Food Books for Readers to Devour (nonfiction)

Stories about food, well, they're really stories about life! Here's the perfect reading list (which is very heavy on the foodie memoirs) to understand more about what, why, and how we eat...and what that says about us as a culture.

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List Challenge
The average Goodreads member has read 2 out of 37 books on this list — how many have you read?

All Votes

1	Our Lady of Perpetual Hunger: A Memoir by Lisa Donovan 3.93 avg rating — 2,532 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
1	Make It Messy: My Perfectly Imperfect Life by Marcus Samuelsson (Goodreads Author) 4.08 avg rating — 380 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
1	Picnic in Provence: A Memoir with Recipes by Elizabeth Bard 3.86 avg rating — 3,262 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
1	Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking: A Memoir of Food and Longing by Anya von Bremzen 4.03 avg rating — 4,665 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
1	Yes, Chef by Marcus Samuelsson (Goodreads Author) 3.86 avg rating — 18,581 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
1	Hunt, Gather, Cook: Finding the Forgotten Feast: A Cookbook by Hank Shaw 4.20 avg rating — 533 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
1	Eat Joy: Stories & Comfort Food from 31 Celebrated Writers by Natalie Eve Garrett (Goodreads Author) (Editor) 3.73 avg rating — 1,429 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
1	Nature Wants Us to Be Fat: The Surprising Science Behind Why We Gain Weight and How We Can Prevent--and Reverse--It by Richard J. Johnson (Goodreads Author) 4.25 avg rating — 840 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
1	Tomato Rhapsody: A Fable of Love, Lust & Forbidden Fruit by Adam Schell (Goodreads Author) 3.84 avg rating — 906 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
1	Masala Lab : The Science of Indian Cooking by Krish Ashok 3.80 avg rating — 2,910 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
1	A Mess of Greens: Southern Gender and Southern Food by Elizabeth S.D. Engelhardt 4.32 avg rating — 127 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
1	Rachael's Good Eats: Easy, Laid-Back, Nutrient-Rich Recipes by Rachael DeVaux 4.48 avg rating — 226 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
13	Mango and Peppercorns: A Memoir of Food, an Unlikely Family, and the American Dream by Tung Nguyen 3.86 avg rating — 1,582 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
13	Lunch in Paris: A Love Story, with Recipes by Elizabeth Bard 3.67 avg rating — 17,412 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
13	Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at the Table by Ruth Reichl 4.08 avg rating — 38,967 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
13	Eat the City: A Tale of the Fishers, Foragers, Butchers, Farmers, Poultry Minders, Sugar Refiners, Cane Cutters, Beekeepers, Winemakers, and Brewers Who Built New York by Robin Shulman (Goodreads Author) 3.91 avg rating — 681 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
17	Eat a Peach by David Chang (Goodreads Author) 3.88 avg rating — 27,862 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
17	Burnt Toast Makes You Sing Good: A Memoir of Food and Love from an American Midwest Family by Kathleen Flinn (Goodreads Author) 3.94 avg rating — 2,441 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
17	Memories of Philippine Kitchens by Amy Besa 4.47 avg rating — 226 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
17	Food Fight!: Millennial Mestizaje Meets the Culinary Marketplace by Paloma Martínez-Cruz 4.63 avg rating — 79 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
21	Notes from a Young Black Chef by Kwame Onwuachi 4.03 avg rating — 11,793 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
21	A Thousand Years Over a Hot Stove: A History of American Women Told through Food, Recipes, and Remembrances by Laura Schenone (Goodreads Author) 4.09 avg rating — 402 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
21	Growing up in a Korean Kitchen: A Cookbook by Hi Sooshin Hepinstall 4.37 avg rating — 188 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
21	Building Houses Out of Chicken Legs: Black Women, Food, and Power by Psyche A. Williams-Forson 4.34 avg rating — 172 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
25	Dirt: Adventures in Lyon as a Chef in Training, Father, and Sleuth Looking for the Secret of French Cooking by Bill Buford 3.67 avg rating — 9,292 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
25	97 Orchard: An Edible History of Five Immigrant Families in One New York Tenement by Jane Ziegelman 3.78 avg rating — 3,185 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
25	Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking by Samin Nosrat 4.40 avg rating — 88,975 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
25	Delta Hot Tamales: History, Stories & Recipes by Anne Martin 4.69 avg rating — 72 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
29	Wine Girl: The Obstacles, Humiliations, and Triumphs of America's Youngest Sommelier by Victoria James 3.55 avg rating — 7,423 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
29	Death by Pad Thai: And Other Unforgettable Meals by Douglas Bauer (Goodreads Author) 3.76 avg rating — 313 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
31	An Onion in My Pocket: My Life with Vegetables by Deborah Madison 3.80 avg rating — 551 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
31	The Lost Ravioli Recipes of Hoboken: A Search for Food and Family by Laura Schenone (Goodreads Author) 3.68 avg rating — 801 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
33	Save Me the Plums: My Gourmet Memoir by Ruth Reichl 4.10 avg rating — 33,491 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
33	The Ungarnished Truth: A Cooking Contest Memoir by Ellie Mathews 3.69 avg rating — 315 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
35	The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the Old South by Michael W. Twitty 3.87 avg rating — 8,079 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
35	Don't Try This At Home: Culinary Catastrophes from the World's Greatest Chefs by Kimberly Witherspoon (Editor) 3.58 avg rating — 1,213 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
37	People Who Love to Eat Are Always the Best People: And Other Wisdom by Julia Child 3.46 avg rating — 2,181 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars