Timothy Taylor (2)

Through the parallel plotlines of a hip young locavore chef and his guerrilla-anthropologist father, this novel explores the theme of place, of rootedness, of identity derived from connection to the land or the wilful repudiation of such a connection.

Unfortunately, and I guess inevitably given its subject, it's hopelessly rooted in its own time and place, such that if you’re not au fait with Vancouver circa 1995 a hell of a lot of this story is going to be lost on you. The book is jammed with street names and other left-coast references that will do nothing for non-Vancouverites.

The other issue is the abundance of annoying characters. Our hero, Jeremy, is more or less agreeable, but his Stanley Park-dwelling dad is smug and self-mysterious, and pulling Jez in the other direction is coffee mogul wanker Dante Beale, who is of course supposed to be a PITA but jeez we spend a lot of time in his rancid company. There's also a precocious child, and I can’t stand precocious children.

Stanley Park isn't a bad novel though. It does have something to say and it's stuffed with filthy food porn, even (especially) when things get ultra-locavore in a wonderfully written climactic scene.… (mehr)

It is a weird feeling when you add a book and you are the first to read it on L.T. [Foodville] by [[Timothy Taylor]], He is a local Vancouver B.C. writer who has written excellent novels and he is firmly planted in the food world here. He has had some very interesting incarnations from a business background( MBA) to being a banker (brief) and then a writer (fiction/non fiction) and now an instructor in the U.B.C. creative writing program me as well as an accomplished cook. This is a wee book, small (62 pages) and interesting. I am always interested in food so this hit the spot for me but more so because it is thoughtful and well written. He looks at a big picture and understanding of the restaurant scene over time and according to our values. I am more interested in food from the nutrition point of view and not big on going to restaurants especially cutting edge che'che' ones, but he has an interesting point of view as he examines changes over time in our world of food, do I dare say "obsession". I liked this one!
A favourite quote was a reference to James Barber, 14 syllables to be muttered under the breath from time to time it is suggested.
"It's simple and delicious. So quit being such a snob."… (mehr)

A bit complicated of a story at times but Taylor's exploration of the effects of architecture on people and the relationships between members of a dysfunctional family trying to "make things right" is a great exploration of the human condition. The story was a bit hard to follow at times, but getting to the ending made it worthwhile.

-page 86-87
"I need to tell you something," he said to her, interrupting.
She listened, at least. Graham heard her sit back in what sounded like a soft chair, probably in the club lounge. He pictured her: skin darkened by the sun, now added colour rising in her cheeks as she focused on his next words. Korean features prettier in concentration.
"When I was in L.A.," Graham told her, "I met a man who had a house built by my father. He's a producer. Avi Zweigler."
Esther registered the receipt of data. "Okay," she said.
"Zweigler collects Packer Gordon. Models, tools, blueprints. Amazing."
Still listening. No premature move toward a conclusion. "Okay," she repeated.
"Zweigler bought my father's camera," Graham told her. "The movie camer he used to film his projects. The camera he also used . . ."
"I remember," Esther said, growing impatient. She was expert at remaining calm in the face of an uncertain future, but always less successful hiding her feeling about the dead weight of the particular past. And discussion of this part of Graham's past, Esther had long thought , only revealed Packer Gordon to be (in addition to famous, a philanderer and bad with money) capable of cruelty. And that was a sunk cost, the valuation of which was irrational."… (mehr)