read; a unique & sometimes challenging writing style. The story follows a young Vietnamese man who ends up as the live-in cook for Gertrude Stein & Ms. Toklas; both intriguing & somewhat outrageous characters in Paris around 1930.

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Soubhiville
The Book of Salt: A Novel | Monique Truong
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Starting this audiobook as I leave for work this morning.

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Ksvz
The Book of Salt: A Novel | Monique Truong
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Pickpick

Audio, The language and imagery were fantastic. Brilliantly read with a beautiful story. I have no clue what the story was suppose to mean but it was wonderfully told.

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April
The Book of Salt: A Novel | Monique Truong
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Loved it. So sensual, in terms of both food and sex. Loved the angle of Paris in the 1930's from the eyes of a Vietnamese chef in Gertrude Stein's household. Great for thinking about colonialism and its impact on gender (whose agency are we sacrificing for our own?). ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Furny Oooh sounds good, something different!.x 9y
BookladyOnTheMove Read this book quite awhile ago. I still remember it! Such an amazing story. 9y
Kbanski Sounds like a good one to take on my upcoming France trip! 9y
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Antonio Sounds like a less gritty Mark Kurlansky? 8y
juttingjaw I'm interested in reading this my daughter bought this book a few years ago. Now even more compelled to read it. 8y
Blaire Have always been intrigued by the cover of this book. Adding to my list. 8y
April @Booklady100 Isn't it great?! The food descriptions had me. 😋 8y
April @Kbanski This would be the PERFECT book to take on a trip to Paris. Paris is certainly a character itself in this piece, and it's great to read about a city from the POV of a person historically exploited by the city. 8y
April @juttingjaw @Blaire @Furny Go for it! I think you'll all love it. =) Beautiful prose and compelling, complicated characters. =) 8y
Couchnest I was excited when I thought it was a book about salt. #saltaddict lol :) 8y
Blaire Added to my to-read list. 8y
SistaPip Read this book for a book club years ago, loved it and haven't thought about it in a long time 8y
April @Couchnest Me too! Did you read that book out a while ago called Salt? I think it was Salt: A history. I have it but haven't started it. Looks interesting though! 8y
April @Blaire Nice! Enjoy! 8y
April @SistaPip I read it for a class and I'm so glad that I did! 8y
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