**NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - Includes an exclusive conversation
between Ruth Reichl and Emily Giffin
**
Ruth Reichl is a born storyteller. Through her restaurant reviews, where
she celebrated the pleasures of a well-made meal, and her bestselling
memoirs that address our universal feelings of love and loss, Reichl has
achieved a special place in the hearts of hundreds of thousands of
readers. Now, with this magical debut novel, she has created a
sumptuous, wholly realized world that will enchant you.
Billie Breslin has traveled far from her home in California to take a
job at Delicious!, New York's most iconic food magazine. Away from her
family, particularly her older sister, Genie, Billie feels like a fish
out of water--until she is welcomed by the magazine's colorful staff.
She is also seduced by the vibrant downtown food scene, especially by
Fontanari's, the famous Italian food shop where she works on weekends.
Then Delicious! is abruptly shut down, but Billie agrees to stay on in
the empty office, maintaining the hotline for reader complaints in order
to pay her bills.
To Billie's surprise, the lonely job becomes the portal to a miraculous
discovery. In a hidden room in the magazine's library, Billie finds a
cache of letters written during World War II by Lulu Swan, a plucky
twelve-year-old, to the legendary chef James Beard. Lulu's letters
provide Billie with a richer understanding of history, and a feeling of
deep connection to the young writer whose courage in the face of
hardship inspires Billie to comes to terms with her fears, her big
sister and her ability to open her heart to love.
Praise for Delicious!
"Compulsively readable . . . a treat for anyone who loves a warm,
character-packed tale--a delectable mix of flavor, fantasy, and
emotional comfort food."--O: The Oprah Magazine
"[Reichl's] New York is a fairy-tale town where beautiful food
abounds. . . . The novel presents a whole passel of surprises: a puzzle
to solve; a secret room; hidden letters; the legacy of James Beard; and
a parallel, equally plucky heroine from the past, who also happens to be
a culinary prodigy."--The New York Times Book Review
"Fascinating characters . . . There's romance, intrigue, food history,
and the fictional appearance of a very real American culinary
icon."--The Austin Chronicle
"Reichl's vivid descriptions of food will have readers salivating, and
an insider's look at life at a food magazine is fascinating. Her
satisfying coming-of-age novel of love and loss vividly demonstrates the
power of food to connect people across cultures and
generations."--Library Journal (starred review)
"This savory feast of a first novel blends the rich gifts that readers
of Reichl's memoirs and food writing have come to expect. To a
tantalizing coming-of-age story about a budding chef and journalist she
adds a bittersweet tale of separated sisters."--More
