Save Me the Plums: My Gourmet Memoir by Ruth Reichl
Ruth Reichl took the risk (and the job) of a lifetime when she entered the glamorous, high-stakes world of magazine publishing. Now, for the first time, she chronicles her groundbreaking tenure as editor in chief of Gourmet, during which she spearheaded a revolution in the way we think about food.
When Condé Nast offered Ruth Reichl the top position at America's oldest epicurean magazine, she declined. She was a writer, not a manager, and had no inclination to be anyone's boss. And yet . . . Reichl had been reading Gourmet since she was eight; it had inspired her career. How could she say no?
This is the story of a former Berkeley hippie entering the corporate world and worrying about losing her soul. It is the story of the moment restaurants became an important part of popular culture, a time when the rise of the farm-to-table movement changed, forever, the way we eat. Readers will meet legendary chefs like David Chang and Eric Ripert, idiosyncratic writers like David Foster Wallace, and a colorful group of editors and art directors who, under Reichl's leadership, transformed stately Gourmet into a cutting-edge publication. This was the golden age of print media--the last spendthrift gasp before the Internet turned the magazine world upside down.
Complete with recipes, Save Me the Plums is a personal journey of a woman coming to terms with being in charge and making a mark, following a passion and holding on to her dreams--even when she ends up in a place she never expected
to be.
Reviews
“Save Me the Plums sweeps the reader up in the intoxicating splendor of Gourmet in
its glory days, when the smart set was in it for the food, the
friendship, and the big new ideas. This is the rare case of an amazing
writer living an amazing life, with a book that’s the party I never
wanted to end.”—Ann Patchett, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Commonwealth
“Reichl dishes up an enthralling account of the intrigue, obsession, and glamour that made Gourmet an institution. Save Me the Plums is a delectable behind-the-scenes journey through the food world and its rise to celebrity status.”—Bianca Bosker, New York Times bestselling author of Cork Dork
“Fun . . . beguiling . . . an absolutely delightful reading experience.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Readers of her past memoirs will recognize Reichl’s lighthearted but dedicated approach to her work [and] her big-hearted approach to the dinner table. . . . New readers will be equally delighted by Reichl’s account of an influential magazine, its final days and the many moments that illustrate the ways food can bring people together.”—BookPage (starred review)
“No one writes about food like Ruth Reichl. She also happens to be a mesmerizing storyteller. I consider this book essential nourishment.”—Nigella Lawson“Endearing . . . Gourmet magazine readers will relish the behind-the-scenes peek at the workings of the magazine. . . . Reichl’s revealing memoir is a deeply personal look at a food world on the brink of change.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Ruth Reichl is the best sort of storyteller—intimate, wise, frank, and completely engaging. Here she beautifully details her ten years running Gourmet, with all the triumphs and tribulations, and it’s a brilliant tale. Every page is rich and delicious; the book is such a treat!”—Susan Orlean, New York Times bestselling author of The Library Book
Delicious!
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. Ruth Reichl has long illuminated the theme of how food defines us, and never more so than in her dazzling fiction debut about sisters, family ties, and a young woman who must finally let go of guilt and grief to embrace her own true gifts.
Billie Breslin has traveled far from her California home to take a job at Delicious, the most iconic food magazine in New York and, thus, the world. When the publication is summarily shut down, the colorful staff, who have become an extended family for Billie, must pick up their lives and move on. Not Billie, though. She is offered a new job: staying behind in the magazine's deserted downtown mansion offices to uphold the "Delicious Guarantee"-a public relations hotline for complaints and recipe inquiries-until further notice. What she doesn't know is that this boring, lonely job will be the portal to a life-changing discovery.
Delicious! carries the reader to the colorful world of downtown New York restaurateurs and artisanal purveyors, and from the lively food shop in Little Italy where Billie works on weekends to a hidden room in the magazine's library where she discovers the letters of Lulu Swan, a plucky twelve-year-old, who wrote to the legendary chef James Beard during World War II. Lulu's letters lead Billie to a deeper understanding of history (and the history of food), but most important, Lulu's courage in the face of loss inspires Billie to come to terms with her own issues-the panic attacks that occur every time she even thinks about cooking, the truth about the big sister she adored, and her ability to open her heart to love.
