Book chinese cooking for diamond thieves summary

Finds himself involved with a woman who may or may not be involved in a heist of diamonds which just happen to belong to a Chinese gang who are perhaps understandably interested in regaining their lost resources Lowry s prose are reminiscent of his non fiction offerings which is actually good news as he is an extremely gifted prose author Unlike many martial art authors Lowry has done the nearly unthinkable became proficient in the field of writing by spending what I can only assume is at least as much time training in that craft as he does in martial arts Would that those who decide to become martial arts movie stars would do the same with their acting skills but that is a complaint for a different time The writing is reminiscent of Lowry s memoirs which highlight great dialogue and an ability to weave interesting and obscure facts into the narrative in such a way that it helps propel the story and develop the reader s understanding of the characters Chinese Cooking for Diamond Thieves is a compelling read and suffers from the one weakness Lowry s others works do the ending comes much to quickly Finishing the book was bittersweet because reading Lowry s prose falls into the same category for me as authors such as Jack Vance.

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Driving home after being kicked out of college Tucker meets and picks up the mysterious Corinne Chang at a rest stop Infatuated and with nothing better to do he ends up with her in St Louis where he gets a job as a chef in a Chinese restaurant Even though he s a gwai lo a foreign devil his cooking skills impress the Chinese patrons of the restaurant and his wooing skills impress Corinne when she joins him there as a waitress But when Chinese gangsters show up demanding diamonds they believe Tucker s kind of sort of don t call her a girlfriend stole he and his friends which luckily include a couple of FBI agents have to figure out just who is gunning for Corinne and how to stop them Good thing Tucker is a Mandarin speaking martial arts master who isn t afraid to throw the first punch With its one of a kind hero Chinese Cooking for Diamond Thieves is perfect for anyone who loves cooking Chinese culture bad jokes and young love Diamonds are forever unless Chinese mobsters decide they want them back Chinese Cooking for Diamond ThievesOur hero Tucker is a lao wei in St Louis Missouri trying to become a Chinese chef Tucker is the best kind of unreliable narrator beginning his list of dozens of rules with keep it simple and trying to be completely honest from his very subjective perspective. Book Chinese Cooking for Diamond thieves guild Fortunately Tucker s Mandarin is better than mine so he s able to eavesdrop on full speed Chinese instead of just perking up at colors numbers or yingwen laoshi out of a conversation Look I m able to do basic tasks in Chinese but I talk like a baby So when he overhears a girl at a rest stop telling her friend in Mandarin that she s stranded he gallantly offers her a ride Also she s incredibly hot because in fiction stranded girls are always hot The early twenties romantic plotline wasn t bad ticking all the required boxes for witty banter quirky semi dates and sexual tension that must be fulfilled when a Very Smart Guy falls in love with a Mysterious Girl but fortunately it s not the focus of the novel. Chinese cooking for diamond thieves ebook review Spoiler or I guess an un spoiler The diamonds are not hidden in the New Hampshire rest stop so the novel doesn t end with Corinne and Tucker retrieving the diamonds from the spot where they met I was expecting that for about two thirds of the novel and was pleasantly surprised when it didn t happen The diamond thievery is interesting and in general the secondary characters are quite believable Bao Yu especially is a lifelike mix of mockery and shyness In China when someone calls you by a polite formal name and asks if you had a nice weekend they probably hate you A real friend will call you Chubby or Sleepyhead or Slowpoke or something else mildly insulting I happen to know the Mandarin for zits dou dou because it was the affectionate nickname of one of the secretaries in my Yantai school Ouch As Tucker gains friends in the restaurant kitchen he naturally trades casual insults far worse than grass mud horse It was a little bit odd how many of the English speaking characters all spoke in the same snarky banter but I chalked it up to Tucker s narration the way a friend will recount events in their own words putting their own speech patterns on repeated dialogue. Kindle chinese cooking for diamond thieves book Chinese Cooking for Diamond Thieves is an engaging readable novel about new adult identity Chinese cooking and customs and avoiding murderous Hong Kong gangsters in the midwest 278 HATED IT I usually make an effort to finish the books before writing a review but this has proven to be impossible with this book as with every passing page I hated the protagonist and wanted him to STOP TALKING I got to page 100 and that s the extent to which I could stomach this poorly written book I am honestly amazed by all the good reviews that this book has received The character himself is unlikeable and unrelatable Pretentious self important all too perfect yeah yeah he cooks Chinese food better than a Chinese can knows martial arts and everything there is to know about Chinese culture and he s always one step ahead of everyone and anyone A hero with no weaknesses just ends up being really one dimensional and boring And all throughout the book are all these badly written and stupid Tucker rules which do not seem to serve any sort of purpose except to show that Tucker is a pompous little 21 year old who thinks he s got the world figured out They really annoyed me Examples of Tucker s rules Rule 95 When you re already lost and clueless it s best not to clutter things with any information that s as likely to be superfluous as not Pithy Rule 41 While there might not be any good reasons to go to Buffalo there could conceivably be a reason to go back What sort of rule is this Rule 8 Hitting people is often bad but if it s necessary it s necessary to hit first always In this chapter he