Delicious Foods: A Novel | 
I guess it‘s my month for depressing but gripping books. This one has drug addiction, human trafficking, and child neglect. Delightful! It also won the PEN/Faulkner award. So I don‘t think it will end hopefully, but the writing will be good. It already is, just a few chapters into the book. I see that James Hannaham has a book on the #ToB 2023 longlist this year, and I‘m looking forward to checking that one out, too.
1) I do. I really enjoy the unique perspective that is offered in these narratives.
2) I really enjoyed the tagged book when I read it years ago & still think about it from time to time. There's a POV from crack cocaine. I keep meaning to read Hollow Kingdom, narrated by the foul-mouthed crow S.T.
@TheSpineView #two4tuesday
pickThis book is pretty banana pants, but I actually really liked it. What a strange and unusual way to describe addiction. And a chilling idea of modern indentured servitude.
Eddie‘s devotion to his mother even through what seems insurmountable addiction, Darlene‘s intense sorrow over the loss of her husband, and the hopelessness of debt had me in my feelings.
I can understand why it might have been too crazy for some readers. 🍌👖
#bananapants
Diving back into this book/ it‘s definitely original 😁
pickBook 1 of 2019. Waited three years to read this but it was well worth the wait. Hannaham has a rich imagination, and this story was filled with magical moments alongside some truly terrible ones. Super original story and fantastic writing made this a great first book of the year!
pickIt took me a little while to get invested in this book but once I was in I couldn‘t look away. Basically this follows a woman named Darlene who is tricked into working at this shady vegetable farm for drugs. The story is told from the perspectives of Darlene, her son Eddie, and crack cocaine personified
I read this awhile ago and loved it. There are a couple of different narrators one of which is actually crack cocaine. Not only is that creepy, but the “farm” that this takes place on is super creepy. Even so, I highly recommend this one!
#creepycharacters #readingresolutions
@Jess7
Dollar Tree worker: "Did you see our new books table? We just put out new titles today."
Me: "TAKE MY MONEY!"
I just went in for sunglasses for my son....
Turns out my bookshelf isn‘t all that diverse 😬
#RiotGrams : Black Authors
I found Akata Witch from a recommendation by Rick Riordian (the Percy Jackson guy) in a Goodreads newsletter- the second book is sitting in my tbr.
Delicious Foods, I bought after reading an enthusiastic book riot review... it has been on my bookshelf for awhile...
(I was quite pleased with my background- it‘s my swim towel)
1. The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin
2. Don't watch any 🤷🏾♀️
3. Elias from An Ember in the Ashes 😍❤️💓
4. Umm, Delicious Foods by James Hannaham (the voice of Scotty was amazing)
5.☁️🍃🌧️
#friyayintro @jesshowbooks
pickAfter her husband dies, Darlene will fall prey to addiction as a means to forget. Later, while hooking on the streets, she will get lured into a minibus with false promises of a decent job at Delicious Foods. Her young son Eddie, left emotionally floundering will search for her and find her. Eddie, Darlene, and cocaine were given great characterization throughout this story that deals with racism, addiction, slavery, and survival. Super pick!!!
Right away, you know this book is good. It‘s well written and depressing so far. And one of the narrators..... is cocaine. He, because his name is Scotty, is talking right here.
I've gotten into a lot more spooky books than usual this fall, but nothing gave me #thrillsandchills like Delicious Foods, which I read back in February! ...that book is terrifying. #readathon #deweysreadathon
pick#Raw emotions and foods in this book--I read this back in February but forgot to post a review. This is 100% a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ book for me--dark and heartbreaking and raw. The writing is breathtaking and sometimes darkly funny. I highly recommend the audiobook version.
Trigger warning: (not a spoiler-you know from the first line) there is 1 very hard to read amputation scene, I had to take breaks. But you can skip if you need to-it's short.
pickHannaham's writing is devastating, beautiful & emotionally honest. There is a quasi fairytale element to this narrative. Yet, drug dependent farm workers (essentially indentured servants) subject to sadistic punishments while living in deplorable conditions seems all too plausible. The causes of addiction vary & are complex. Hannaham's book gives the reader the sorrowful, outraged & hopeful response it deserves.
#stackedup
My current read. Unique narrator, beautiful writing, uncompromising honesty. I plan on finishing tonight. Unless it goes horribly awry in the final 80 pages, I think it's safe to say it will join the ranks of my favorite books about addiction.
@Liberty
Sorry, not book related but I just wanted to share with you all. Here, at "maison Toles" ?? we sometimes indulge and get a #blueapron ?, because it's delicious, easy, and healthy. So we have accumulated 5 friend invites which include 3 - 1 person meals. You can make it a delivery of 3 -2 person meals and they'll just charge for the extra 3 meals. If anyone is interested let me know so I can send you the invite. #yummyfood #sharingiscaring ? ?
#AndItsAugust Day 17 - Addiction
I already shared this book in a previous post, but the portrayal of addiction in DELICIOUS FOODS, is so heartbreaking and nuanced that I had to mention it again.
