Noodles with Grandma and Other Stories from Our Homestead in Kazakhstan

CAN A WISH MADE ON A SHOOTING STAR COME TRUE? HOW MUCH DO WORDS REALLY MATTER? AND WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU ARE STRANDED AT THE BORDER WITHOUT HOPE, MONEY, OR TELEPHONE? YOU FREEZE.

Growing up, Taylor spent summers in rural Kazakhstan on a homestead owned by his grandparents, two hardworking individuals who could not possibly be more different—one is quiet and the other one is grandma. In nearby Leninogorsk, another set of grandparents lived with lots of stories of their own. Taylor was a happy Siberian child with a secret. Kazakhstan helped him become the person he is today, and he shares his stories about his ancestors, the Soviet Union, and his summers on the homestead.

Noodles with Grandma is a collection of humorous biographical stories about gratitude, resilience, and the power of words. Most importantly, it is about eating grandma’s homemade noodles.