The king of fruits for locals, and the object of fear and loathing for Westerners; durian is perhaps the most controversial of all fruits. For people who call Singapore their home it is a delicacy; but for expats its odor is revolting, and the thought of eating it, unimaginable. Equally hard to imagine is a friendship between a fifty-year-old Chinese durian man and a twelve-year-old expat American boy. But that is exactly what happens to Charlie Sim and Jonathan Seymore in the Durian King.—Anonymous