I read 5 books by 5 Asian authors for Asian Heritage Month 🏮 COOK & BOOK with Ube Mochi Pancakes 🥞 | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

Cindy reviews five books by Asian authors and shares her thoughts while cooking pancakes.

Key Insights

• 😀 The protagonist's struggle with identity and hunger in "Woman, Eating" highlights the challenges faced by mixed-race vampires and the representation of depression.
• 😒 "On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous" uses lyrical writing to address trauma, domestic violence, addiction, and the gay experience within a Vietnamese family.
• 😚 "The Memory Police" explores the impact of the disappearance of objects and memories, showcasing a world where even the sense of grief is lost.
• 🚱 "Beyond the Gender Binary" provides an accessible introduction to non-binary identities and challenges societal norms around gender.
• 🙈 "The Subtweet" portrays the cattiness, passive-aggressiveness, and miscommunication often seen on Twitter, with characters discussing racial topics without a deep exploration of different perspectives.
• 📔 The books reviewed cover various topics such as identity, memory, gender, and online dynamics.
• ✍️ Cindy's reviews offer personal opinions on the books' writing styles, character development, and depth of exploration of their respective themes.
• 🤗 The commentary reflects the author's frustration with certain online behaviors and expectations of gender and encourages open-mindedness and inclusivity.

Transcript

This is what it looks like. You know, pancakes  are not supposed to be good looking anyway.   They're just flat and small, like my boobs.  But they do the job, just like my boobs do. Welcome to Cook & Book, the show where I cook very  badly while I talk about books. For the month of May,  I have read five books by five different  Asian authors. So ... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: What is the main character's struggle in "Woman, Eating"?

The main character, a mixed-race vampire, struggles with her desire to live normally among humans and her constant hunger for blood. She is a depressed character and tries to avoid drinking human blood as per her mother's warnings.

Q: How does "The Memory Police" explore the impact of disappearing objects?

In "The Memory Police," objects disappear from an island without explanation, and the memory of these objects disappears as well. This leads to a lack of care or grief for the disappeared objects, reflecting a sense of collective degeneration and hopelessness.

Q: What does "Beyond the Gender Binary" discuss?

"Beyond the Gender Binary" explores gender as fluid and malleable, emphasizing that it is a form of creative expression. The book also counters common arguments against non-binary identities and highlights the importance of using gender-neutral language.

Q: What is the central conflict in "The Subtweet"?

"The Subtweet" revolves around a friendship complicated by jealousy and insecurity when one friend's song is covered by an internet-famous artist. The characters engage in passive-aggressive behavior on Twitter, leading to a messy online situation.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Cindy reviews "Woman, Eating" by a Malaysian and Japanese author, a debut novel about a mixed-race vampire who struggles with her desire to live normally among humans.

• She also reviews "On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous" by a Vietnamese author, a lyrical novel written as a letter to the protagonist's mother, discussing their family's history, trauma, and life as a gay man.

• "The Memory Police" by a Japanese author is a dystopian novel set on an island where objects inexplicably disappear, exploring the impact of collective degeneration and the importance of memories.

• Cindy reviews "Beyond the Gender Binary" by a Malaysian and Indian author, a short book that serves as an introduction to non-binary identities and provides counterarguments to common criticisms.

• Lastly, she reviews "The Subtweet" by an Indian author, a contemporary novel about a friendship that faces challenges when one friend's song is covered by an internet-famous artist, leading to jealousy and passive-aggressive behavior on Twitter.