Listen to a sample
The Jackfruit Chronicles
- Author
- Shahnaz Ahsan
- Narrator
- Rima Ahmed
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Publish Date
- 31 July 2025
- Run Time
- 5 hours 45 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
What to expect
With insight and love, Ahsan guides us through the vibrant flavours and captivating story of Bengali food and its place in Britain. Beginning with the arrival of her grandfather, Habib, in Manchester in the 1950s, this is a spellbinding journey not just through one family story, but also the broader tale of the Bangladeshi diaspora’s quest for a new life in Britain.
Ahsan beautifully weaves together this narrative of migration and hope with treasured family recipes, including dishes like sour tomato broth, jackfruit kofta curry, lentil fritters, fish with clementine peels and much more.
The Jackfruit Chronicles is a moving exploration of family, food and what it means to belong.
Critics Review
-
'Despite coming from different backgrounds, growing up, and living in completely different environments, I resonated with Shahnaz's story greatly. The family ties, the immigrant experience, the meaning of home and how food plays such a central part in it all. The Jackfruit Chronicles is full of heart and wit that's deliciously enriching' Angela Hui
-
'An important and overdue story of a community served with a side helping of delicious and precious family memories. I devoured it.' Mallika Basu
-
'So much more than a cookbook, The Jackfruit Chronicles is balm for the soul: a heartwarming story told with love, compassion – and a host of gorgeous recipes.' Orlando Murrin
-
‘Shahnaz writes beautifully about food’ Dina Begum
See more reviews See fewer reviews
-
‘A thoroughly enjoyable, inspiring and uplifting read. It made me deeply nostalgic about significant dishes in my own life’ Sejal Sukhadwala
-
'It's an intimate, touching and fascinating story of a family's resilience and adaptability … Threaded through the family history – the sorrows, joys, upheavals – is food, the great connector to place and people … An evocative, thought-provoking and deeply appetising read.' Jenny Linford
-
'A vital read to not only understand a South Asian diaspora identity, but also what it means to be British … wonderful storytelling that keeps you engaged and glued to the page, dotted with recipes that entice you further into the story – full of humour, fun and love.' Anna Sulan Masing
-
'My favourite type of cookbook is the culinary memoir, where each recipe is given life and colour and love. Shahnaz’s may be the best I have ever read.' MiMi Aye
-
'A mesmerizing blend of memoir and migration stories, woven together with recipes that share the larger narrative of Bangladeshi belonging. The writing draws you in from the first page, accompanied with dishes that linger on both the tongue and in the heart. This culinary journey captures the essence of diasporic identity, heritage, and home.' Sumayya Usmani
User Reviews
No reviews yet.
Details
- Author
- Shahnaz Ahsan
- Narrator
- Rima Ahmed
- Duration
- 5 hours 45 minutes
- Release Date
- 31 July 2025
- ISBN
- 9780008683825
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Genre
- National and regional cuisine / Cuisine of specific cultures or peoples, Memoirs, Social and cultural history, Local and family history, nostalgia, Travel writing, Migration, immigration and emigration
Synopsis
Winner of the Food Season's Narrative Cookery Book Award With insight and love, Ahsan guides us through the vibrant flavours and captivating story of Bengali food and its place in Britain. Beginning with the arrival of her grandfather, Habib, in Manchester in the 1950s, this is a spellbinding journey not just through one family story, but also the broader tale of the Bangladeshi diaspora’s quest for a new life in Britain. Ahsan beautifully weaves together this narrative of migration and hope with treasured family recipes, including dishes like sour tomato broth, jackfruit kofta curry, lentil fritters, fish with clementine peels and much more. The Jackfruit Chronicles is a moving exploration of family, food and what it means to belong.
About xigxag
xigxag is an independent, UK-based audiobook platform and the UK's only B Corp certified audiobook company. We offer nearly 150,000 audiobooks, all with professional human narration. No AI-generated voices. xigxag is rated an Ethical Consumer Best Buy for audiobooks and a top-rated ethical bookshop.
There is no subscription. You buy the audiobooks you want, you own them permanently, and prices start at $13.95. The more you listen over the year, the less you pay per book, and there is always a selection in Listen for Less from $7.95. You can also send audiobooks as gifts using our audiobook gift cards or in-app gifting.
Every audiobook on xigxag has honest reviews covering both the book and the narration, and our community features make it easy to share what you are listening to, discover what others recommend, and find your next listen.
Download or stream on iOS, Android, or in your browser. Browse the full catalogue at xigxag.co.uk.