Eat Joy: Stories and Comfort Food from 31 Celebrated Writers

- Blurb -

'Delightful...Garrett has selected the best kind of culinary writing - unfussy recipes and heartfelt stories that use food as an avenue for reflection. Foodies and fiction readers alike will devour this excellent collection.' - Publishers WeeklyThis collection of intimate, illustrated essays by some of America's most well-regarded literary writers explores how comfort food can help us cope with dark times - be it the loss of a parent, the loneliness of a move, or the pain of heartache.Lev Grossman explains how he survived on "sweet, sour, spicy, salty, unabashedly gluey" General Tso's tofu after his divorce. Carmen Maria Machado describes her growing pains as she learned to feed and care for herself during her twenties. Claire Messud tries to understand how her mother gave up dreams of being a lawyer to make "a dressed salad of tiny shrimp and avocado, followed by prune-stuffed pork tenderloin." What makes each tale so moving is not only the deeply personal revelations from celebrated writers, but also the compassion and healing behind the story: the taste of hope.'Food binds this book together, and each beautifully told story circles life's truths in ways that are surprising, often revelatory, and always moving. It's impossible not to love Eat Joy, and equally impossible not to want to bake and eat these dishes while reading. It's an extraordinary collection.' - Dorie Greenspan, James Beard Award-winning author of Everyday Dorie'A collection of recipes and thoughtful essays...This book is a feast for avid lit lovers and foodies alike.' - Library Journal (Starred Review)'Food is a key to unlocking memories. The nourishing stories in Eat Joy show us that thinking about what we've eaten is the easiest way to remember the bitter, the beautiful, and everything in between.' - Julia Turshen, author of Small Victories and host of Keep Calm and Cook On'Food is personal and political; it's essential but can be luxurious. Food is art; it's family - it's how we care for each other and know who we are. In this spellbinding book, some of our most crucial writers bring us much-needed sustenance, intellectual and physical. This book is a gift.' - Michelle Tea, author of How to Grow Up'Sensory memories can transport us through time and space, and the outstanding essays in Eat Joy harness that power. By the time you finish reading these distinctly personal stories, you'll feel as if you've been right there alongside this glorious assemblage of contributing writers - licking the brownie mix, handling the raw meat, savoring the pickles, and processing what it means to be alive. You might also be hungry.' - Mary Laura Philpott, author of I Miss You When I Blink