After her husband was brutally murdered by white supremacists in their small, southern US town, Darlene spirals into depression and drug use. This passage is where her young son first becomes aware of her addiction.
#unusualnarrator #anditsaugust @RealLifeReading
This is a new addition to my ebook collection and I haven't read it yet, but I've been told that part of the story is told from the perspective of cocaine.
#AndItsAugust Day 8 - Unusual Narrator
I first heard about this book on NPR, and was drawn in by the following tidbit - some of the story is told from the perspective of crack cocaine. It's an amazing and wildly creative novel, one that's overdue for a reread. I'm also a sucker for the cover design, which looks like a Kara Walker piece.
#maybookflowers day 3: #unreliablenarrators
In quite a bit of this book, crack cocaine is the narrator. Unreliable? Hell yes!
pickDon't get too distracted by all the talk of Scotty (the crack character). This book has a lot more to it than just that. The relationships are complex, the manipulation and exploitation of POC is definitely a theme that you could relate to the past or to the present, and lots more. There is a lot of good stuff in here. Also, the audiobook is narrated by the author and is excellent. Check it out.
Yay! My friend returned two of my books today, which I haven't yet read and loaned me her spark notes of Hamlet. One of my book clubs is reading Nutshell and Hamlet this month but I'm doing the lazy girls version. I started reading Shakespeare's play and realized by page 9 I needed help! I didn't know Sport of Kings is a #doorstopper 🤦♀️🤷♀️🙇♀️
This cover reminds me of Kara Walker... (an amazing artists).. #favoritecover #riotgrams #day20
Not a spoiler, it's the #openingline!! It took me 2 days to whiz through 90% of this book. It took me another 2 days to get through the 15 minute scene wherein Eddie is parted from his hands. I'm sure that TOTALLY makes you want to read this book, but you SHOULD, you really should. It's so good. #litsyreadingchallenge #LRC10 #multipleperspectives
These are the two audiobooks I picked between this morning: a book about crack cocaine based on a true story or a book about crack cocaine based on a true story? Looks like I'm in for some dark subject matter, but I'm so excited to read them both. (I chose Delicious Foods for now because I'm using it for the #litsyreadingchallenge #LRC10 #multipleperspectives
When you realize crack cocaine is your favorite character in a book, that's a pretty good sign that you've found your #favoritevillain (and a talented author). Scotty isn't the only villain in this one, but he is definitely unique. #riotgrams
pickThis is a book about love, loss, addiction and pain. It's a book about despair and hope. I found it engaging although I did struggle with the beginning.
My current Audiobook. I'm thinking I maybe should have gone with print for this one.
pickDelicious Foods is a southern gothic cultural satire with a distinctly surreal bent to it, and there are a lot of compelling metaphors at play. Hannaham explores issues such as slave labor, drug addiction, systemic racism and familial loyalty in a narrative dripping with ingenuity. That said, I did struggle with the pacing. I don't think it needed it be as long as it was. And few scenes quite lived up to the gripping first chapter.
Eating and reading delicious foods.
Here's something to....sink your teeth into 😂😂😂👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻. Among the chains, it is my favorite 😁. #GrammarMatters
pick5🌟 story & narration This story was a top 5 of 2015 for me, and Hannaham did an amazing job of narrating.
Roughly a third of the chapters are narrated by Scotty (aka crack). One of my closest friends from college became addicted to crack after graduation. He has turned his life around now, but the intervening years were harrowing.
This is a story of addiction and desperation. Difficult to read, but very well written.
I'm fixin' to do some serious #audiocoloring! I indulged and got new pencils and markers. 😃😃
I read this book as text when it originally came out, and I loved it. We'll see if my feelings have changed or if audio enhances it. I'm really curious to see how the narrator handles the Scotty chapters.
"She hadn't thought very carefully about how big a risk it is to love anybody, or how much the choices made by the one you love can increase that risk."
#SeasonsReadings2016 Day 19 - Silhouettes on the cover
Reminiscent of a Kara Walker piece, this book cover is beautiful, desperate, and perfect for the subject matter of the book.
#silhouette #bookcover
pickFirst book I reviewed over the summer when I started on Litsy. This book was amazing. It was told in the point of view of three different narrators, one being crack. This books shows the strength that children have and the level they will go to for the love of a parent. Enjoy
Another book from my #tbr pile (okay mountain 🙈) paired with my all time favourite muffin book that Mum begrudgingly gave me when I left home 🏡 #seasonsreadings2016
Mmmmmmm delicious food
#SeptPhotoChallenge day 4 - POC
This is a wonderful book that explores modern slavery, drug addiction, and mother/son relationships. The three main characters are Darlene and her young son Eddie, and Scotty. Darlene has turned to drugs following the murder of her husband. When she goes missing, Eddie sets out to find her no matter what. Keeping Darlene company is Scotty, a fast-talking, menacing personification of the crack cocaine she can't quit.
