Saturday, May 09, 2009

Pg. 99: Andy Raskin's "The Ramen King and I"

The current feature at the Page 99 Test: The Ramen King and I: How the Inventor of Instant Noodles Fixed My Love Life by Andy Raskin.

About the book, from the publisher:
For three days in January 2007, the most-emailed article in The New York Times was “Appreciations: Mr. Noodle,” an editorial noting the passing, at age 96, of billionaire Momofuku Ando, the inventor of instant ramen. The very existence of the noodle inventor came as a shock to many, but not to Andy Raskin, who had spent nearly three years trying to meet Ando. Why?

To fix the problems that plagued his love life.

The Ramen King and I is Raskin’s memoir about how despair—and a series of bizarre adventures at Japanese restaurants—led him to confront the truth of his romantic past, and how Ando became his unlikely spiritual guide. Through letters ostensibly penned to the culinary sage, Raskin reveals a relationship history plagued by infidelity, jealousy, and betrayal. After devouring Ando’s essays (with titles such as “Peace Follows from a Full Stomach” and “Mankind is Noodlekind”), he sets out to meet the food pioneer—and to discover the secret to a committed relationship.
Read more about the book and author at Andy Raskin's website and the Ramen Advice blog.

A long-time NPR commentator whose essays have been heard on All Things Considered and This American Life, Andy Raskin has written for the New York Times, Gourmet, Playboy (Japanese edition), and other publications.

The Page 99 Test: The Ramen King and I.

--Marshal Zeringue