Monday 25 January 2010

Review - Taste of Dreams - Vanora Bennett

Vanora Bennett is a journalist and has worked a lot in Russia. This wonderful book is a travelogue following her obsession with Russia and caviar. Bennett is a generous and gifted writer and this book is a vivid portrayal of a country going through social upheaval. At the same time she outlines the cultural and natural history of caviar and the sturgeon, charting the effects of smuggling and overfishing on the sturgeon's populations in and around the Caspian Sea. Far from being heavy and worthy though the book is marvellously alive and often very funny, and as such is a much more effective tool in awakening people's awareness of the issues. Caviar? No thanks!

Taste of Dreams on Vanora Bennett's website

3 comments:

Titus said...

Thanks Poet, that genuinely sounds right up my street!

Deb G said...

Sounds like a good book. I"ll pass on the caviar too.

Icy BC said...

This sounds so intriguing! Thanks for the review.