Abu-Jaber offers a loving and often humorous memoir of her father's immigrant experience and her own childhood trying to straddle two cultures. The daughter of an American mother of Irish-German ancestry and a Jordanian immigrant father, she focuses mostly on the foods her father cooked, although even her maternal grandmother's pot roast is cited. While she grew up mostly in Syracuse, NY, Diana's life was greatly influenced by her Jordanian relatives (4 uncles also immigrated to the US) and the many gatherings, often rambunctious, with her cousins. Her father, "Bud", tries to instill strict guidelines regarding boys and schoolwork and Diana, the oldest of three daughters, sometimes chafes against his advice. For Bud, cooking is both a connection with the old country and also a way to express his love for his family and friends. This is a thoughtful story about being different, fitting in, and the immigration story from the perspective of a 2nd generation American. Recipes are included!
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