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Flavorful, nourishing reading selected by the chef, author, and visionary.
Alice Waters's influence on American cooking is hard to overstate. She opened her now-legendary restaurant Chez Panisse (named Best Restaurant in America by Gourmet) in 1971, creating dishes using fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients long before sustainability was en vogue. She is the author of a veritable cornucopia of cookbooks, most recently 40 Years of Chez Panisse, which chronicles the history of her signature restaurant and reflects on the deep cultural influence that her philosophy of food has attainted. When we asked her to pick three books, Waters selected a trio of fascinating reads brimming with insights on matters that stretch from the stomach to the soul.
By Maira Kalman
"During its original run on the New York Times website, I regularly printed out Maira's illustrated journal and bound it myself. You can imagine how happy I was when it was published with its charming Thanksgiving entry about food and edible education!"
By Jean Giono
"This slim volume was appropriately titled "The Man Who Planted Hope and Grew Happiness" when it was first published in Vogue in 1954 by the wonderful French writer, Jean Giono. More than fifty years later, it is still an uplifting parable for the challenges we face."
By Raj Patel
"I was immediately drawn to the provocative title of Raj Patel's second book. In this world of fast food values, Raj is able to bring us back to our senses with his brilliant discourse."
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With dates announced for his upcoming Old Ideas concert tour, we celebrate the inimitable Leonard Cohen: bard, survivor, legend. His most recent album is a return to form for the balladeer, exploring signature themes of lust and longing, spirituality and struggle, all overlaid with a droll sense of humor as familiar as Cohen's prophetic voice.
When Jack Luxton hears that his estranged brother has been killed in combat, long-buried memories begin to well up like groundwater, and difficult choices Jack thought he reconciled himself to years ago turn out to be close at hand. Man Booker Prize-winner Graham Swift's novel plumbs timeless themes of regret, renewal, and the bonds of love.
The opening story in Matthew Battles's electric collection, "The Dogs in the Trees", documents the inexplicable appearance of arboreal canines. Further gorgeous fantastika follows, producing a volume sure to draw comparisons to Borges and George Saunders.
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