I used to think that vacation reads had to be lighthearted romps. Over time, I am finding this to be less true. While they can be lighthearted, what is most important to me is a strong narrative. Timothy Taylor's Stanley Park was a perfect choice for my trip to Doubtless Bay (New Zealand). Taylor tackles what is obviously a very tough issue in this book: homelessness (which as a Canadian ex-pat, I am aware is a huge issue in Vancouver). He does this with great sensitivity, pointing to the unique stories that each person has to tell and also their unique relationship to Stanley Park.
It's actually quite a hard book to describe as it has many layers. Essentially, it is told from the perspective of a young chef (Jeremy) in Vancouver. He is struggling to keep his restaurant afloat, while also dealing with this anthropologist father, who has been living in Stanley Park in an effort to tell the stories of its homeless inhabitants. As the book progresses, Jeremy's struggle to keep his restaurant is juxtaposed against Jeremy's growing relationships with his father's homeless friends. Through his cooking, Jeremy tries to stay connected to the land (i.e., through cooking local). His father compares Jeremy's role to his own as his father is trying to understand how the inhabitants of Stanley Park are connected to the land.
While growing his restaurant helps to progress the story, it is Jeremy's interactions with his father's friends that makes this book something quite special. An excellent book that compels and makes you think (and at points, makes you hungry).
5/5 Stars.
No comments:
Post a Comment