A Gentleman in Moscow - Towles

 For some reason when I think about food movies I usually go to a Korean film - "Castaway on the Moon."  Unable to find this movie any more in the US (at least I have been unsuccessful) it may be trapped in the history of my brain as being better than it was, but what always struck me was the persistence that the main character had in making his own black bean noodles while stranded on the island.  It is amazing the lengths that we will go to in recreating a meal, and if you can not swim and you are trapped on an island even more the better for when you take that bite of a hard won meal it holds a certain satisfaction.  My son and I have had one of those moments within the past year after having raised apple trees, caring for them year over year, pressing their fruits and patiently waiting and experimenting on hard cider - the outcome was amazing.  It was a success of father and son after years of shared labor.  

There was a scene in "A Gentleman in Moscow" that encapsulates this feeling and more.  Yes, it was a scene surrounded by food.  Yes, the ingredients were hard fought.  But the shared joy of three like-minded men who came together and gloried in what may have been considered impossible, tedious or to some, not relevant I believe was an exquisite summary of the book.  The beauty of the meal, finding ingredients such as the oranges that should have been near impossible to find, the coming together, the longing for, the depth of the taste was only made brighter when contrasted against the grey background of Moscow enshrined in the character of the Bishop.  

There is so much more to this book.  It was recommended by my friend Nate whose wife very much enjoyed it -- Laura runs in our circle of friends.  So if you read the book for you book group, all I have to say is thank you, the recommendation made it to me - and it has been one of my favorite books of the year.  Subtle, thought provoking and in many ways a book that causes one to reflective and make oneself better.  A book that may need some fast-forwarding for young adults, but a gentle introduction into communist Russia without details or accuracy, but maybe a good introduction into the inevitable outcome on human action within communism.  While also being a wonderful lesson in "doing what you are supposed to do, when you are supposed to do it" in a humble way.  In the library for you reading pleasure.