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Quick Book Review: The Sushi Economy

I love to eat sushi. I’m intrigued by the mechanics of global capitalism, particularly the logistics of shipping stuff all around the world. I’m amused by cultural contact and integration, the fusion and braiding of different (and differing) societal mores. As such, Sasha Issenberg’g The Sushi Economy was just right for me.

It’s a good, not great, book. Mostly, it’s a solid piece of investigative journalism, wherein our intrepid reporter travels the world, uncovering the wherefores of the global sushi boom. The stories I most enjoyed were those of the original tuna import from Canada to Japan in the early 70s; the workings of Tsukiji fish market (which I observed a while ago); the history of pressing fish on rice; and the establishment of top-quality sushi in Austin, Texas. There were many chapters that didn’t interest me — I just skipped over them and it didn’t matter, as each chapter is pretty much self-contained.

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