Back to chicken soup. The idea is all good, but chicken soup has got rather out of control, like the story of the girl with the magic porridge pot. Chicken soup has taken over much of the bookselling business. If you type ‘chicken soup book’ into Amazon, it will offer you 2,624 choices. Chicken soup for the soul, seems to be the thing. (Can a soul eat soup, I wonder? That’s a whole theological digression waiting to happen.) Little hardbacks to fit in your pocket, with pithy messages of wisdom and encouragement. Glossy paperbacks, with heart-warming tales of people triumphing over adversity. Gift packages of almost any combination of items, with inspiration and comfort oozing out.
Chicken soup is very specialised these days. There’s chicken soup for every situation, and every person. Let me list you a few, to give you an idea:
Chicken Soup for the Preteen Soul
Chicken Soup for the College Soul
Chicken Soup for the Empty Nester’s Soul
Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover’s Soul
Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover’s Soul
Chicken Soup for the Cat and Dog Lover’s Soul (covering all bases, that one)
Chicken Soup for the Ocean Lover’s Soul
Chicken Soup for the Entrepreneur’s Soul
Chicken Soup for the Golfer’s Soul
Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul
Chicken Soup for the Shopper’s Soul
Chicken Soup for the Canadian Soul
Chicken Soup for the Dieter’s Soul
Chicken Soup for the Unsinkable Soul (would make a nice pair with the Ocean Lover’s Soul)
Chicken Soup from the Soul of Hawai’i.
See what I mean? It’s out of control. Do you think there might be a title for fans of a particular music genre, titled Chicken Soup for the Soul Lover’s Soul? I expect there is, somewhere.
I came across a title recently that really threatened to tip me over the edge. As I said, I had just about fathomed what the whole chicken soup deal was, when I walked past a book stand on which this book was displayed.
Aaaargh. I had to re-read the title a few times. I did several double-takes. I just didn’t get it. This was a crossing-over of moral universes that had my head in a spin and my internal compass in a whirl.
It begs the following question: if your friend is a tea-lover, why the dickens would you give them chicken soup? Why wouldn’t you give them a nice cup of tea?
“Oh, hello, Iota. I know you’ve been having a tough time recently, and are in need of inspiration and encouragement. I know what you really need is a good cup of tea, so here’s some chicken soup.”
Aaaargh. I can’t get my brain round this at all. There are also chicken soup books for coffee-lovers, for wine-lovers, and for chocolate-lovers, incidentally. Chocolate lovers? How much are those die-hards going to appreciate chicken soup, for heaven’s sake?
Retaliation is the only appropriate response. I’m going to publish a book called A Nice Cup of Tea for the Chicken Soup Lover’s Soul.
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ReplyDelete[Edited to fix a typo - sorry!]
ReplyDeleteOh you must write that book, you really must!!
Maybe you could start the British version of the "Chicken Soup for . . ." series. A whole series of books called "A nice cup of tea for . . ." It could make you a fortune!
Almost American,
ReplyDeleteYes!! Why on earth didn't I think of that myself?
My top title would be "A nice cup of tea for the mummy blogger soul".
Hmmm...I concur, the issue of mixed metaphors is troubling for those with a foot in two cultures. However, it's surely also got to do with marketing, right? I mean, I just don't see big sales numbers for a book entitled, "Stuff to make you feel better for people who drink tea."
ReplyDeleteI think Almost American has hit the nail on the head. Let me know when you launch your 'cup of tea' series!
I thought Chicken Soup was originally something Jewish mothers made as a cure all for their children and gradually it has wormed its way into common parlance.
ReplyDeleteMy mum always said a wash and a cup of tea will make you feel better. I think a series of "Nice Cup of Tea" book is definitely in order!
Yes, I definitely thought it was a New York/Jewish thing. Interesting to see that it pervades the rest of America too! I haven't noticed those books - will definitely have a look on my next trip to the bookshop.
ReplyDeleteI think the British equivalent would be (as you say) a nice cup of tea - or brandy - for adults. Not sure for children. Hot buttered toast?
I think a nice piece of toast is a comfort thing in England.(Or crumpet)
ReplyDeleteChicken Soup is supposed to be very good for flu and something in it helps a fever.
Maggie X
Nuts in May
Of course, 'a nice cup of tea and a piece of cake for the chicken soup lover's soul' sounds even better...
ReplyDeleteAs a native-born American, I can confirm that chicken soup is the "old wives' tale" cure for any ailment. However, I'm just as lost as you are on the Chicken Soup for the Soul business. The first book, maybe (though I'm not one for the touchy-feely stories), but it HAS gotten out of control.
