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The Last Chinese Chef
- Narrated by: James Chen, Elisabeth Rodgers
- Length: 10 hrs and 54 mins
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The Last Chinese Chef
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Food writer Nicole Mones has spent 18 years traveling to China, so it's fair to say that when she writes about a food writer who spends two weeks in China, Mones is up to the task. Although the novel contains no actual recipes, it won a World Gourmand Award in the category of Chinese cookbook. Such is the extent to which Chinese food is the thread that holds this story together. Cutting a clear path through the forest of noodles is narrator Elisabeth Rodgers, giving voice to the metaphor that extends from cooking to loving with a refreshingly crisp negotiation of the Chinese language.
The food writer in the story is a widow on a mission to determine if her late husband fathered a child by some other woman during his work in China. Since she may as well do some work while waiting for the paternity test results, Maggie profiles Sam, a competitive cooking descendant of the famous chef who authored the canonical kitchen text The Last Chef. Each chapter begins with a short excerpt from this mythic cookbook that relates as much about Chinese sociology as it does about the value of pork fat, read by the always delightful James Chen, whose voice unfortunately pops up only in these opening bits.
Foodies will find a treasure trove of practical information on the unjustifiable undervaluing of Chinese cuisine, and all listeners will enjoy some extended lessons on the cultural traditions that can heal lonely hearts. Rodgers is terrifically funny as Sam's uptight uncles, as well as the enigmatic lawyer and translator who assist Maggie with her husband's estate. Mones has written her third paean to Chinese virtues, and whatever you may make of the legal drama or the love story, you will never look at a takeout menu the same way again. Megan Volpert
Publisher's summary
In her satisfying, sensual third novel, Nicole Mones takes readers inside the hidden world of elite cuisine in modern China through the story of an American food writer in Beijing. When recently widowed Maggie McElroy is called to China to settle a claim against her late husband's estate, she is blindsided by the discovery that he may have led a double life. Since work is all that will keep her sane, her magazine editor assigns her to profile Sam, a half-Chinese American who is the last in a line of gifted chefs tracing back to the imperial palace. As she watches Sam gear up for Chinas Olympic culinary competition by planning the banquet of a lifetime, she begins to see past the cuisines artistry to glimpse its coherent expression of Chinese civilization. It is here, amid lessons of tradition, obligation, and human connection that she finds the secret ingredient that may yet heal her heart.
Critic reviews
"Early in her visit, Maggie scoffs at the idea that 'food can heal the human heart.' Mones smartly proves her wrong." ( Publishers Weekly)
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 367
After surviving the accident that took her mother's life, Claire Broussard worked hard to escape her small Louisiana hometown. But these days, she feels something lacking. Abruptly leaving her lucrative job in Chicago, Claire returns home to care for her ailing grandmother. There, she unearths a beautiful sculpture that her great-grandfather sent home from Paris after World War II. At her grandmother's urging, Claire travels to Paris to track down the centuries old mask-making atelier where the sculpture was created.
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5 out of 5 stars
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love story, a mystery, a historical novel, or all
- By Bonnie on 11-15-16
By: Juliet Blackwell
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Secret Daughter
- By: Shilpi Somaya Gowda
- Narrated by: Soneela Nankani
- Length: 11 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 939
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 800
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 800
Debut novelist Shilpi Somaya Gowda pens this compelling tale about two families, worlds apart, linked by one Indian child. After giving birth to a girl for a second time, impoverished Kavita must give her up to an orphanage. The baby, named Asha, is adopted by an American doctor and raised in California. But once grown, Asha decides to return to India.
