The Fortune Cookie Chronicles

A culinary, social, and cultural history of Chinese restaurants in the United States—“Entertaining. . . . A winner” (Publishers Weekly, starred review).

“Wok on . . . Fascinating . . . Intriguing . . . Fun to read.” —New York TimesBook Review

One woman. One consuming obsession. Forty thousand restaurants.

Jennifer 8. Lee’s chief mission was to solve the mystery of how dozens of people across American had won a lottery after receiving lucky numbers in their fortune cookies. But her journey, which took her into the world of Chinese restaurants, provoked even greater investigations. Traveling across the globe and to almost every American state, Lee interviewed legendary restaurateurs, searched for the connection between General Tso and the chicken dish bearing his name, delved into the origins of chop suey as well as the fortune cookie, and uncovered what can only be described as The Great Kosher Duck Scandal, a window into the relationship between Jews and Chinese food. For anyone who has ever found wisdom in a fortune cookie, her book offers a delicious feast of surprises and wonder.

“Fascinating. . . . Tasty cultural history. . . . Revelations come fast and frequent. . . . Combines the muckraking of Fast Food Nation with the globe-trotting reach of No Reservations.” —Boston Globe

“Funny . . . engaging. . . . [Lee] is a bright cookie. . . . The Fortune Cookie Chronicles is a deeply enjoyable meal, for anyone who likes talking or thinking about food.”—Los Angeles Times