Blue Plate Special: An Autobiography of My Appetites

the long version

"In the tradition of M.F.K. Fisher, Laurie Colwin, and Ruth Reichl, [this book] is a narrative in which food--eating it, cooking it, reflecting on it--becomes the vehicle for unpacking a life. Christensen explores her history of hunger--not just for food but for love and confidence and a sense of belonging--with a profound honesty, starting with her unorthodox childhood in 1960s Berkeley as the daughter of a mercurial legal activist who ruled the house with his fists"--Dust jacket flap. A mouthwatering literary memoir about an unusual upbringing and the long, winding path to happiness. For Christensen, food and eating have always been powerful connectors to self and world. In this passionate feast of a memoir she reflects upon her journey of innocence lost and wisdom gained, mistakes made and lessons learned, and hearts broken and mended. And food-- eating it, cooking it, reflecting on it-- becomes the vehicle for unpacking a life.