ReplyDeleteI even mentally downgraded how seriously I took a certain mental health professional after I found out that she'd published a book with the blokes behind the Chicken Soup books.
Americans are just weird.
ReplyDeleteWe used to get toast with strawberry jam and tea with sugar and lemon.
We make our own chicken soup in our household here in Florida.
ReplyDeleteI think that Campbell's condensed soup holds a particular affection in American hearts.
I haven't actually encountered the chicken soup cures all here, yet. Generally speaking soup is eaten more in winter in Florida and there isn't so much hot comfort food, because it's hot enough already with that sub-tropical sun beating down on you all day! haha!
Paul
http://fromsheeptoalligators.blogspot.com/
What about cup-a-soup? Do they even make that now. Vile it was.
ReplyDeleteThis makes me smile! If I'm sick, and especially if I haven't eaten in a few days, all I crave is brothy chicken noodle soup. We've come to stock some asian vacu-packed noodles which are the closest I can come to the traditional egg-noodles here in the UK -- for such an occaision and I fix them up with oxo cubes. There is something just so heart-warming and comforting about it.
ReplyDeleteThe books are annoying and I completely agree. But the sentiment - it is there in my American soul along with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and rootbeer.
I miss chicken soup, but I had the same reaction to that title when I was in the States. Chicken soup fixes illness. Tea, it fixes everything. The two should not be mixed!
ReplyDeleteI don't want to burst a bubble, but it's not just an American thing, chicken soup (in the literary form at least) is over here too, filling up the shelves in Waterstones.
ReplyDeleteAnd having seen Paul's comment I'm wondering if the comfort equivalent is Heinz tomato - or is that just me?
I'd go for the heinz tomato if it had to be soup. My mother prescribes 'wash your hair' for many ailments. For utter, snot filled, misery it has to be warm brown lemonade. (We Irish have white, brown and red lemonade readily available)
ReplyDeleteI think you (& commenters) are onto something here. In fact I think we're having a bit of a Bloggy Brainstorming sesh going on here. Something might just come of it. Wife In The North is writing a book called "The Jam Jar Army" So we're still with the homely, feel good domestic imagery here, so why not Tea? It captures the English bit (of you) as well as the 'panacea for all woes'/tea as therapy bit, & is a contrast to what one drinks in America.
ReplyDeleteSo...... A book called (&this is where I get stuck!)"Tea & Hobnobs in the Midwest" or "Coffee, tea or just me?" or whatever it is you want to write about. I'm not sure a book on blogging, even if it is for a Mummy Blogger's soul wd work; it's kind of mixing metaphors, well genres anyway. Still, I'm just blogstorming here......
I was already thinking 'isn't the British equivalent just a nice cuppa?' and then you got there! But all those books? That's like a publisher's marketing department gone insane. It's given me a headache just looking at all that. Why ruin a good thing?
ReplyDeleteIncidentally, studies have shown that there are genuine medicinal properties to chicken soup which do help a person get over certain flu and colds. So there ya go. It has nothing to do with books.
The original book "Chicken Soup for the Soul," I think, was written by a rabbi (in the 80s?) and is actually not bad. But the copycatting has gone amok.
ReplyDeleteps Have just tagged you on the Save the Children Meme that's doing the rounds. I hope that's ok. I just though it would be nice if the campaign could get a bit of publicity in the States too...
ReplyDeleteSpeccy, I love that. My Mum (rising 84) thinks there is no problem that putting on some red lippy and going out can't solve.
ReplyDeletelove
Josephine
Is there a chicken soup for a tired overworked mum that is doing to much?
ReplyDeleteModern Mother, I think that would be actual chicken soup made especially for her by her bubbe.
ReplyDeleteChicken soup for the vegetarian?
ReplyDeletex J'phine
i'm still of the opinion that chicken soup is great if you have a bad cold. otherwise, i'm all about tomato.
ReplyDeleteChicken soup was and still is a major part of the Jewish kitchen, made on a Friday so the chicken used to make the soup could also be eaten at Friday night dinner bringing in the Sabbath. As the soup was already made, it could be eaten on Saturday when no work is to be done. I'm not Jewish but my hubby is, and I make his mother's recipe of chicken soup which is both comforting and nutritious and is said to be the healer of all ills!! Personally, I don't like it!!
ReplyDeleteMy mother's family was English and my father's US Southern, so I have an interesting assortment of things in my comfort food repertoire. I might cook Southern grandma's chicken and dumplings occasionally, but I have English grandmother's and my mother's tea every day (several times a day, actually). And I teach everyone I come in contact with how to make me "a proper cup of tea"!
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