Available instantly

Audiobook
$0.00
with membership trial

Hardcover
$9.98

Paperback
$9.99

$9.98 with 60 percent savings

List Price: $25.00

$3.38 delivery December 30 - January 2. Details

Or fastest delivery December 27 - 30. Order within 21 hrs. Details

Arrives after Christmas. Need a gift sooner? Send an Amazon Gift Card instantly by email or text message.

Only 1 left in stock - order soon.

$$9.98 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details

Ships from

InfiniteMinds

Ships from

InfiniteMinds

Sold by

InfiniteMinds

Sold by

InfiniteMinds

Returns

Returnable until Jan 31, 2025

Returns

Returnable until Jan 31, 2025

For the 2024 holiday season, eligible items purchased between November 1 and December 31, 2024 can be returned until January 31, 2025.

Read full return policy

Payment

Secure transaction

Payment

Secure transaction

We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more

Details

$1.54

Item in very good condition! Textbooks may not include supplemental items i.e. CDs, access codes etc... Item in very good condition! Textbooks may not include supplemental items i.e. CDs, access codes etc... See less

$3.98 delivery December 30 - January 2. Details

Or fastest delivery Thursday, December 26. Order within 21 hrs 30 mins. Details

Arrives after Christmas. Need a gift sooner? Send an Amazon Gift Card instantly by email or text message.

Only 2 left in stock - order soon.

$$9.98 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details

Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.

Enhancements you chose aren't available for this seller. Details

${cardName} not available for the seller you chose

${cardName} unavailable for quantities greater than ${maxQuantity}.

Ships from and sold by glenthebookseller.

Other sellers on Amazon

New & Used (62) from $1.54 + $3.98 shipping

Image Unavailable

Image not available for
Color:

To view this video download Flash Player

Follow the author

Molly Wizenberg

Follow

A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from My Kitchen Table Hardcover – March 3, 2009

by Molly Wizenberg (Author)

4.3 487 ratings

See all formats and editions

{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$9.98","priceAmount":9.98,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"9","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"98","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"ABtb705x0Ug7bBYCF7g2ZIkJfq7gNpz4acZI%2FgbJvHKr%2FmBlPyKdMF67gL0ubP6%2B7s2dBLw%2BXJFKQaok5zaWwekC9x74%2FiwqD37f8vFoSO9%2BnroVPfsTlElw%2BQZpfDEEZ6Nt9lnEE7GhVzWxgUkvwkaudL3wwrOQH4pOlyqg02TEOUF96p%2FxfA%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$1.54","priceAmount":1.54,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"1","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"54","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"ABtb705x0Ug7bBYCF7g2ZIkJfq7gNpz4dl1Yvp56tkeXhKcu%2BgnEHJmgHLQgUszo2NVVImAlC5kQfY9ypWVITGMpzjNHI%2Fnmllv%2FYG73Jwi6HME6HIsm3uBGgQNYWtmmAWAv5OpFzmkfm%2BU%2Fh7oSCHjx9QKPEp44vfpARnrnBapFuDdv3ZdOpx7wRnF%2F5Ijt","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

When Molly Wizenberg's father died of cancer, everyone told her to go easy on herself, to hold off on making any major decisions for a while. But when she tried going back to her apartment in Seattle and returning to graduate school, she knew it wasn't possible to resume life as though nothing had happened. So she went to Paris, a city that held vivid memories of a childhood trip with her father, of early morning walks on the cobbled streets of the Latin Quarter and the taste of her first pain au chocolat. She was supposed to be doing research for her dissertation, but more often, she found herself peering through the windows of chocolate shops, trekking across town to try a new pâtisserie, or tasting cheeses at outdoor markets, until one evening when she sat in the Luxembourg Gardens reading cookbooks until it was too dark to see, she realized that her heart was not in her studies but in the kitchen.

