Swallowing Clouds: A Playful Journey through Chinese Culture, Language, and Cuisine

by Anthony Zee, Linda Rui Feng (Afterword)

Overview

Physics professor Zee writes about how to understand the menus in Chinese restaurants, explaining the characters, what they mean, and the colorful stories behind the names of various dishes. Anne Tyler (in the Washington Post) called Swallowing Clouds "a study of the very nature of Chinese culture. Zee has a quirky, personal style that draws the reader in."

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780295994208
Publisher:	University of Washington Press
Publication date:	11/03/2014
Edition description:	second edition
Pages:	386
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.10(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

A. Zee is professor of theoretical physics at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the author of Fearful Symmetry: The Search for Beauty in Modern Physics and An Old Man’s Toy: Gravity at Work and Play in Einstein’s Universe.

Table of Contents

Preface

Time Line

A Word about Pronunciation

Introduction

Beijing Men Built a Fire

Slicing through Water

Interlude 1: Phonetics, or Why Some Characters Look Horribly Complicated

Sleep of the Truly Inebriated

Swallowing Clouds

Chinese Pigs Stand

Interlude 2: The Appalling Ignorance of Some Scribes

A Delicacy for Aging Men

No Contest between Fish and a Bear with Eight Legs

Courtesans Do Not Eat Crabs

Interlude 3: To All You Carnivores

The Sweet Fragrance of Crops Ripening

How to Avoid Being Vulgar

The Pockmarked Woman and the Pearly Empress

Interlude 4: Words Are Like Our Children

Buddha Jumping over Walls

Act without Acting, Taste without Tasting

Interlude 5: Like Eating Potato Chips

The Sublime Faith in Illusions

Pieces of Her Heart

Elixirs and the Food of Health

From Banquets to Voyages of Discovery

Epilogue: All Banquets Must Come to an End

Afterword by Linda Rui Feng

Appendix A. How to Exercise Your Arm and Throat while Drinking

Appendix B. A Few Recipes

Notes

Bibliography

Table of Dynasties

Table of Some Common Radicals Used in this Book

Table of Characters and Radicals Cited by Chapter

Acknowledgments

A Final Note

What People are Saying About This

James Barber

A delightful and rewarding book for anybody.... For the even mildly curious, Swallowing Clouds is almost essential foreplay, not just to one but to a lifetime of good Chinese meals.

Editorial Reviews

"Charming. . . . A study of the very nature of Chinese culture. Zee has a quirky, personal style that draws the reader in."

Washington Post Book World - Anne Tyler

"Interesting and unique. . . . Family anecdotes, folklore, and good sketches help the author present a new understanding and meaning behind this rich and complex cuisine."

Christian Science Monitor

"In this lyrical work, theoretical physicist Zee steps outside his specialty to write about his true loves—Chinese cooking, language, and culture. Zee’s format is elegant: he takes a common food on the menu of any Chinese American restaurant, explicates the Chinese characters designating the food, and relates charming anecdotes and history associated with the food."

Kirkus Reviews

"Included in bestselling book 1,000 Books to Read before You Die: A Life—Changing List by Jim Mustich."

From the Publisher

"The most delightful food book of the year, . . . a happy blending of instruction and amusement in the language, culture, and cuisine of China."

Minneapolis Star—Tribune

"A truly delightful literary compendium of wit, wisdom, and how—to."

Newsday

"Charming. . . . A study of the very nature of Chinese culture. Zee has a quirky, personal style that draws the reader in."

Anne Tyler Book World

"The most delightful food book of the year, . . . a happy blending of instruction and amusement in the language, culture, and cuisine of China."

Minneapolis Star-Tribune

A delightful and rewarding book for anybody.... For the even mildly curious, Swallowing Clouds is almost essential foreplay, not just to one but to a lifetime of good Chinese meals.

James Barber

This paperbound edition makes available in print once again a work first published in 1990 (Simon and Schuster). Maybe it's true that physicists are among the happiest professionals. Zee<-->who is affiliated with the Institute for Theoretical Physics at the U. of California, Santa Barabara, and has written engaging books on physics for non-scientists<-->cheerfully turns his attention to some other passions. Gently and imaginatively, he entices readers to examine Chinese characters connected with food. This delightful avenue leads readers to enriched visits to Chinese restaurants as well as enhanced appreciation of Chinese culture. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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