This post is part of Beth Fish Reads' Weekend Cooking. If you have anything related to food, cookbook reviews, novel or non-fiction book reviews, recipes, movie reviews, etc., head over to Beth Fish Reads and add your post. Or, if you want to read food related posts, head over to read what some interesting people have to say about food.
Gigi Levangie Grazer, author of The Starter Wife, has a new novel out now: The After Wife. It tells the story of reality producer Hannah who loses her husband in a hit and run accident. She must rely on her goofy group of friends to help her navigate her grief, while at the same time she gains the ability to talk to the dead.
It doesn't exactly scream 'this is a funny book', but it is. Grazer skewers the Hollywood lifestyle, though the book is set in Santa Monica, and she manages to take the reader from tears to laughter in the space of a few pages.
Hannah's husband John was a chef, so there are a few good food related excerpts, including this one:
"On Saturday mornings, John liked to be at the Farmer's Market on the Third Street Promenade early- before the regular customers, the crowds, the crazies- to show off Ellie to his old chef buddies, smell the fresh produce, bag some grapes, pears, figs, haggle over the price of bison, down oysters perfumed by the Pacific, and grab an espresso.
We'd be eating something amazing tonight. Something with figs. Figs, a brown sauce, a roast guinea hen? Of course, we usually ate something amazing for dinner- even if it were a simple, perfect omelet."I read this book on my Kindle while on the treadmill, and several times I burst out into laughter, causing people in the gym to look funny at me. Grazer's book was so good that I stayed on the treadmill longer than usual. (And no, Gigi, I did not fall off, I was very careful.)
I will post a full review of this delightful novel soon. Here is a link to Gigi's website for The After Wife.
Any book that keeps you on the treadmill is win! LOL. I bet I'd love the descriptions of the food. Great quote you shared.
ReplyDeleteI like that quote too. We can actually get bison served at a place called Ted's Grill in Tallahassee Florida. It's pretty good. I sure love oysters, figs and many of the items you mentioned. Yum! I will check out this book.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the heads up about this book. Looking forward to your full review :).
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely quote! Such a nice little piece about how relationships and, therefore, grief, get all tied up with food.
ReplyDeleteIt does sound funny and we all need to laugh more!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great book. I feel SO embarrassed when I laugh out loud because of a book. I usually try to make it into a cough if I can. :-)
ReplyDeleteit must have been good to get your attention like that in public. Books that give me that reaction are few and far between.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Beth, we need more books that keep us on the treadmill, stationary bike or whichever training equipment that allows for reading simultaneously!!
ReplyDeletePrice of bison?? Quite a sophisticated taste I'm guessing ;) Looking forward to your full review!
I am looking forward to your full review. Cheers
ReplyDeletePS I am now following your blog
PpS Just to let you know that I run a monthly series called Books You Loved. The current one is the August edition and a new edition will go up about the 10th Sept. If you would like to contribute, you would be more than welcome
I love it when a book that doesn't scream 'funny' in the description turns out to be slyly humorous. One of my favorite things about books is that they can make me spontaneously laugh in public - and those weird looks are like a victory badge, proving that the book is GOOD and you're enjoying it immensely.
ReplyDeleteThat section about food is mouth-watering!
I love books that make me laugh out loud - the lookers-on are missing out ;) Adding it to my ever-growing list!!!!
ReplyDelete