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5 out of 5 stars
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A Must Read
- By Stephanie on 06-08-11
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Before We Visit the Goddess
- By: Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
- Narrated by: Sneha Mathan, Priya Ayyar, Vikas Adam
- Length: 7 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 783
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 716
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Story4 out of 5 stars 719
The daughter of a poor baker in rural Bengal, India, Sabitri yearns to get an education, but her family's situation means college is an impossible dream. Then an influential woman from Kolkata takes Sabitri under her wing, but her generosity soon proves dangerous after the girl makes a single unforgivable misstep. Years later, Sabitri's own daughter, Bela, haunted by her mother's choices, flees abroad with her political refugee lover - but the America she finds is vastly different from the country she'd imagined.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Absolutely Worth a Credit
- By Texastanya on 08-27-16
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Despite the Falling Snow
- By: Shamim Sarif
- Narrated by: Shamim Sarif
- Length: 9 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 39
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 35
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 36
Now a major motion picture. After an early career amongst the political elite of Cold War Russia, Alexander Ivanov has lived in America for 40 years and has managed to bury the tragic memories surrounding his charismatic late wife, Katya - or so he believes. For into his life come two women - one who will start to open up the heart he has protected for so long; another who is determined to uncover the truth about what really happened to Katya all those years ago.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Beautiful snow fall
- By Mary findsplaces on 05-22-20
By: Shamim Sarif
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The Joy Luck Club
- By: Amy Tan
- Narrated by: Gwendoline Yeo
- Length: 9 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 3,050
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,613
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,604
Four Chinese women, drawn together by the shadow of their past, meet in San Francisco to play mah jong, invest in stocks, eat dim sum, and to "say" stories to each other. Nearly 40 years later, one of the women has died, and her daughter arrives to take her place. However, the daughter never expected to learn of her mother's secret lifelong wish - and the tragic way in which it has come true. The revelation creates among the women an urgent need to remember the past.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Joy Luck - abridged
- By Leslie Teicholz on 03-16-04
By: Amy Tan
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The Paris Key
- By: Juliet Blackwell
- Narrated by: Xe Sands
- Length: 9 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 370
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 336
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Story4 out of 5 stars 341
As a girl, Genevieve Martin spent the happiest summer of her life in Paris, learning the delicate art of locksmithing at her uncle's side. But since then, living back in the States, she has become more private, more subdued. She has been an observer of life rather than an active participant, holding herself back from those around her, including her soon-to-be ex-husband. Paris never really left Genevieve, and, as her marriage crumbles, she finds herself faced with an incredible opportunity.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Not a cozy murder mystery but a cozy slice of life
- By sams on 10-23-15
By: Juliet Blackwell
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The Bastard of Istanbul
- By: Elif Shafak
- Narrated by: Laural Merlington
- Length: 12 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 418
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 276
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Story4 out of 5 stars 278
In her second novel written in English, Elif Shafak confronts her country's violent past in a vivid and colorful tale set in both Turkey and the United States. At its center is the "bastard" of the title, Asya, a 19-year-old woman who loves Johnny Cash and the French Existentialists, and the four sisters of the Kazanci family who all live together in an extended household in Istanbul.
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4 out of 5 stars
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A tender gift from far away
- By Barbara on 11-07-07
By: Elif Shafak
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Under the Cajun Moon
- By: Mindy Starns Clark
- Narrated by: Laural Merlington
- Length: 11 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 295
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 206
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Story4 out of 5 stars 209
What secrets can be found by the light of the Cajun moon? New Orleans may be the "Big Easy", but nothing about it was ever easy for international business etiquette expert Chloe Ledet. She moved away years ago, leaving her parents and their famous French Quarter restaurant behind. But when she hears that her father has been shot, she races home to be by his side and to handle his affairs, only to learn a longhidden secret that changes everything she knew to be true about herself and her family.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Good clean mystery
- By Deborah on 10-11-11
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Half a Lifelong Romance
- A Novel
- By: Eileen Chang
- Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller
- Length: 15 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 34
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 31
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 30
Manzhen is a young worker in a Shanghai factory where she meets Shijun, the son of wealthy merchants. Despite family complications, they fall in love and begin to dream of a shared life together - until circumstances force them apart. When they are reunited after many years, can they start their relationship again? Or is it destined to be the romance of only half a lifetime?
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5 out of 5 stars
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super
- By Marcus Aurelius on 10-05-17
By: Eileen Chang
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Vatican Waltz
- A Novel
- By: Roland Merullo
- Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell
- Length: 8 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 138
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 128
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Story4 out of 5 stars 127
Cynthia Piantedosi lives a quiet, unassuming life with her elderly father just outside of Boston. When she loses her beloved grandmother as a child, her faith takes a turn for the devout, and she begins experiencing what she describes as "spells" - moments of such intense prayer that she loses herself. Uninterested in boys and a social life, she develops a deep friendship with the parish priest, whose ideas are often seen as too provocative by his congregation but who encourages her to explore her spells.
