Joel Rose

An entertaining romp. A future world where foodieism is the dominant cultural force, and restaurateurs rule LA society like crime bosses. One man stands against them, a solitary practitioner of the art of sushi. The plot is flimsy at best, seemingly set up purely to allow Bourdain to take a few potshots at current foodie trends (the two baddies are a haute cuisine purist and a compromised locavore dogmatic). The art is beautiful, though the actual comics don't always work, and Jose Villarubia's colouring lends the whole enterprise a respectability it doesn't quite deserve.

Lurking inside this is a good story and comic, but it would have taken a lot more care and time to draw it out. Fine as a distracting little romp, but not one for the shelves.… (more)

I had this sat on my shelf so long before getting round to reading, and I think it came from a remainder bookshop back in the 90s. So I was a bit surprised to see some of the authors in it are actually much more well known now than they would have been back then - so you get David Foster Wallace with an author bio saying he's 'working on something long' (gotta be Infinite Jest right?), and A M Homes before she's published May We be Forgiven etc.

I really dislike the cover, and so was a bit sorry to see it was by Art Spiegelman.

Anyway its a collection of quirky and disturbing short stories, all vaguely about love, romance and sex. Some are better than others, and I'm finding it hard to remember them all in detail now, but I'm glad I finally got around to reading it. Its odd to read something that was probably edgy and modern at time of publishing but now seems a little dated.… (more)

A book about a simple man who just wants to makes good sushi in a future Los Angelo's. Of course, there wouldn't be a story if it was that simple.

The future is foodies. Where chefs are gang leaders, holding onto areas with an iron fist. No restaurant is allowed to exist without the benevolence of the gangs. Jiro is a sushi chef, recently from Japan. He sets up shop in a out of the way of a strip mall, serving up the best sushi in town. So when it draws the attention of the two main chef-leaders, Jiro has to take drastic action just to survive.

If you are looking for something deep with a message about food, this isn't it. Its basically a fun story about man just wanting to make great Sushi. Its over the top but fun. With well done illustrations that make the story, its a great read.… (more)