At first, it wasn't clear where this epiphany might lead. Like her long letters home describing the details of every meal and market, Molly's blog Orangette started out merely as a pleasant pastime. But it wasn't long before her writing and recipes developed an international following. Every week, devoted readers logged on to find out what Molly was cooking, eating, reading, and thinking, and it seemed she had finally found her passion. But the story wasn't over: one reader in particular, a curly-haired, food-loving composer from New York, found himself enchanted by the redhead in Seattle, and their email correspondence blossomed into a long-distance romance.

In A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from My Kitchen Table, Molly Wizenberg recounts a life with the kitchen at its center. From her mother's pound cake, a staple of summer picnics during her childhood in Oklahoma, to the eggs she cooked for her father during the weeks before his death, food and memories are intimately entwined. You won't be able to decide whether to curl up and sink into the story or to head straight to the market to fill your basket with ingredients for Cider-Glazed Salmon and Pistachio Cake with Honeyed Apricots.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Wizenberg's debut shares the same basic format as her Orangette blog—favorite recipes interspersed with personal reflection—but constructed around a much tighter family narrative. Memories of her father, for example, begin with his cherished formula for potato salad and an attempt to recreate his French toast, but also include a variation on scrambled eggs that spurred a comforting moment as he was dying of cancer. The second half of the memoir focuses on her blossoming relationship with Brandon, who started out as a fan of the blog, became a long-distance boyfriend and eventually moved to Seattle and married her—of course, she shares the recipes for the pickled carrots they served at the wedding as well as the chocolate cake she baked for dessert. Though there is an emphasis on desserts, the recipes cover a variety of meals, none beyond the range of an ordinary cook, and Wizenberg's directions are laced with a charming voice that strikes a neat balance with the reflective passages. Her strong personality stands out among her generation's culinary voices. (Mar.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Molly Wizenberg, winner of the 2015 James Beard Foundation Award, is the voice behind Orangette, named the best food blog in the world by the London Times. Her first book, A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from My Kitchen Table, was a New York Times bestseller, and her work has appeared in Bon Appétit, The Washington Post, The Art of Eating, and The Guardian, and on Saveur.com and Gourmet.com. She also cohosts the hit podcast Spilled Milk. She lives in Seattle with her husband Brandon Pettit, their daughter June, and two dogs named Jack and Alice. She and Brandon own and run the restaurants Delancey and Essex.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Simon & Schuster; First Edition (March 3, 2009)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1416551050
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1416551058
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.12 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.13 x 1.2 x 9.13 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #581,146 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #626 in Culinary Biographies & Memoirs
- #15,365 in Memoirs (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.3 487 ratings

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Videos

Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video!

Upload your video

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

Molly Wizenberg

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Molly Wizenberg is the bestselling author of three memoirs: The Fixed Stars (Abrams Press, 2020), A Homemade Life (Simon & Schuster, 2009), and Delancey (Simon & Schuster, 2014). She was also, for 15 years, the voice behind the James Beard Award-winning blog Orangette. With author Matthew Amster-Burton, she co-hosts the hit food-and-comedy podcast Spilled Milk -- now celebrating ten years of bad jokes -- and, once upon a time, she co-founded the Seattle restaurants Delancey and Essex. She lives in Seattle.

http://mollywizenberg.com

Customer reviews

487 global ratings

How customer reviews and ratings work

Review this product

Write a customer review

Customers say

Customers find the recipes delicious and well-tested. They describe the book as an enjoyable, entertaining read with a well-written style that draws them in. Readers appreciate the meaningful stories about the author's family life. The humor and sincerity add to the overall experience, making it a fun family read.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more

Recipes Readability Writing style Storytelling quality Heartwarming Humor Inspiration Visual quality

87 customers mention "Recipes"84 positive3 negative

Customers find the recipes in the book delicious and mouth-watering. They appreciate the author's dedication to testing every recipe thoroughly. The book is highly recommended for foodies, with divine flourless chocolate cake and pink cookies among others. Wizenberg celebrates food and life through her creations, offering hints to successful creations.

