This months Kitchen Reader selection is Season to Taste by Molly Birnbaum chosen my Katherine Martinelli
Season to Taste is the memoir of Molly Birnbaum who loses her sense of smell, amongst other traumas, after being hit by a car while running. Now one may think, "Oh smell, I can live without smell! "It's better then losing this, that or the other thing." but for Molly it's a great loss. Without smell, there is no taste, and Molly needs to taste (and smell) because her dream is to become a chef.
The book takes you on a journey through her loss, and her quest to learn if there is any hope she will ever smell and taste again.
I found Season to Taste to be more about the science behind our ability, or inability to smell than it is about food and/or cooking, and for that reason it was just OK for me. I found myself skimming over the science looking to read more about how she coped without tasting food, when she did taste something, smelled something, etc. I found myself rooting for her throughout the book, fingers crossed she'd be able to smell and taste again and eventually become a chef.
No spoilers here. You'll have to read it to find out what happens.
I give the book 3 out of 5 stars and would recommend it to those who like a good memoir.
Next months selection is: Dinner Roles: American Women and Culinary Culture by Sherrie A Inness (chosen by Liz of enter with love into darkness)
P.S. I will not be participating with The Kitchen Reader every month (which you may have noticed), if you are interested in the book selections and the members reviews, you can visit the blog here. However, I am going to try and participate when the book selection is one I haven't already read.
I give the book 3 out of 5 stars and would recommend it to those who like a good memoir.
Next months selection is: Dinner Roles: American Women and Culinary Culture by Sherrie A Inness (chosen by Liz of enter with love into darkness)
P.S. I will not be participating with The Kitchen Reader every month (which you may have noticed), if you are interested in the book selections and the members reviews, you can visit the blog here. However, I am going to try and participate when the book selection is one I haven't already read.
Happy Reading!
Hi Shelley, I'm so glad to see you back with us. :) I found this book a bit hard going at times - it wasn't the science but the negative attitude Birnbaum voiced. But I have never experienced something as harrowing as she did and I'm sure her complaining was justified! Well, I definitely appreciate my sense of smell more than before.
ReplyDeleteHi Sarah,
DeleteThank you! Glad to be back. Yes her negativity was a bit too much at times and I too have never experienced anything as harrowing and can only imagine how negative I would be (just ask my family!!). Like you, I appreciate I still have my sense of smell!
I'm a little ADD, so I glossed over the research, but I did find the rest of the book to be enjoyable, and I, too, definitely value my sense of smell now more than I used to. :-)
ReplyDelete[K]
How about the fascinating part where she could smell her BRAIN?! Reading along as she learned about her condition and the world around her was really interesting. The research was a bit heavy at times, but I learned so many new things about my body and psychology and smell that I think it was worth it.
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