assaults someone out of nowhere and makes it sound as if he did the right heroic thing So American Rule 19 Never pick up strangers at a highway rest stop unless they speak Mandarin Yeah Right Because that happens all the time in one s life to warrant a rule on the topic On top of that the book is full of one liners and quips and witty comebacks as if anyone actually spoke like that in real life It smacks of trying too hard and it got old really quickly beyond the first few chapters The banter made the scenes unconvincing We do not live in a sitcom Apparently Tucker does I want my money and time back 278 One of the best novels I have read in a very long time Dave Lowry is a long established author of non fiction and is one of those oh so rare modern authors who has both a command of language that keeps your attention as your read and has mastered the dictum to write what you know Professionally Lowry is a restaurant critic while he is also an exceptional authority on martial arts Chinese Cooking for Diamond Thieves deftly combines his knowledge of both fields as it focuses on a college drop out who finds himself working as a chef in a Chinese restaurant and also possesses proficiency in Chinese martial arts The main character Tucker Chesterton John C Wright and a few others viz I would read their grocery list if I had the opportunity their work is that good The experience is great but once you re finished you re disappointed it s over I can only hope Lowry has another novel planned for the not too distant future 278 I had initially picked this book up because it seemed like the kind of book I would enjoy but never actually touch And it was To start this was not a book I could read in one sitting In fact I broke it up over the course of almost a week which is really unheard of for me I love blazing through books in one sitting The reason being is that This book deserves than a rapid read through They say that it s the journey that matters and not the destination and that is so true This book meanders and wanders and very rarely ever gets straight to the point but the characters and plot really draw you in. Chinese cooking for diamond thieves kindle review Now to get to specifics Tucker has just left college and is driving home when he suddenly comes across Corinne Chang at a highway stop From there he gets drawn into a mystery and adventure consisting of diamonds and Chinese food The reason why I continued reading this book even when I was tired or bored was because Tucker is an immensely captivating character He s all dry wit and astute observations and it s ironic that as a white dude he loves Chinese culture food and speaks Mandarin pretty well Even though the plot comes off as thrilling it reads mildly but maintains your interest. Chinese cooking for diamond thievesdale recipe Honestly this was a great summer read because it didn t get your heart pounding or make you anxious but it did keep your attention and was still funny and exciting and made me hungry for Chinese food 278 The story is narrated by Tucker lately of Beddingfield College who happens to be a highly skilled Chinese chef a martial arts practitioner and he also speaks Mandarin After picking up hitchhiker Corinne Chang a gemologist from Montreal on his way to St Louis to hook up with his best friend Langston Wu they are entangled in a caper involving criminals diamonds murder and the FBI Each chapter begins with one of Tucker s rules of which he seems to have an unending list relating to unfolding events. Book chinese cooking for diamond thieves review Tucker is a charming protagonist if a little unconventional full of quick witty dialogue tough yet sensitive The banter between him and Corinne is fun and their attraction to each other is touching Original and off beat characters Chinese culture in depth and romance sometimes it s a refreshing change to have a lighthearted mystery without the deep and dark aspect The action scenes with Tucker using xing i his preferred form of martial arts are well written and very interesting. Chinese cooking for diamond thievesake recipe The author is unmistakably very knowledgable about Chinese food it s preparation and cooking as well as the workings of a Chinese restaurant kitchen It was interesting to follow a day in the life of a chef and fun to have an insider s view of the kitchen and what goes on especially the insults that are thrown back and forth as a matter of course and in a non serious way For me a little time could have been spent on the plot and the characters the cookery and food descriptions although incredibly and deliciously detailed seemed to take over at times and overshadow the main story 278 This was such an enjoyable and absolutely hilarious read The novel is so different from everything I ve read and I found myself actually laughing out loud several times throughout because of the witty banter and heaps of sarcasm Chinese Cooking for Diamond Thieves is fast paced and even though the story isn t really exciting per se I still wanted to read on and know what happens next. Book Chinese Cooking for Diamond thieves oil I loved Tucker our protagonist he is so much fun so sarcastic witty and clever and reading his internal monologue just always cracked me up Plus he practices martial arts speaks fluent Mandarin and cooks Chinese food better than most natives What s not to love You can definitely tell that Dave Lowry knows a lot about martial arts and cooking and at times the descriptions in this novel were almost like reading a non fiction book Personally I wasn t bothered by that because I love to cook and am obsessed with Chinese culture but I understand that it puts off some readers. Book chinese cooking for diamond thieves Also isn t the title just awsome I would recommend Chinese Cooking for Diamond Thieves to anyone who enjoys cooking and or Chinese culture and is in the mood for a funny quick and easy read 278 This was lots of fun Nothing profound or life changing per se just a very light quick entertainment This is Dave Lowry s fiction debut The man has written a bunch of books on martial arts and is a food critic and this novel certainly showcases both extensively There are very detailed possibly overwhelmingly so fighting and cooking scenes If