Tastes Like War

Questions About Tastes Like War

by Grace M. Cho (Goodreads Author)

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Answered Questions (4)

🤔 Should we read (or recommend) a memoir that's questioned as being factual, and the central figure (the mother) purportedly did not wish for the book to be published?
Neville No, absolutely not. As the brother in this “memoir”, It’s a sad testimony for the publishing industry that they do not vet memoirs and push legal liab…moreNo, absolutely not. As the brother in this “memoir”, It’s a sad testimony for the publishing industry that they do not vet memoirs and push legal liability to the authors. It leads to situations like this where an attention seeker gets to rewrite their life and make up whatever they want in order to appeal to a certain class of naive and gullible readers who want this story to be true, no matter how it might affect real people and their privacy.

I’m thankful there are discerning readers asking these questions. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.(less)
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“Tastes Like War” was profoundly ableist. Grace Cho depicted her mom, whose life had been almost completely derailed by extreme trauma, as “crazy”, “burdensome”, “horrifying”, “diminished”, “three separate mothers”, and “the living dead”. Disabled people seem NOT to be reading this book. So, my question is for able-normative readers: Why are you enabling it? How does a “right” to “open speech” justify so much hate?
Amanda As someone who has dealt with mental illness firsthand now since 1994 and been on meds and In therapy since 2002, I did not see this as a 100% ableist…moreAs someone who has dealt with mental illness firsthand now since 1994 and been on meds and In therapy since 2002, I did not see this as a 100% ableist portrayal. The author was much like my immediate family in that she was trying to get her mother back to functioning in whatever way she could facilitate. Yet even with family on your side you don’t always thrive and can even backslide. I’ve also had the family that tells me that there is nothing wrong and to quit being so dramatic. I’ve gone to a day program where it’s easy to come out of your shell in a new place around new people who don’t know your story. But when you come home it’s the same old routine.

Original Poster, you see it as a story of hate. I see it just as a story of life. Sometimes life gets a little ugly. But you don’t keep coming back to your family to care for them if you hate them. (less)
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Curious if anyone has read Tastes Like War and also Empire of Pain. Both are presented as non fiction and both are vigorously disputed by some of the subjects that appear in the work. I find myself wondering how many books presented as non fiction (and not 100% hagiographies) are actually controversial, in part. I'm wondering what this even means for the division between fiction and non fiction?
Pj A relative of mine read “Empire of Pain” and claims it’s legit. But, “Tastes Like War” is ableist and a first-class scam. Unlike Grace, her relatives …moreA relative of mine read “Empire of Pain” and claims it’s legit. But, “Tastes Like War” is ableist and a first-class scam. Unlike Grace, her relatives have been active on Goodreads, responding to readers’ reviews and comments. Of this commentary, some was purged, at the behest of Grace and her publisher. Fortunately, most of it is still up. Anyone who hasn’t read it yet, should. That’s where to find the truth about this book.(less)
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Could I see all of Neville's responses?
Pj Probably not possible, Helen. Grace Cho has pressured Goodreads to delete some of the commentary from anyone who expressed criticism of “Tastes Like W…moreProbably not possible, Helen. Grace Cho has pressured Goodreads to delete some of the commentary from anyone who expressed criticism of “Tastes Like War”. But, whatever has *not* been erased can still be found on the 1-star section of reviews for Tastes Like War.(less)
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