The Telling Room: A Tale of Love, Betrayal, Revenge, and the World's Greatest Piece of Cheese

What from the title appears to be a culinary adventure turns out to be a book about storytelling. Paterniti, a noted magazine writer, first ventured to Spain as a young man in search of a treasured cheese and its creator. Ultimately, however, the book's central theme becomes the relationship that arises between the author and the cheesemaker and how that relationship influenced the writing of this very work. Paterniti moved his family to the cheesemaker's remote Spanish village in order to complete his project, but instead it allowed Paterniti to become too involved with his subject and surroundings. This is reflected in his ruminations on how stories work and is further illustrated through side tales and copious footnotes that sometimes captivate, sometimes irritate. While the writing soars in its marvelous descriptions of the countryside, it also drags through lapses into introspection. Paterniti is not quite as funny as he thinks he is, either. This title is uneven, leaving the reader torn among vivid images, nicely observed scenes, and the author's frustrating passivity.