you re a carnivore the latter might make you hungry if you re a vegetarian it ll pretty much disgust you Kinda funny possibly ironic considering that Chinese food is quite well known for their extensive vegetarian options The characters were slightly too precocious and too mature for their age 21 or so but charming enough with their ceaselessly witty repartee and boundless quirks If cute can be used to describe a book this was a cute book 278 I m not sure exactly why I decided to take a chance on this novel but I am so glad I did Funny clever and fresh Chinese Cooking for Diamond Thieves by Dave Lowry is a fabulously entertaining blend of mystery action a touch of awkward romance and Chinese cooking. Chinese cooking for diamond thieveskite Having been kicked out of college just before graduation Tucker is heading home to Missouri in his aging Toyota when he crosses paths with the attractive and enigmatic Corrine Chang making her way from Canada to Buffalo NY at a deserted rest stop In the absence of any real goal Tucker offers Corrine a ride surprising her with his ability to speak Mandarin and being surprised in turn when he intercepts a threatening phone call Corrine it seems is on the run from a Chinese gang convinced she has 15 million dollars worth of diamonds missing from her employer s store Despite her protestations of innocence the gang follows them all the way to St Louis as intent on capturing Corinne as Tucker with a little help from the FBI is at stopping them. Chinese cooking for diamond thieves epub online Chinese Cooking for Diamond Thieves is fast paced with plenty of action and intrigue and just enough exaggeration to entertain Snappy dialogue liberally laced with sarcasm is delivered with expert timing Lowry s protagonist is an unusual guy The son of white upper middle class parents his father a retired agent of some description Tucker practices xing i speaks Mandarin and a little Cantonese and cooks Chinese food real Chinese food with the skill of a native He is simultaneously a tough guy capable of crippling an enemy with an economy of movement and achingly vulnerable and self deprecating The contradiction works perfectly to create a charming quirky hero who is supported by an equally appealing cast. Chinese cooking for diamond thieveskite For foodies there are plenty of tips for cooking authentic Chinese food and a glimpse into the inner workings of a Chinese restaurant kitchen Chinese Cooking for Diamond Thieves is probably best described as a crime caper given the elements of humour adventure and the offbeat characters I thought it was witty clever and interesting and recommend it without hesitation 278 Dave Lowry is a restaurant critic with a keen eye for detail and his passion for food is evident throughout his fiction debut Chinese Cooking For Diamond Thieves Feeling out of sorts and like he s on the wrong life path Tucker drops out of college and embarks on a road trip from New England to St Louis His passion is cooking particularly Chinese food and he s hoping an old friend in St Louis can help him get a job At a rest stop along the way he overhears a stranded traveler speaking Mandarin into her phone He s picked up some of the language from working in Chinese restaurants so he strikes up a conversation with her They verbally dance for a while each trying to figure out what angle the other is working and then she accepts his proffered ride to her destination Buffalo It s a long trip and they spend a night at his parents house to rest and refresh While she Corrine takes a shower her phone rings incessantly Tucker finally answers it and what he hears on the other end is both cryptic and confusing He hangs up and deletes the call not wanting Corrine to know that he had been snooping Back on the road he learns a little about her She works for a diamond distributor in Canada and is taking some time off to visit some friends in the states He recalls what he heard on her phone the previous night and momentarily wonders if she s being completely above board but he lets it pass He finds himself somewhat smitten and when he drops her off in Buffalo he gives her his phone number and tells her to call if she ever needs anything As he s leaving he s accosted on the sidewalk outside of her apartment building by a Chinese man asking about someone named Wenqian Tucker thinks it s simply a pretext for a robbery so he acts first and punches the man in the chest As the man stumbles away he says something just as odd as what he heard on Corrine s phone Tucker makes it to St Louis lands a job in a Chinese restaurant and settles into his post college life One day he receives a call from Corrine would he be willing to pick her up in Buffalo and bring her to St Louis She doesn t really give him a solid answer as to why and he wonders if the nervousness he hears in her voice is just his imagination Still he agrees and takes a few days off from work to pick her up On the way back they get to know each other better and even do a bit of sight seeing The story thus far is basically a boy meets girl tale but once Corrine gets to St Louis it branches out into adventurous territory What happened with Corrine in Canada Why does the FBI come calling Who is Wenqian Is Corrine on the run Is Tucker in danger because of his association with her While not a hard core or overly complicated caper novel Chinese Cooking For Diamond Thieves is an entertaining read with a satisfying if not completely unexpected ending and a perfect read for a lazy summer day 278 Really liked this book The dialogue was quick and witty and dry and totally fun The blurb on the book jacket reads With its one of a kind hero Chinese Cooking for Diamond Thieves is perfect for anyone who loves cooking Chinese culture bad jokes and young love. Chinese cooking for diamond thievesdale recipe I m a crappy cook I don t have feelings one way or the other about Chinese culture bad jokes are bad and young love is kind of cliche And this book was GREAT If you liked the protagonists in The Mystic Arts of Erasing All Signs of Death and or Beat the Reaper you ll probably like Tucker was his last name ever written. Chinese cooking for diamond thieves book summary I d recommend to anyone and everyone who needs a fun read 278