1990 1st edition (mfg. code 10-1); by A. Zee; Chinese characters inserted throughout the English text; Simon and Schuster publishers, New York; hardbound; very good condition with unmarked pages; dust jacket very good.
 
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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."
 
A witty, enthusiastic and knowledgeable guide, Zee draws us into the heady pleasures of Chinese food and presents a banquet of family anecdotes, folklore and alluring tidbits about Chinese culinary history and culture.