Delicious!: A Novel

Delicious!: A Novel

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

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.
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Billie Breslin has traveled far from her home in California to take a job at Delicious!, New Yorkâ€™s most iconic food magazine. Away from her family, particularly her older sister, Genie, Billie feels like a fish out of waterâ€”until she is welcomed by the magazineâ€™s colorful staff. She is also seduced by the vibrant downtown food scene, especially by Fontanariâ€™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.
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To Billieâ€™s surprise, the lonely job becomes the portal to a miraculous discovery. In a hidden room in the magazineâ€™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. Luluâ€™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!
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â€œCompulsively readable . . . a treat for anyone who loves a warm, character-packed taleâ€”a delectable mix of flavor, fantasy, and emotional comfort food.â€â€”O: The Oprah Magazine
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â€œ[Reichlâ€™s] New York is a fairy-tale town where beautiful food abounds. . . .Â 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.â€â€”The New York Times Book Review
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â€œFascinating characters . . . Thereâ€™s romance, intrigue, food history, and the fictional appearance of a very real American culinary icon.â€â€”The Austin Chronicle

â€œReichlâ€™s vivid descriptions of food will have readers salivating, and an insiderâ€™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.â€â€”Library JournalÂ (starred review)
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â€œThis savory feast of a first novel blends the rich gifts that readers of Reichlâ€™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.â€â€”More
Country USA
Brand Random House Books for Young Readers
Manufacturer Random House
Binding Hardcover
ItemPartNumber 9781400069620
ReleaseDate 2014-05-06
UnitCount 1
UPCs 884925013822
EANs 9781400069620

Country	USA
Brand	Random House Books for Young Readers
Manufacturer	Random House
Binding	Hardcover
ItemPartNumber	9781400069620
ReleaseDate	2014-05-06
UnitCount	1
UPCs	884925013822
EANs	9781400069620

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