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2 out of 5 stars
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I enjoyed it until the last page.
- By Pam on 08-15-16
By: Roland Merullo
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Lost in Translation
- By: Nicole Mones
- Narrated by: Angela Lin
- Length: 14 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 237
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 187
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Story4 out of 5 stars 186
A novel of searing intelligence and startling originality, Lost in Translation heralds the debut of a unique new voice on the literary landscape. Nicole Mones creates an unforgettable story of love and desire, of family ties and human conflict, and of one woman's struggle to lose herself in a foreign land - only to discover her home, her heart, herself.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Absolutely fascinating!
- By Brendan on 10-16-10
By: Nicole Mones
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The Bonesetter's Daughter
- By: Amy Tan
- Narrated by: Amy Tan, Joan Chen
- Length: 11 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,202
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 718
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 723
Set in contemporary San Francisco and in a Chinese village where Peking Man is being unearthed, The Bonesetter's Daughter is an excavation of the human spirit: the past, its deepest wounds, its most profound hopes. Tan, author of The Joy Luck Club, brilliantly presents "storytelling in its oldest and truest form".
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5 out of 5 stars
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Exceptionally good
- By Eileen Finn on 03-25-03
By: Amy Tan
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The Vine of Desire
- By: Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
- Narrated by: Julia Whelan
- Length: 11 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 99
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 92
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Story4 out of 5 stars 92
Anju and Sudha formed an astounding, almost psychic connection during their childhood in India. When Anju invites Sudha, a single mother in Calcutta, to come live with her and her husband, Sunil, in California, Sudha foolishly accepts, knowing full well that Sunil has long desired her. As Sunil's attraction rises to the surface, the trio must struggle to make sense of the freedoms of America - and of the ties that bind them to India and to one another.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Vine of desire
- By Mz Shantay on 03-27-21
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Death at the Chateau Bremont
- Verlaque and Bonnet Provençal Mystery Series, Book 1
- By: M.L. Longworth
- Narrated by: Christa Lewis
- Length: 9 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 127
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 110
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 110
When local nobleman Étienne de Bremont falls to his death from the family château, it sets the historic town of Aix-en-Provence abuzz with rumors. The once-idyllic town suddenly seems filled with people who could have benefited from Bremont's death - including his playboy brother, François, who's heavily in debt and mixed up with some unsavory characters. But just as the list of suspects is being narrowed down, another death occurs. And this time, there can be no doubt - it's murder.
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5 out of 5 stars
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A good listen
- By Darcie on 11-05-22
By: M.L. Longworth
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The Story Hour
- By: Thrity Umrigar
- Narrated by: Sneha Mathan
- Length: 11 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 780
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 706
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 701
An experienced psychologist, Maggie carefully maintains emotional distance from her patients. But when she meets a young Indian woman who tried to kill herself, her professional detachment disintegrates. Cut off from her family in India, Lakshmi is desperately lonely and trapped in a loveless marriage. Moved by her plight, Maggie treats Lakshmi in her home office for free, quickly realizing that the despondent woman doesn't need a shrink; she needs a friend.
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2 out of 5 stars
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A stellar performance almost carried the book...
- By Daryl on 03-04-15
By: Thrity Umrigar
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I'm Supposed to Protect You from All This
- A Memoir
- By: Nadja Spiegelman
- Narrated by: Nadja Spiegelman
- Length: 11 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 56
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 54
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 53
For a long time, Nadja Spiegelman believed her mother was a fairy. More than her famous father, Maus creator Art Spiegelman, and even more than most mothers, hers - French-born New Yorker art director Françoise Mouly - exerted a force over reality that was both dazzling and daunting. As Nadja's body changed and "began to whisper to the adults around me in a language I did not understand", their relationship grew tense.