MY REVIEW: Ruth Reichl's work as a noted restaurant reviewer, food writer, and cookbook author adds atmosphere and insight to her fiction debut: "Delicious! A Novel". As in her popluar memoirs, her personal warmth, and her understanding of human nature and all things "foodie", gives depth to her characters and illuminates the story line. Traveling far from her home in California to accept a position at the revered food magazine, "Delicious!", Billie Breslin finds a whole new, challenging world in New York City. Not long after her dream job begins, however, the magazine shuts down, and Billie is reduced to staying behind handling the customer service hotline. The discovery of a hidden room in the magazine's library unearths a treasure trove of letters--correspondence from WWII between legendary chef James Beard and twelve-year-old named Lulu. Through the letters, Billie learns much about life, love, and the universal language of food. "Delicious! A Novel" is entertaining, heartwarming and sure to stir your appetite. A lovely gingerbread recipe and a fascinating interview between Ruth Reichl and her good friend, Ann Patchett, also a noted author, are added treats for readers.
Book Copy Gratis Library Thing
“Reichl dishes up an enthralling account of the intrigue, obsession, and glamour that made Gourmet an institution. Save Me the Plums is a delectable behind-the-scenes journey through the food world and its rise to celebrity status.”—Bianca Bosker, New York Times bestselling author of Cork Dork
“Fun . . . beguiling . . . an absolutely delightful reading experience.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Readers of her past memoirs will recognize Reichl’s lighthearted but dedicated approach to her work [and] her big-hearted approach to the dinner table. . . . New readers will be equally delighted by Reichl’s account of an influential magazine, its final days and the many moments that illustrate the ways food can bring people together.”—BookPage (starred review)
“No one writes about food like Ruth Reichl. She also happens to be a mesmerizing storyteller. I consider this book essential nourishment.”—Nigella Lawson“Endearing . . . Gourmet magazine readers will relish the behind-the-scenes peek at the workings of the magazine. . . . Reichl’s revealing memoir is a deeply personal look at a food world on the brink of change.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Ruth Reichl is the best sort of storyteller—intimate, wise, frank, and completely engaging. Here she beautifully details her ten years running Gourmet, with all the triumphs and tribulations, and it’s a brilliant tale. Every page is rich and delicious; the book is such a treat!”—Susan Orlean, New York Times bestselling author of The Library Book
Delicious!
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. Ruth Reichl has long illuminated the theme of how food defines us, and never more so than in her dazzling fiction debut about sisters, family ties, and a young woman who must finally let go of guilt and grief to embrace her own true gifts.
Billie Breslin has traveled far from her California home to take a job at Delicious, the most iconic food magazine in New York and, thus, the world. When the publication is summarily shut down, the colorful staff, who have become an extended family for Billie, must pick up their lives and move on. Not Billie, though. She is offered a new job: staying behind in the magazine's deserted downtown mansion offices to uphold the "Delicious Guarantee"-a public relations hotline for complaints and recipe inquiries-until further notice. What she doesn't know is that this boring, lonely job will be the portal to a life-changing discovery.
Delicious! carries the reader to the colorful world of downtown New York restaurateurs and artisanal purveyors, and from the lively food shop in Little Italy where Billie works on weekends to a hidden room in the magazine's library where she discovers the letters of Lulu Swan, a plucky twelve-year-old, who wrote to the legendary chef James Beard during World War II. Lulu's letters lead Billie to a deeper understanding of history (and the history of food), but most important, Lulu's courage in the face of loss inspires Billie to come to terms with her own issues-the panic attacks that occur every time she even thinks about cooking, the truth about the big sister she adored, and her ability to open her heart to love.
MY REVIEW: Ruth Reichl's work as a noted restaurant reviewer, food writer, and cookbook author adds atmosphere and insight to her fiction debut: "Delicious! A Novel". As in her popluar memoirs, her personal warmth, and her understanding of human nature and all things "foodie", gives depth to her characters and illuminates the story line. Traveling far from her home in California to accept a position at the revered food magazine, "Delicious!", Billie Breslin finds a whole new, challenging world in New York City. Not long after her dream job begins, however, the magazine shuts down, and Billie is reduced to staying behind handling the customer service hotline. The discovery of a hidden room in the magazine's library unearths a treasure trove of letters--correspondence from WWII between legendary chef James Beard and twelve-year-old named Lulu. Through the letters, Billie learns much about life, love, and the universal language of food. "Delicious! A Novel" is entertaining, heartwarming and sure to stir your appetite. A lovely gingerbread recipe and a fascinating interview between Ruth Reichl and her good friend, Ann Patchett, also a noted author, are added treats for readers.
Book Copy Gratis Library Thing
Reviews
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