Linda Sue Park is the author of the Newbery-winning book A Single Shard and the delicious picture book Bee-Bim-Bop. And she’s a Hungry Monkey fan. Check out her blog:
What I’m Reading – Hungry Monkey
It’s just delightful–funny, salient, and hunger-inducing, with more text than recipes, which is exactly what I like in a food book.
Now, maybe she only likes my book because I mentioned her book in it, but in that case, why haven’t I heard from Russell Hoban?
My favorite bookstore? Apologies to all the others, but that’s easy: University Bookstore in Seattle. I know of no other place with such a perfect balance of comfort and selection, plus they sell art supplies and computers, two sections I can’t keep myself out of. They also sold the hell out of Hungry Monkey.
University Bookstore turned 110 this year, and to commemorate the birthday, they asked 110 of their favorite local authors to each write a 110-word story for an anthology, 110|110. (I would have called it 12,100, but whatever.) I contributed a story, which is a huge honor, because you may have noticed we have a lot of authors in the Northwest. Some of the other writers in the book include Ivan Doig, Tom Robbins, Greg Bear, Garth Stein, and Robin Hobb. (You know, not 34-year-old hipsters with so-called memoirs, real authors.) My story is about pirates!
You can read the book free online, or get a free copy if you buy a book by any of the 110 authors.
The other day I was buying a book at UBS and the people in front of me in line were buying something that fit that criterion. The cashier gave them a copy of 110|110 and said, “It includes stories by some of our favorite local authors.”
“Including me!” I piped up. The customers reacted exactly as you’d expect. They ignored me.
If anyone was planning to come see me on December 18 at Sur La Table in Bellevue, that appearance is CANCELED. Please don’t show up! It’ll be rescheduled in a month or two.
Hungry Monkey is all over this article from yesterday’s Boston Globe:
And it features two recipes from the book. You rock, Boston Globe.
The chapter “Picky-Picky” from Hungry Monkey has been selected for Best Food Writing 2009, which is available now. Makes a great gift.
You know, after the first four times I was selected for Best Food Writing, I thought it might be a fluke, but now I’m convinced that I’m pretty good.
This year’s collection also features many of my friends, who are really good, including Francis Lam, Kim Severson, Molly Wizenberg, Bethany Jean Clement, and Steven Shaw.
A couple of notes from Germany. First, the book has been renamed to Kulinarische Abenteuer mit einem Kleinkind, which translates as “Culinary Adventures with a Small Child.” The cover now features a photo by the excellent Lara Ferroni, who is currently writing a cookbook about doughnuts. Second, I got an enthusiastic review in Börsenblatt, a magazine for German booksellers:
According to my friend Gunther Schmidl, they call the book a “three star cookbook and personal story at the same time.” The included recipe, for frico (cheese wafers), is from the book.
I haven’t heard anything about doing a German book tour, but I bet I can speak German.
While in San Francisco I taped a segment with Leigh Glaser for the local ABC show View From the Bay. It aired Friday and you can watch it right now. The kids were awesome. I was completely terrified that they would hate the dumplings, and they loved them.
As you know, Hungry Monkey will be released in Germany in October as Lirum larum Löffelstiel: Kulinarische Abenteuer mit einem Kleinkind. (Actually, Amazon says September. Even better.) But did you know it’s going to have this awesome cover?
If they send me to Germany on book tour, I imagine it will be exactly like the movie Top Secret. People will keep saying, “Your papers, please,” in fake German accents. Later, a party functionary will give a cloying welcome to the visiting American author and ask if he could be persuaded to read a selection from his masterwork, and I will kick over Philip Roth on the way to the stage.
Oh, and I will be presented with one of those FIND HIM AND KILL HIM stamps.
If Germany isn’t actually like that, I don’t want to hear about it.
I’ve been promising you a New York date for months, and now I have one.
Emily Franklin, Amanda Hesser, Giulia Melucci, and Matthew Amster-Burton
October 17, 2009
2:30pm-4:30pm
Blue Marble Ice Cream
420 Atlantic Ave
Brooklyn
If you’re not available in the afternoon, I’ll make sure there’s an opportunity to meet me and get your book signed that evening.
I spent a great week in San Francisco and did three readings, all of which went well, but the best was on Friday at Books Inc in Alameda. I was relaxed enough by that point to kick off the event with a comedy routine about San Francisco hipsters, which I assure you is highly related to my book.
Here are some photos, taken by Anita of Married with Dinner.
NOW SHIPPING.