Table of Contents: From Breakfast With Anita Diamant to Dessert With James Patterson - a Generous Helping of Recipes, Writings and Insights From Today's Bestselling Authors (42 page)

Judy Gelman, a public relations consultant, and Vicki Levy Krupp, a former high school history teacher, have participated in many book clubs. Both are avid readers and cooks. Seeking to combine their passion for books, food, and book clubs, they met over stacks of books and endless cups of coffee at a local sandwich shop, where The Book
Club Cook-book
, the first cookbook designed specifically for book clubs, was born.

They were motivated to write their second book,
The Kids' Book Club Book
, after librarians, parents, and teachers who attended their talks asked for a book for the growing number of youth book clubs across the country. During their eighteen months of research and writing on this trend, they were inspired by the enthusiasm and ideas of youth book club members, and the insights of notable children's authors whom they contacted.

Judy and Vicki have launched two websites,
BookClubCookbook.com
and
KidsBook ClubBook.com
, designed to bring authors and book clubs together.

The authors enjoy speaking about food and literature to groups across the country, and appreciate their ongoing conversations, both in person and via their websites, with book and food enthusiasts.

They both live with their families in the Boston area.

Do you thirst for bush tea when you read about Mma Precious Ramotswe's favorite drink in The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series? Did descriptions of Afghani culture in The
Kite Runner
by Khaled Hosseini send you hunting for a lamb and rice recipe?

Our website,
BookClubCookBook.com
features author recipes, book recommenda-tions from book groups around the country, book giveaways, author blogs, newsletters and a directory of authors who will speak to your book club. The books featured on our website do not necessarily have a culinary tie-in: we connect readers with the best fiction and non-fiction titles for book clubs.

Please visit
BookClubCookBook.com
for news and information about recipes, authors, books, and the book club experience. You can sign up for our newsletter on the home page, and find out where we'll be appearing. We love hearing from book club members! Tell us what you're reading, what book-related foods you or your group has been serving, or what books your group recommends. Through communication with thousands of book club members, we've developed a unique picture of what book clubs are reading and eating, and how food enhances their book club experiences and appreciation of their reading. We're thrilled to share this with you.