More than just a read, the book of salt is an experience that involves all five senses and a sixth sense, if you possess it. Monique truong s first novel, the book of salt, is a remarkably inventive fictional account of a vietnamese cook whom truong appropriated from several pages of the celebrated expatriate. Truong has, after much deliberation, cultivated a veritable feast. Poet ocean vuongs debut novel is a shattering portrait of a family, a first love, and the redemptive power of storytelling. Born in saigon, south vietnam, monique truong came to the u. Monique truong puts a lot of heat in the book of salt. I was certain t find the familiar sting of salt, but what i needed to know was what kind. Truong picks up that point of unknown and spins it into a novel about love, identity, home and food.
Her first novel,the book of salt, a national bestseller, was awarded the 2003 bard fiction prize, the stonewall book awardbarbara gittings literature award, and the young lions fiction award, among other honors. A mesmerizing narrative voice, an insiders view of a fabled literary household and the slow revelation of. Bingham fellowship, stonewall book awardbarbara gittings. Truong caresses each image and each shifting sensation, forming whole scenes around a taste, color, or touch, language being her other second theme.
The book of salt included a lot of monique truongs debut book centers on binh, a gay vietnamese cook who flees saigon in 1929 to work as a galley hand at sea. The first page of the pdf of this article appears above. About the book of salt a lush, fascinating, expansive first novel about exile. Among other things, binh is the vietnamese cook of alice b. 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. In her highly evocative book, monique truong has managed to cover all of these and more, brining the colours, tastes and sights of both france and vietnam vividly to life. Truong, monique the book of salt 1st edition 1st printing. The theme of sexuality in the book of salt serves as an important connection with other themes, such as diaspora and orientalism. Timmy commended truong for the thorough research she conducted for her first book. It took us two taxi rides from the apartment to the train station before all the pieces could. On earth were briefly gorgeous is a letter from a son to a mother who cannot read. He narrates his journey while later employed as a livein cook for gertrude stein and alice toklas, two esteemed women who operate a literary salon in paris. Lee the book of salt a novel por monique truong disponible en rakuten kobo. An intricate story of home, identity chicago tribune.
Press release for the book of salt published by houghton. The book of salt by monique truong freebooksummary. Her second novel, bitter in the mouth random house, 2010, received the american academy of arts and letters rosenthal family foundation award and was named a 25 best fiction. The book of salt ebook by monique truong rakuten kobo. Monique truong is the vietnamese american author of the bestselling, awardwinning novels, the book of salt and bitter in the mouth. It is not strange that cooking is mentioned in the book of salt since its name is already associated with one of familiar ingredients, salt. Read online the book of salt pdf by monique truong for. The book of salt quotes by monique truong goodreads. Heat the book of salt by monique truong shanghai noir. We know from history that stein and toklas had at different points two chefs. Casting gertrude stein as a book character is a bold move, but consigning her to the background and putting her absence to good use is even bolder. I assumed that the lives of these two american ladies and therefore mine would be centered in paris on.
Truong, monique the book of salt 1st edition 1st printing hardcover boston houghton mifflin company 2003 very good in a very good dust jacket. Readers guide for the book of salt published by houghton. The book of salt is the first novellength work by truong. Monique truongs debut novel, the book of salt, is narrated by a vietnamese man named binh who serves as the personal cook for those sapphic luminaries gertrude stein and alice b. The book of salt is a 2003 novel by monique truong. This is the world evoked by her narrator binh, cook to gertrude stein and alice b.
Its a novel told from the perspective of gertrude stein and. In paris, in 1934, binh has accompanied his employers, gertrude stein and alice b. The salt in this book is many and varied salt of the sea, salt of taste, salt of tears and salt of sweat. The one he takes, the fictional book of salt, turns out to be about him. Her first novel, the book of salt houghton mifflin, 2003, was a national bestseller and the recipient of the new york public library young lions fiction award, bard fiction prize, penrobert w. Read the book of salt a novel by monique truong available from rakuten kobo. Of that day i have two photographs and, of course, my memories. Her first novel,the book of salt, a national bestseller, has been awarded the 2003 bard fiction prize, the stonewall book awardbarbara gittings literature award, and the young lions fiction award, among other honors. The book of salt serves up a wholly original take on paris in the 1930s through the eyes of binh, the vietnamese cook em. Monique truong was born and raised in vietnam, and moved to the us after the fall of saigon. The book of salt gastronomica university of california. Readers guide for the book of salt published by houghton mifflin. A decade ago, a colleague told me about monique truongs the book of salt 2003. Truong picks up that point of unknown and spins it.
The book of salt liane hansen speaks with monique truong, author of the novel the book of salt. Toklas cook book that inspired the book of salt, a brilliant first novel by acclaimed vietnamese american writer monique truong. The book of salt is a brilliant debut by a young vietnamese american, monique truong. An original take on paris in the 1930s through the eyes of binh, the vietnamese cook employed by gertrude stein and alice b. Written when the speaker, little dog, is in his late 20s, the letter unearths a familys history that began before he was born a history whose epicenter is rooted in vietnam and. Monique truongs first novel, the book of salt, is a remarkably inventive fictional account of a vietnamese cook whom truong appropriated from several pages of the celebrated expatriate american. Raj talked about the usage of salt in french cuisine, and briefly explained that for one to become the top chef in france, he has to master its cuisine. Truong tells us that a child born in saigon does not taste his mothers milk first but rather the salt on her nipple. There were, after all, a tremendous number of traveling cases and trunks. Binh, a vietnamese cook, flees saigon in 1929, disgracing his fam. In her novel, truong uses the famous literary couple gertrude stein and alice b.
Her short fiction and essays have been taught in universities across america. Optional message may have a maximum of characters. New york times an irresistible, scrupulously engineered confection that weaves together history, art and human nature. The book of salt travels between past and present, vietnam and france, and we soon discover that the stories binh tells are subject to his revisions. Toklas, through the shielded vision of their livein cook in the book of salt, a dreamily immersive novel that strains. We had arrived at the gare du nord with over three hours to spare.
The book of salt won the bard fiction prize and the barbara gittings award in literature, and was a finalist for britains guardian first book award in 2003. Toklas, as a background against which to tell her tale. 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. Monique is currently a finalist for the new york public librarys young lions. Sexuality in the book of salt christina fan, english 365, northwestern university. We know from history that stein and toklas had at different points two chefs from indochine.
The heat of two bodies rubbing in a hammock at sea. His story centers in paris in his life as the cook in the home of gertrude stein and alice b. The book of salt is vietnameseamerican author monique truongs first novel. The book of salt, her first novel, was inspired by a brief mention of an indochinese cook in the alice b. Truong is taking on a lot here, with ideas of exile, storytelling and truth all filtered through metaphors of food. Toklas, and is supplemented by his memories of his childhood in frenchcolonial vietnam. Monique truong s debut novel, the book of salt houghton mifflin, april 2003, is a true literary feast. The time period is the 1920s and 1930s and focuses on binh, a young, gay vietnamese cook living in frenchcolonized vietnam who must flee saigon.