Delicious!

A Novel

By: Ruth Reichl

Narrated by: Julia Whelan

Length: 12 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's summary

In her best-selling memoirs, 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 travelled 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 suddenly shut down, the colourful 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 listener to the colourful 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 12-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.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2014 Ruth Reichl (P)2014 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"[Ruth Reichl is] the culinary scene queen...the most influential food person in America today." ( National Post)

"Reading Ruth Reichl on food is almost as good as eating it...Reichl makes the reader feel present with her, sharing her experience." ( The Washington Post Book World)

"[Reichl] is fair-minded, brave, and a wonderful writer." ( The New York Times Book Review)

Love Reichl but her nonfiction is her strength

Would you consider the audio edition of Delicious! to be better than the print version?

Haven't read the print edition. The narrator did a fantastic job though.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

Many of the plotlines ended predictably, and were kind of too good to be true. The plotline with the sister seemed a little convoluted and the revelations seemed a little forced. I loved Lulu's plotline but the culmination also seemed a little unbelievable. There was so much potential in this story but I felt like it veered off in really strange ways a lot.

Which scene was your favorite?

Reichl is always at her best when describing food so any scene containing that was great (though once she had the characters boasting about how much they know about food it got kind of tiresome). The "Sal Test" was fun, and the whole section with the library and Lulu's letters were great. Interesting to learn about the treatment of Italians during the war.

Any additional comments?

Loved the character of Sammy. Surprisingly, I didn't find him over the top. I think that sort of affectation in an older gay man in NYC is totally on point and believable. Sal was good too, and Lulu. Billie got a little insufferable, her motives and reactions were often hard to understand. I wanted to like Mr. Complainer but once we got to see more of him he just came off like a snob. I know people like him in real life and I can't stand being around them. I love food and appreciate quality but he just seemed like the kind of person who wouldn't shut up about it. Billie's makeover was also eye-roll worthy. Seriously, is this a highschool movie? The heroine we're told over and over is plain and unattractive gets contacts, a haircut and some nice clothes and all of a sudden she's gorgeous? Come on. That is the laziest kind of character development.

A lot of the characters were just kind of hard to understand. Their reactions seemed either over the top, or not enough. A lot of things just were kind of dropped, and other things seemed rammed home to the point of disbelief (Sal's refusal to ever leave his store, Maggie's grudge-holding and meanness, etc).

Also, too much judginess about food and "the old ways were better" type of thing. I did enjoy this book, but I found my eyes rolling A LOT.

I expected better from Ruth, whose memoirs I ADORE, but I guess her strength isn't fiction.

A great get away...

This book took me to a far away place and wove a wondrous tale. I have always enjoyed Reichl's writing and this book did not disappoint.

Such a delight

While sure, the story is corny, Ruth had done a phenomenal job of bringing her characters to life. I loved her first books and I couldn’t stamp listening to this one. Sammy, while obnoxious, was utterly hypnotic with his vocabulary- I found myself wanting to meet him in real life. The research she had to put into this book was outstanding and by the end of the day I couldn’t wait to get into the kitchen. Literary classic? - by no means, worth the read, absolutely!

Such a good story

This was a fabulous story. I loved every character even Maggie. Was so sad when it ended.

Engaging story

Very well written and brilliantly read by Julia Whelan. Thoroughly enjoyable and well worth the listen!

Enjoyable listen

Nice blend of modern times and history. Fun incorporation of food and family dynamics. This is second book I have read by this author and I will certainly read another

Kept me coming back

I fell in love with the characters of the book. I love the history and the details of the food that made me feel like I was eating it myself.

Wonderful

Absolutely wonderful! I learned much about many things through this literary experience and could not put it down!!!

Delicious is delicious

While occasionally predictable, Delicious is a marvelous tale with characters you come to feel as if you know in real life. Always have a snack while reading.

Very interesting book!

Liked it a lot!
The story is so intriguing and tasty.
Overall book is highly recommended for all food lovers.