The Settler's Cookbook: Tales of Love, Migration and Food by Alibhai-Brown, Yasmin New Edition (2010) Paperback

It's one of the best books I've read in some time. It is, at once, a cookbook, an excellent memoir, and a compelling history of Asian migration into East Africa and following expulsion from Uganda, into the UK. I knew Yasmin Alibhai-Brown as a popular culinary writer for one of London's dailies during my student days in the UK in the 2000s. The journalistic skills show here - the ability to reduce complex histories and events into short and simple prose for everyman and everywoman to understand. If I had 10 stars to give, I would.

This book is a welcome addition to my food memoir bookshelf which is heavy in Western influenced food/countries. The author goes into great detail about growing up in Uganda and eventually going to oxford in the middle of Londons own chaotic enviorment. She also covers the tension between the Asian community and the Africans. TSC is part history, and takes the reader (if you are an average American with the basic American education) into a history of a country which is largely ingnored. Her most memorable passages are those when she desribes the generational tensions, including her own beating by the hands of her family when she dared to kiss a black African boy in a production of Romeo and Juliet, and the section detailing her failing marriage. Although I enjoyed the whole book. The recipies look delicious and authentic (although since I am kitchenless at the moment I have not had a chance to try them out)She does try to make concessions for the availabily of ingredients. Very well formated for the kindle.

The book surprised me very pleasantly in that I did not expect to read such an accurate description of a country where I lived during the three years before Amin took over the country. Of course many of the topics are not pleasant about those dark hours of Ugandan history. The Asian experience in Uganda needed to be told. I enjoyed reading the recipes and will try some. Uganda was my first intro to Indian curry and I have loved eating Indian dishes ever since. The author's coming of age story in such turbulent changing times is compelling. My only disagreement with the author is that I loved eating Matoke and miss that fruity plantain taste it gave curries.

Love the stories!

Loved the book, fascinating history of the Asians in Uganda. Living in Uganda myself, I can really relate to much of what she says, it is not so very different today. I would have given the book a five star rating as the whole idea and concept, woven with recipes which clearly bring Yasmin a deep sense of nostalgia, is wonderful. However, the deeply felt, blatant hatred of white people that comes across throughout the book is painful to read. It is a good and noble thing to be anti-racist, but to be full of aggressive anger and racism for white people, particularly when you are hosted by them in their own country, as Yasmin now is, is repulsive. I realize that Yasmin is notorious for her anti-white hate speech, which is a shame as she weaves such a magical tale through her journey documented in the book.

This is rather different from other the food-and-memoirs books that I have read, in that it concentrates far more on the latter than the former. It is furthermore, not just a personal biography, but the history of the Asian Community in Africa from establishment until the expulsions under the regime of Idi Amin, and the subsequent treatment of the African Asians when they arrived in Britain. Again, other books of this kind tend to look back at the past in a rosy haze, but the author here is realistic and analytical in her writing - as one would expect from such a notable journalist - both when considering political and social situations, and her own personal life. This is actually one of the best and most engrossing biographies I have ever read.The recipes are actually quite brief and 'no frills' - those who like photographs of the finished dishes will not find them here, neither are there lengthy explnations of techniques. The pared down recipes are the sort a cook might write as an aide memoire to herself, and therefore might not be suitable for an inexperienced cook. It is well worth reading, however, as a biography, even if you skip the recipes.

A beautiful book to read. Fluid, intelligent and humerous writing.. I have bought this book as a present for a vegan friend and colleague of mine. Unfortunately, she forgot about it, and some un-named person placed it onto our charity book table and it was sold. Oddly enough that is from where I had bought my own copy in the first place (A different copy I hasten to add). Needless to say I have lent her my original copy.It is also wonderful to learn about different cultures through an immigrant's eyes. My first black friend in the 60's was, like the author, Ugandan Asian expelled by Idi Amin. I lost touch with him for a couple of years when we went to different Middle Schools, but was delighted to meet him again when he greeted me with a broad Bradford accent. I have also learned how to bake bread using an anthill as an oven from the book.

Yasmin Alibhai-Browns 'The settler's cookbook: A Memoir of Love, Migration and Food' is very much in the same style as the equally wonderful 'Hallelujah! Welcome to the table' by Maya Angelou.This book has everything. Fantastic 'real' recipes, love, humour, tragedy and sadness,through the generations. Written with honesty and a true and touching affection for a past life and a more modern future. I loved the style of writing intertwined with delicious looking recipes making this book a compelling read and leaving the reader with much curiosity to search out the ingredients to try and recreate some fabulous sounding food.

An amazing read, what a story and what a life. The recipes are delightful too.

Fantastic. I bought the book because I thought it would be my story too as I am also a Ungandan born Indian migrant. However it is uniquely Yasmin's story but I was hooked from the first page to the last. I did skip the recipes because some I know how to cook and others I am not interested in. They felt like an interruption in the narrative and not always weaved in as naturally as I would have liked. I don't really understand why she included them in except as a devise to add another dimension and attract readers who would not usually read this type of book? I consider this an important book and have asked all my family to read it. The book is extremely well written and enjoyable. I love the way the author has also woven in comment on British politics. The book is honest, fearless and very current despite dealing with an historical event. More please Yasmin!