Customer Reviews

Chinatown New York: Portraits, Recipes, and Memories

5 star:		(3)
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This has Got to be hands down the BEST ever written, photographed, illustrated and designed book about Chinatown New York I have ever had the pleasure of coming across. Ms. Volkwein has done an Incredible job collecting the pertinent history, personal testimonies, fun and interesting facts regarding the Chinatown culture and it's people. She made it darn near sound like Disneyworld (in the best way mind you) You cannot read most parts of this book without planning in the back of your mind when you'll next trek down to Chinatown for some soup dumplings or fresh seafood dishes. If you've ever seen the movie, "Eat drink Man Woman", Ang Lee's underated movie about a Chinese Chef and his daughters,
you can remember craving a Chinese meal afterwards. This book makes you swallow just as hard. Beautifully composed and so descriptive that it highlights all there is that makes Chinatown the jewel it is. As a Chinese person who has not lived in Chinatown but spent a great deal of my life visiting it, the book made me appreciate the nieghborhood so much more. I learned so much about this everchanging downtown enclave. the next time I spend time there i can safely say I will take more time and enjoy exploring some of these little known treasures that abound from this book. on another note, this is also one of the most POSITIVE books/press concerning this part of historic lower Manhattan that i've come across in years. Ms.Volkwein's focus was set and the tone of the book was clearly set on entertainment,culture and the area's pleasant aspects. Down to great photos and nice touches of calligraphy, the book's design is real easy on the eyes. It was a TRUE delight and I highly recommend this book to anyone as a mandatory precursor to their next Chinatown visit. Ten Thousand Felicitations Ann!

I was looking for a gift and stumbled across this incredible book. What a fantastic design! The historical photos and pictures of modern-day Chinatown are spot-on for all the romance and bustle of the neighborhood. But as I started reading, I realized it's one of those rare books that is just filled with real information--really fascinating information about the history, culture, and food. It is truly an anthropological tour of the neighborhood.

Although I've lived in New York most of my life, I've always been intimidated by Chinatown. This book beautifully and reverently presents the area in all its history, diversity, and complexity....And of course the food! I recommend it for people like me who aren't familiar with the area, but also for anyone who knows it well--a gorgeous homage to the Chinese immigrants and their history.

The author's approach to telling the stories of the families of Chinatown makes the book credible and interesting. Few people realize that Chinatown is much more than a destination for buying imitation purses and cheap watches - Chinatown is a vibrant community where many families have made there home for decades. Seeing it from their point of view makes it come alive. Chinatown is truly one of NYC's greatest communities.