Reading Treasure

This book was recommended to me and I picked it up. It's called Chinatown New York; Portraits, Recipes, and Memories.

It's a beautifully bound collection of exactly what it advertises - portraits, recipes, and memories. Filled with colorful pictures, informative history, and personal touches, this book captures the essence of Chinatown. 

It opens with a brief history of the area, complete with photographs of older times. The photos may be black and white, but a quick look at the scene of Doyer's street from the early 1990s is eerie in its similarity to the street today. 

The book then divulges into personal histories of people (mostly successful, well-known local celebrities). It tells their personal histories and their connection with the Chinatown that was growing along side of them. 

The book also contains information on local restaurants, stores, festivals, traditions, and even tourist information. It includes recipes for traditional foods, including different variations of dumplings. And the recipe for red bean ice cream sits right next to a photo that makes you wish you had some right now. 

The author writes in the foreword, "This book is an introduction and a guide to Manhattan's Chinatown, to its historical and current pathways and traditions, as well as a cultural snapshot, a window into the people who continue to give life to the streets and shops and restaurants of the neighborhood. " 

All in all, this book is a great way to learn about Chinatown. Not only is it informative, but also looks absolutely gorgeous as a display book. 

It can be found at most bookstores or ordered online.