My Year of Meats by Ruth Ozeki

On a quest to meet a generally interesting man, my sister and I decided to join a few book clubs (to be honest The Girly Book Club was probably not the best place to start, even though I highly recommend it!) Whilst the man front is still a pipe dream, I absolutely love the fact these book clubs have introduced me to books I would never normally have chosen. One such one being thanks to The Islington Book Club (this one comes with men), whose choice this month is My Year of Meats by Ruth Ozeki, an author who I have to admit I'd never heard of.

Two extraordinary women. One all-American TV cooking show. An unforgettable novel of love, friendship, culture and food.My Year of Meats is told in two voices, Jane Tagaki-Little, half American half Japanese, living in America, and Akiko who is Japanese and living in Japan. In a single eye-opening year, two women, worlds apart, experience parallel awakenings. In New York, Jane Takagi-Little has landed a job producing Japanese docu-soap My American Wife! But as she researches the consumption of meat in the American home, she begins to realize that her ruthless search for a story is deeply compromising her morals. Meanwhile, in Tokyo, housewife Akiko Ueno diligently prepares the recipes from Jane's programme. Struggling to please her husband, she increasingly doubts her commitment to the life she has fallen into. As Jane and Akiko both battle to assert their individuality on opposite sides of the globe, they are drawn together in a startling story of strength, courage, love. It is a truly fascinating story with some rather shocking facts about the meat industry in America thrown in. Ozeki takes advantage of the differences between Japanese and American culture in order to artfully comment on both.

When I first read the books description I really did not expect to enjoy it at all, but I fell in love with Ozeki's intelligent, witty and passionate prose. I will definitely be delving into her over titles.

So, whilst I remain unsuccessful on the man front (sorry Mum!), at least I have been introduced to some thoroughly fantastic books!

P.S. Anyone read this year's Man Booker Prize winner The Luminaries, thoughts?