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1 out of 5 stars
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Aweful
- By Haley Abreu Kling on 07-05-17
By: Nadja Spiegelman
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To See the Moon Again
- By: Jamie Langston Turner
- Narrated by: Eva Kaminsky
- Length: 13 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 38
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 33
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 33
The first step to letting go of the past is forgiving it …Every day of her life Julia Rich lives with the memory of a horrible accident she caused long ago. In the years since, she has tried to hide her guilt in the quiet routine of teaching at a small South Carolina college, avoiding close relationships with family and would-be friends. But one day a phone call from Carmen, a niece she has never met, disrupts her carefully controlled world.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Beautiful Story of Forgiveness and Selfless Love
- By sharon on 09-20-14
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The Saturday Night Supper Club
- By: Carla Laureano
- Narrated by: Teri Schnaubelt
- Length: 9 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 67
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 60
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Story4 out of 5 stars 60
Denver chef Rachel Bishop has accomplished everything she's dreamed and some things she never dared hope, like winning a James Beard Award and heading up her own fine-dining restaurant. But when a targeted smear campaign causes her to be pushed out of the business by her partners, she vows to do whatever it takes to get her life back...even if that means joining forces with the man who inadvertently set the disaster in motion.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Nice story
- By Dawna on 12-05-18
By: Carla Laureano
What listeners say about The Last Chinese Chef
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Diane E. Sidener
- 01-16-13
It wasn't enough to listen to it
Lovely book: very evocative. Made me realize how impoverished most American eating habits are--plus it should have come with samples!
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Bridget
- 01-01-13
Excellent Book
Would you listen to The Last Chinese Chef again? Why?
No, I don't usually listen or read books again.
Who was your favorite character and why?
I really enjoyed the Chef. He was determined to be successful.
Which character – as performed by Elisabeth Rodgers and James Chen – was your favorite?
James Chen
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
When his father came to China.
Any additional comments?
Unpredictable book. Normally I am able to predict books within the first couple of hours. I was intrigued throughout the entire book.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- babygirl
- 06-30-18
Such descriptive writing, you could see the food!
Loved it. Learned a lot about Chinese cooking and the people of China. interesting read.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- grumpymonkey
- 08-16-16
Great book for Chinese foodie!
Great research on regional Chinese food preparations as well as Chinese culture on food and family relationship.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Dale Yaged
- 06-15-22
A Chinese foodie dream
I loved the descriptives of the food in the book. I also loved the characters of Sam, the uncles, and Maggie.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- kim geyser
- 07-18-21
A Wonderful Foodie Story
I am fascinated by the 'why' behind many cuisines and this story explained so much about Chinese cuisine in a relatable way that I was riveted!! O to experience one of those banquets!!! The dipping into the past added more depth and a feel of authenticity to the food culture being explained. I did find the concept of a food journalist who did not cook a bit odd and the whole romance was a bit predictable. I loved it anyway.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Chambers Stevens
- 01-20-24
Love it!
Great books about food are rare…The Last Chinese Chef is a masterpiece! I want a sequel!
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Tim
- 12-20-12
Kind of Suprising
I'm kind of surprised that I enjoyed "The Last Chinese Chef." I was expecting a love, romantic story and wasn't thrill to listen to it, but as I got more into the story, I liked it and couldn't wait for more. Instead of listening about a man and a woman falling for each other, I learned so much more about the Chinese culture and how their food is a staple of who they are. The book is written well. As you follow the characters, you start to understand the Asian culture more by respecting their food as if it was art. The cooking competition over shadows the romance between the two main characters.
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11 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Cathy
- 03-06-12
Glad I didn't let my reservations stop me
From the title I was afraid this would be a story stuck in-between recipes. Fortunately I didn't let that stop me. This was an absolutely terrific book. It not only provided an interesting insight into China, but was enlightening on the 'philosophy' behind Chinese cooking. I look for books that don't fall into a category of "romance" or "mystery", but rather provide an interesting story. This was such a book. I recommend this book to anyone who is looking to enjoy a good story, to learn, and to be swept away by an interesting culture.
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5 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Linda
- 07-18-13
Interesting view of Chinese Culture
The plot is fairly simple, yet enjoyable. The plot and bi-cultural background of the male character provides a good vehicle for exploring Chinese versus American culture. The romantic interest is pleasing.
I'm not a cook or "food-ie" but found this story interesting and educational. I will probably re-listen at some future date to absorb more of the history and cultural details.
The performance is well done. It seemed a little stilted the first few minutes, but either that changed or I became accustomed to the reader.
A good use of a credit.
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2 people found this helpful