Search - Bento Box in the Heartland

I love the books where after each chapters, there's a recipe of a delicious mention. This one is filled with Japanese dishes from the author's childhood. This memoir of Linda Furiya (noted food writer for the SF Chron) fuses her Japanese background and living in Indiana. An endearing coming of age story of a girl trying to find her place in the world.

I love the title of this book. It's what caught my eye. This is an enjoyable memoir of growing up as a Japanese-American in the American midwest (Indiana). It's a classic fish out of water/coming of age memoir. Furiya is candid about her life. There really isn't a whole lot of angst or family problems. Much of the book is centered around food and its importance to the family. In that way, it's similar to Like Water For Chocolate. The author gives receipes for the delectable dishes she describes. I was familiar with some of the dishes since my husband is part-Japanese. Some of the chapters are disjointed and not connected very well, but my overall impression of the book is good. Read this if you like Japanese food, Japanese culture, or if you just simply want an interesting book from an Asian American perspective.