Hello Nonfiction November!

In his thematic follow up to his first book, The Cooking Gene, Michael W. Twitty is back to discuss more about how his identity is connected to the food in his life. Twitty is a Jewish African American man who finds solace in celebrating both parts of his identity, especially how Jewish African cuisine is wholly unique and deeply meaningful to his community. The book is structured in a series of essays that examine Jewish African culture and experiences from several different angles, always returning to food. Koshersoul is a beautiful tribute to Twitty’s faith and culture, all of which are reflected in the food he cooks. Twitty’s writing always provides a unique perspective on the huge role food plays in people’s lives, and challenges readers to rethink how they view the role of food in their own lives.

The last editor of Gourmet Magazine, Ruth Reichl, writes about her time at the magazine, which was an institution of food writing for decades. Reichl describes how she became the editor, the steep learning curve that she found herself on, and the wild ride that was Gourmet’s last years. As a sucker for anything that sits at the intersection of food and publishing, I adored reading about Reichl’s experience.