Book excerpt: “Part cookbook, part celebration of the written word, [The Book Club Cookbook] illustrates how books and ideas can bring people together.” —Publishers Weekly "We are what we eat, they say. We can eat what we read, too. The Book Club Cookbook by Judy Gelman and Vicki Levy Krupp (Tarcher/Penguin, $21.95), first published in 2004 and now newly updated and revised, offers up dozens of new recipes inspired by book clubs’ favorite books, their characters and authors." —USA Today "It's pretty much a no-brainer why we love something like The Book Club Cookbook - it combines two of our all-time favorite things: food and books. Even better - the recipes in the book let us get a fuller experience of our favorite novels by thinking up recipes either inspired by the story or literally contributed by the author as essential to the book." —Flavorwire "The Book Club Cookbook excels at offering book groups new title ideas and a culinary way to spice up their discussions." —Library Journal Whether it's Roman Punch for The Age of Innocence, or Sabzi Challow (spinach and rice) with Lamb for The Kite Runner, or Swedish Meatballs and Glögg for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, nothing spices up a book club meeting like great eats. Featuring recipes and discussion ideas from bestselling authors and book clubs across the country, this fully revised and updated edition of the classic book guides readers in selecting and preparing culinary masterpieces that blend perfectly with the literary masterpieces their club is reading. This edition features new contributions from a host of today's bestselling authors including: Kathryn Stockett, The Help (Demetrie's Chocolate Pie and Caramel Cake) Sara Gruen, Water for Elephants (Oyster Brie Soup) Jodi Picoult, My Sister's Keeper (Brian Fitzgerald's Firehouse Marinara Sauce) Abraham Verghese, Cutting for Stone (Almaz's Ethiopian Doro Wot and Sister Mary Joseph Praise's Cari de Dal) Annie Barrows, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (Annie Barrows's Potato Peel Pie and Non-Occupied Potato Peel Pie) Lisa See, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (Lisa See's Deep-Fried Sugared Taro) The Book Club Cookbook will add real flavor to your book club meetings!