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Sourdough

by Robin Sloan

Other authors: See the other authors section.

MembersReviewsPopularityAverage ratingMentions
1,63312910,720 (3.86)58
"A new novel about an underground food community by the author of Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore"-- A software engineer at General Dexterity, a San Francisco robotics company with world-changing ambitions, Lois Clary codes all day and collapses at night, her human contact limited to the two brothers who run the neighborhood hole-in-the-wall from which she orders dinner every evening. When the brothers have Visa issues, they have one last delivery for Lois: their culture, the sourdough starter used to bake their bread. She must keep it alive, they tell her-- and learn to bake with it. Soon Lois is providing loaves to the General Dexterity cafeteria, then the farmer's market, and a whole new world opens up-- including a secret market that aims to fuse food and technology.… (more)
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English (128)  Italian (1)  All languages (129)
Showing 1-5 of 128 (next | show all)
Delightful. Full of love and play and mysticism.

And microbes. ( )
  capnfabs | Mar 9, 2024 |
Utterly delightful and deeply readable! I loved Lois's adventures with her sourdough starter and the Marrow Market; it's so weird at times but also somehow very relatable. This book also prompted me to look up various food processes, places, and people, and I ended up going down several Google rabbit holes of San Francisco farmers markets and cheese cultures and a bunch of chefs - there was so much in "Sourdough" to take in but it was never overwhelming, just a total literary feast! I think Lois (much like Clay in "Mr. Penumbra") was the perfect main character for this story and I'd love to see more of her. (Speaking of Clay, I got a dopey grin out of his New Bagel cameo)

Also, I now have the problem of having read both of Robin Sloan's novels, his short stories, the novella, and even his tap-to-read Fish app...and there's nothing left?? I can't WAIT to see what he comes up with next! ( )
  deborahee | Feb 23, 2024 |
This one goes fast! Started last night and finished today!

Lois is a young computer programmer who accidentally befriends the owner of a peculiar and wonderful sourdough bread starter. When she takes ownership of the starter her life changes is mysterious ways. From a robot factory to an underground farmer’s market’s wise old goat farmer this story is like a modern fairytale warning us away from things too good to be true or that we don’t understand.

I fell like this book has no middle ground, you’ll either love it or hate it. ( )
  hmonkeyreads | Jan 25, 2024 |
A fun light read. Sloan put a lot of good pieces together, and he seemed to tie everything back together plot wise, but the Sourdough didn't give me that satisfying full stomach. ( )
  wvlibrarydude | Jan 14, 2024 |
I liked it. 4 stars may be a bit too much, but since GR doesn't do half stars, I'm rounding up.
I had expected and hoped that this would be a bit more cosy, with all the bread baking and such. It did have its moments, but there was also something colder and at times a bit creepy about it, especially towards the end. The whole thing with the lembas felt a bit much to me.
I liked some of the tech jokes, although it was a bit artificial at times. I liked the Lois club. I liked the spicy soup guys and the bread.
I guess there were a whole lot of messages that someone who felt like doing a serious review could talk about, technology vs tradition, ambition, etc. But I'm just writing down a few notes to help me remember, so I'll leave that to someone else... ( )
  zjakkelien | Jan 2, 2024 |
Showing 1-5 of 128 (next | show all)
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» Add other authors (1 possible)

Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
Robin Sloanprimary authorall editionscalculated
Corral, RodrigoCover designersecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Kagan, AbbyDesignersecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Plummer, ThereseNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Ward, Jeffrey L.Cartographersecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
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It would have been nutritive gel for dinner, same as always, if I had not discovered stuck to my apartment's front door a paper menu advertising the newly expanded delivery service of a neighborhood restaurant.
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(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)
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"A new novel about an underground food community by the author of Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore"-- A software engineer at General Dexterity, a San Francisco robotics company with world-changing ambitions, Lois Clary codes all day and collapses at night, her human contact limited to the two brothers who run the neighborhood hole-in-the-wall from which she orders dinner every evening. When the brothers have Visa issues, they have one last delivery for Lois: their culture, the sourdough starter used to bake their bread. She must keep it alive, they tell her-- and learn to bake with it. Soon Lois is providing loaves to the General Dexterity cafeteria, then the farmer's market, and a whole new world opens up-- including a secret market that aims to fuse food and technology.

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Lois Clary is a software engineer at General Dexterity, a San Francisco robotics company with world-changing ambitions. She codes all day and collapses at night, her human contact limited to the two brothers who run the neighborhood hole-in-the-wall from which she orders dinner every evening. Then, disaster! Visa issues. The brothers close up shop, and fast. But they have one last delivery for Lois: their culture, the sourdough starter used to bake their bread. She must keep it alive, they tell her—feed it daily, play it music, and learn to bake with it.

Lois is no baker, but she could use a roommate, even if it is a needy colony of microorganisms. Soon, not only is she eating her own homemade bread, she’s providing loaves daily to the General Dexterity cafeteria. The company chef urges her to take her product to the farmer’s market, and a whole new world opens up.

When Lois comes before the jury that decides who sells what at Bay Area markets, she encounters a close-knit club with no appetite for new members. But then, an alternative emerges: a secret market that aims to fuse food and technology. But who are these people, exactly?

Leavened by the same infectious intelligence that made Robin Sloan’s Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore such a sensation, while taking on even more satisfying challenges, Sourdough marks the triumphant return of a unique and beloved young writer. Amazon
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