694: Inside the New York Magazine Food Beat with Chris Crowley 

Kitchen Confidential is a memoir and industry commentary that offers a candid, often humorous look at the less glamorous aspects of high-end restaurant kitchens. Bourdain shares his personal experiences, including his struggles with drug addiction and his rise through the culinary ranks. The book is structured as a collection of anecdotes and includes practical advice on the cooking trade, as well as warnings to consumers about restaurant practices. It captures the intense, often chaotic world of professional kitchens and explains why people are drawn to this demanding profession despite its challenges.

In *Breakneck*, Dan Wang explores China's transformation into an *engineering state*, relentlessly pursuing megaprojects, contrasting it with America's *lawyerly society*. The book delves into China's economic ascent and the social engineering costs, such as zero-COVID and the one-child policy, offering insights into global geopolitics.