"...Recipes range from simple to complex, and involve real food...." Read more

"...I am also impressed by her commitment to the recipes: she clearly has tested every recipe many times, making sure the directions are precise, and..." Read more

"This is a wonderful book for so many reasons! Molly's recipes are very tasty and her directions are easy to follow...." Read more

"This is a lovely memoir with nice recipes...." Read more

73 customers mention "Readability"73 positive0 negative

Customers find the book enjoyable and entertaining. They describe it as a lovely memoir that blends many elements into a chewy read. The author's writing is described as humorous, candid, and relatable.

"...Although Wizenberg is an entertaining writer, funny, candid, and relatable, the short texts that precede each recipe read more like annotations than..." Read more

"This is a wonderful book for so many reasons! Molly's recipes are very tasty and her directions are easy to follow...." Read more

"...only a few months, I think it is much better written and more entertaining than this book...." Read more

"...Sure it's sometimes a bit much, but her writing is, well... very, very good...." Read more

55 customers mention "Writing style"55 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's writing style. They find it well-written and descriptive, drawing them in with a familiarity that makes them think. The memoir is described as beautiful, heartwarming, and not difficult to read. Readers appreciate the author's warm and compelling way with words, which creates an intense and wonderful feeling. The recipes are fantastic and simple, a big hit with non-foodies.

"...The narrative is engaging and heartfelt, funny, heart-wrenching , and revealing.Highly recommend!" Read more

"...Although Wizenberg is an entertaining writer, funny, candid, and relatable, the short texts that precede each recipe read more like annotations than..." Read more

"...Molly's recipes are very tasty and her directions are easy to follow. I love Burg's Potato Salad and the Coeur a La Creme...." Read more

"...her blog, Orangette, for only a few months, I think it is much better written and more entertaining than this book...." Read more

32 customers mention "Storytelling quality"29 positive3 negative

Customers find the book's storytelling engaging. They appreciate the meaningful and relatable stories about the author's life and family. The narrative flows smoothly, and readers enjoy the personal touches and connection with the author's family.

"...I'd have to agree that Molly is an old soul. The narrative is engaging and heartfelt, funny, heart-wrenching , and revealing.Highly recommend!" Read more

"...With a knack for storytelling and an incredible talent for creating beautiful, homespun recipes that beg to be shared with loved ones, "A Homemade..." Read more

"...just Make Sense after the stories she tells, and the narrative moves forward so smoothly.Please read this. Please check out her blog...." Read more

"...Guess what....in reality, there are lots of short stories about her life. She has a very easy to read writing style. Everything flows evenly...." Read more

15 customers mention "Heartwarming"15 positive0 negative

Customers find the stories touching, meaningful, and a wonderful way of remembering a loved one through food. They love reading the family stories and memories that go along with each of the recipes. The book is very readable and caring, and a nostalgic read for them.

"...The narrative is engaging and heartfelt, funny, heart-wrenching , and revealing.Highly recommend!" Read more

"...Her writing is light, effortless, but still deeply touching. It links life to food and shows how the two can truly be inseparable in some lives...." Read more

"...I found the special bond the author had with her father touching and meaningful...." Read more

"...Personally, I loved reading the family stories and memories that went along with each of the recipes, especially the recipes from her Dad like the..." Read more

12 customers mention "Humor"12 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's humor. They find it fun to read and say, with a natural sincerity that adds useful information. The book is described as a family-style read.

"...The narrative is engaging and heartfelt, funny, heart-wrenching , and revealing.Highly recommend!" Read more

"...Although Wizenberg is an entertaining writer, funny, candid, and relatable, the short texts that precede each recipe read more like annotations than..." Read more

"...Even if you never made a single recipe, getting to know Molly is great fun, lots of laughs and oh, just wonderful. Thanks Molly!" Read more

"...Molly is a wonderful, talented writer...this book has a lot of humor, love, good food & good wine....excellent unusual recipes....I am trying them..." Read more

7 customers mention "Inspiration"7 positive0 negative

Customers find the book inspiring and heartwarming. They describe the writing as insightful, soulful, and relatable. The book almost inspires them to cook, and readers praise the author's entertaining, candid, and relatable style.

