American essayist and novelist. His writing philosophy is big concept, discriminating, provocative. His influences are Ballard, Beckett, Borges, Dick, Kafka, Hesse, Melville, Mishima, Sade, and all uncompromising authors who bulldoze their way into new territory. Tinkers with comfort zones.

Kirkus Reviews calls his second novel The Kitchens of Canton "poignant...language barriers abound, with dialogue in Cantonese, Italian, and Latin, but Cook isn’t merely interested in verbal language—body language, customs and rituals, and symbols are also on full display. The book also explores Americans’ complicated relationship with sex, juxtaposing it against their seemingly comfortable relationships with weapons and violence. An insightful, unconventional, and risqué view of present-day culture."

His wide-ranging literary tastes mirror his equally eclectic musical tastes—classical (medieval through contemporary), jazz, rock, folk, world (Peking Opera, Balinese Gamelan, Indian ragas). He is a citizen of the world, having lived in the US, Canada, England, Germany, Japan, and (currently since the mid-90s) China, and traveled to many more. Websites:

IshamCook.com

Books2Read:
https://books2read.com/ap/8vq55j/Isha...

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