From the Melbourne's Sunday Herald Sun Book Editor
Posts Tagged ‘Australia’
Book Of The Year – from Herald Sun book editor
Tuesday, January 11th, 2011Australians – they have such excellent taste
Monday, January 10th, 2011
In the shameless self-promotion category:
“The Hundred-Foot Journey by Richard C. Morais was my favourite book of 2010 a gorgeous, beautifully written look at life, love, and food.”
––January 8, 2011. Ellen Whinnett, Sunday Books Editor, Herald Sun.
The Hundred-Foot Journey on bestseller list.
Saturday, December 11th, 2010
The Hundred-Foot Journey was published on December 1st in Australia and New Zealand by Allen & Unwin. A week later my little book is officially a Down Under bestseller, No. 9 on the Australian Independent Bookseller list of top sellers. Pretty sweet to be in the same company as Keith Richards and Jonathan Franzen.
Woohooo. Up there with Franzen.
Tuesday, December 7th, 2010
Where The Hundred-Foot Journey ranks.
The Hundred-Foot Journey was published by Australia’s Allen & Unwin on December 1st. This gangbuster publisher has worked like a kangaroo to put my book on the map Down Under. A week after publication The Hundred-Foot Journey is the second most mentioned book in Australia’s media, after Jonathan Franzen’s Freedom. Check it out here.
The Courier Mail Interview
Friday, November 26th, 2010
From The Courier Mail
“Richard C Morais has climbed into the skin of an Indian Muslim chef to write a great yarn through food, using imagery so vivid you can feel and taste it.” That’s the lede from David Gilchrist’s feature-length article and interview in the Courier Mail in Melbourne. For the full article click here.
A Feel Good Christmas Book
Wednesday, November 24th, 2010
Rather enjoyed the lede to this review: “Two years ago we had The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society. Earlier this year we had Mr Rosenblum’s list and Major Pettigrew’s last stand. For Christmas your ‘feel good’ read is The Hundred-Foot Journey by Richard C Morais.”
For the full review click here.
Pick Of The Month
Tuesday, November 16th, 2010
This morning I woke up to find this email from Annette Barlow, my publisher at Allen & Unwin in Australia/New Zealand: “The crow is slaughtered (is that legal?), the gizzards examined, and we’re sure we have a cracker success on our hands!”
Barlow is publishing The Hundred-Foot Journey on December 1st and was referring to a review in the Australian Women’s Weekly by Sophie Groom, the buying manager at the major Australian book store chain, Dymocks.
The Dymock book chain announced in Australia’s largest circulation women’s magazine that The Hundred-Foot Journey is its Pick Of The Month: “If you enjoy a novel about food, you’re sure to love this tale of restaurant rivalry set in provincial France. When the Haji family arrives in the village of Lumiere – with the dust of Mumbai still on their clothes and intoxicating Indian flavours suffusing their cooking – little do they know they have set up their restaurant opposite a Michelin-starred establishment which has been revered for generations. What ensues is a sometimes hilarious, sometimes poignant battle of wits and dishes that will have your mouth watering.”
This vote of confidence follows fast on the heels of Booktopia making a similar “Book Of The Month” call Down Under.
But for the record: Hands off, The crow is slaughtered, the gizzards examined. I am stealing that for my next novel.
Booktopia names The 100-Foot Journey a “Book Of The Month”
Monday, November 8th, 2010
Toni Whitmont, editor-in-chief of BookBuzz for Booktopia, Australia’s Amazon.com with 2 million books in stock, has named The Hundred-Foot Journey as one of her two “Books Of The Month.” Publisher Allen & Unwin is releasing the book in Australia and New Zealand on December 1st. Here’s an excerpt of Whitmont’s review:
“The Hundred-Foot Journey is about cultural differences and reconciliations (of sorts) – the things that keep us apart, and the the things that bring us together. It is as evocative of Mumbai as it is of Paris. The discussions of food are endlessly interesting, as are the insights into the restaurant culture of Paris and the cliques that determine the fates of the very top echelons of chefs. The characters are full of life, marvellously eccentric but at the same time grounded in reality. While it celebrates both Indian and French culture, it never strays into kitsch. As for the role of food in this book – suffice to say it just makes you want to get into the kitchen and turn out something special for those whom you love. This is a life affirming book all about food, family and joy.”
New Zealand Book Council Weighs In On 100-Foot
Saturday, November 6th, 2010
Allen & Unwin is publishing The Hundred-Foot Journey in Australia and New Zealand on December 1st. Here this month’s relevant entry in the New Zealand Book Council’s “Watch Out For” home-page column:
“‘I’m looking forward to the debut novel from Richard C. Morais. The Hundred Foot Journey (Allen & Unwin, $35.00), is what I call a big canvas book and you are sure to be entranced by it if you like your characters eccentric, your settings colourful and lots of delicious food included. It tells the story of Abbas Haji and his family, and their relocation from an Indian restaurant, Mumbai to an Indian restaurant in a remote French village. Add to this the emergence of a talent, and a passion, for French cuisine by Abbas’ son Hassan and you get an intriguing story. One to set aside for your holiday reads.”
The New Zealand Book Council’s Website can be found here. On Dec. 13th, Phil Smith on Radio New Zealand National will be reviewing The Hundred-Foot Journey.
Doings Down Under
Thursday, October 7th, 2010
The Australian cover from Allen & Unwin
Australia/NZ is shaping up to be an important market for The Hundred-Foot Journey, which is due out in December Down Under. Publisher Allen & Unwin has done a terrific job drumming up pre-pub buzz. Here the latest from Booktopia, the nation’s top bookseller, which has already given 100 Foot a rave.