"...narrative is engaging and heartfelt, funny, heart-wrenching , and revealing.Highly recommend!" Read more

"...Although Wizenberg is an entertaining writer, funny, candid, and relatable, the short texts that precede each recipe read more like annotations than..." Read more

"...Good mental vacation, and inspiration." Read more

"...This book almost inspires me to cook!" Read more

7 customers mention "Visual quality"7 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's visual quality. They find the storytelling engaging and the recipes appealing. The illustrations are whimsical and well-crafted, with deft imagery.

"...With a knack for storytelling and an incredible talent for creating beautiful, homespun recipes that beg to be shared with loved ones, "A Homemade..." Read more

"...of finding her place have obviously been carefully crafted, with deft imagery, but they are also page-turners...." Read more

"...I also want to mention the whimsical illustrations--they are not to be missed. Hopefully, this is only the first of this author's books...." Read more

"This is cute and well written, and I can totally relate cause I see food in very similar ways to Molly, the author...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Kate Gomes
This book is a feast!
Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2021
Verified Purchase
I adore this book! Molly is open and honest about her life, linking food to family, friends and events. Recipes range from simple to complex, and involve real food.
I've already made the banana bread with crystalized ginger and chocolate chips, and stewed prunes with cinnamon and citrus are cooking as I write this.
I'd have to agree that Molly is an old soul. The narrative is engaging and heartfelt, funny, heart-wrenching , and revealing.
Highly recommend!

Read more

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Report
Dumpling
Wonderful collection of annotated recipes
Reviewed in the United States on August 28, 2013
Verified Purchase
Wizenberg has a real talent for curating recipes. She has such a keen eye for foods that are both unexpected and accessible--by which I mean that her recipes include unusual gems, little known versions of classics, and quirky twists, but at the same time they are relatable and easy enough to appeal to the average home cook (like myself). I am also impressed by her commitment to the recipes: she clearly has tested every recipe many times, making sure the directions are precise, and she goes out of her way to explain procedures and steps that a cook needs to take to make the recipe work. I appreciate it, because such steps are not often obvious (not to those of us who are mere amateurs, I guess). I just finished reading the book and I'm dying to make at least ten different things in there.
However, the book disappointed me on one count--the literary. Although Wizenberg is an entertaining writer, funny, candid, and relatable, the short texts that precede each recipe read more like annotations than a book proper (even though this is a memoir with a clear progression of events and a sequential flow). This is not a bad thing per se, especially if what you want is something akin to the blog experience (and she really is an outstanding blogger). However, I prefer more "traditional" food literature, such as Ruth Reichl, M.F.K. Fisher and James Beard--that is, literature about food, and not annotated recipes. So I didn't find her book as gripping or evocative as those by these authors. Still, I laughed, cried, and salivated plenty, and I guess that's already a lot you can say about a cookbook.

Read more

8 people found this helpful

Helpful

Report
Leslie
A lovely story about food and family full of tasty recipes
Reviewed in the United States on February 15, 2014
Verified Purchase
This is a wonderful book for so many reasons! Molly's recipes are very tasty and her directions are easy to follow. I love Burg's Potato Salad and the Coeur a La Creme. My favorite recipe is the Ed Fretwell Soup, inspired by an Italian vegetable soup my own father made years ago for Molly and her father. My hardback copy of this book is hopelessly splattered and stained.

But as much as I love the food, the stories are the best part of this book. Essentially it's the story of Molly's father, their family and their shared love of food. Her father, Moe Wizenburg, was a wonderful man, and he really comes alive in this book. I lost my father several years after Moe passed away, but every time I read this book, it reminds me of my father, our kitchen and his zest for life. There's a piece of everyone's family and their kitchen table in this book and that's part of its magic.

