The Ramen King and I: How the Inventor of Instant Noodles Fixed My Love Life

For three days in January 2007, the most e-mailed article in The New York Times was "Appreciations: Mr. Noodle," an editorial noting the passing, at age ninety-six, of billionaire Momofuku Ando, the inventor of instant ramen. The very existence of the noodle inventor came as a shock to many, but not to Andy Raskin, who had spent nearly three years trying to meet Ando. Why?To fix the problems that plagued his love life.The Ramen King and I is Raskin's memoir about how despair - and a series of bizarre adventures at Japanese restaurants - led him to confront the truth of his romantic past, and how Ando became his unlikely spiritual guide. Through letters ostensibly penned to the culinary sage, Raskin reveals a relationship history riddled with infidelity, jealousy, and betrayal. After devouring Ando's essays (with titles such as "Peace Follows from a Full Stomach" and "Mankind Is Noodlekind"), he sets out to meet the food pioneer - and to discover the secret to a committed relationship.Raskin's quest takes him to some unexpected places - from the Wharton School and Kmart headquarters, to the Instant Ramen Invention Museum and a Milky Way-themed funeral. Along the way, he's spurred on by a stubborn sushi chef, a canceled Japanese TV show, and the writing of Haruki Murakami. Ultimately, Raskin discovers he's been suffering from what Ando identified - just prior to inventing instant ramen - as the Fundamental Misunderstanding of Humanity.