Read more

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Report
D. Alden
I feel bad: I like the blog better!
Reviewed in the United States on June 22, 2009
Verified Purchase
This is a lovely memoir with nice recipes. But even after reading her blog, Orangette, for only a few months, I think it is much better written and more entertaining than this book. That was confusing for me: maybe it's an issue of editing? I think this writer's very fine voice is somewhat muted and constrained in her book, whereas on her blog, it is in full bloom and I really like it. That said, I think this is well worth your time and money; I just really like her blog so much more.

Read more

26 people found this helpful

Helpful

Report
K. Kasabian
One of the Best New Food Writers (and Cooks) to Watch
Reviewed in the United States on February 17, 2010
Verified Purchase
Most days, I maintain a good balance of creating, nurturing, working and cleaning. But then a book like "A Homemade Life" arrives in the mail and from the first page, all that balance goes out the window and I'm stuck on the couch, completely consumed by Molly Wizenberg's moving stories and delectable recipes.

Wizenberg relates so beautifully how food unites us as a culture through her own personal experiences: the death of her father, her decision to forego a career in academia to become a food writer and a blossoming romance with a hansome foodie. Hers is a tale of love and nurturing by way of the kitchen. With a knack for storytelling and an incredible talent for creating beautiful, homespun recipes that beg to be shared with loved ones, "A Homemade Life" (and Wizenberg's hugely successful blog, [...]), have lifted me out of my own cooking slump, a gentle reminder in increasingly complicated times that good food is worth the time to make and sharing it with friends and family is one of life's greatest pleasures. I've tried three recipes in 24 hours and it is no exaggeration to say that our little family of three feels transformed. Highly recommended.

Read more

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English

Barbara
Meraviglioso
Reviewed in Italy on February 6, 2019
Verified Purchase
Semplicemente meraviglioso! Consigliatissimo!

Read more
Report
Translate review to English
Amazon customer
Good read
Reviewed in India on January 20, 2018
Verified Purchase
Great book with nice recipes and a storyline to match

Read more
Report
Love Real Books
Lovely book to read
Reviewed in Canada on July 19, 2014
Verified Purchase
Molly is a great story teller. Enjoy her mix of how food has impacted her life. Love the recipes

Read more
Report
Nina
Tolles Buch für alle Foodies!
Reviewed in Germany on March 1, 2013
Verified Purchase
Großartiges Buch für alle, die Essen lieben! Molly Weizenberger lässt uns in intimen Einblicken an Ihrem Leben von Kindheit über College bis zu Ihrer Hochzeit teilhaben und zeigt, wie einzelne Gerichte sie durch diese verschiedenen Zeiten begleitet haben. Ich hatte mir ein Rezeptbuch mit ein paar netten Anekdoten versprochen. Meine Erwartungen wurden absolut übertroffen und ich konnte das Buch kaum noch aus der Hand legen.

Read more
Report
Translate review to English
Em
Love this book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 10, 2009
Verified Purchase
I first came across Molly's Orangette blog via The Times Best Food blogs feature that ran earlier this year. Since then I have worked my way through her archives, guzzling down her delicious writing, and making many of her recipes (all of which have worked well and been added to my 'must make again' folder). I had dithered over buying her book (I'm not entirely sure why!)but finally bit the bullet, and really wish I had done so sooner. A wonderful, moving memoir combined with some really great recipes. I made the french lemon yoghurt cake, (the recipe which led to something pretty life changing for her)for my grandfather's 93rd birthday lunch, and it went down an absolute storm. If you are a fan of Orangette, buy this book. Unlike books written by other bloggers, there is little repetition of tales, and any that you may have read before are featured here in far more detail. I really cannot recommend this book enough, it is full of warmth, good writing and great food. What more could you ask for?

Read more
Report

See more reviews

Image Unavailable

Follow the author