From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home - Inspirational True Story for Book Clubs & Travel Enthusiasts
From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home - Inspirational True Story for Book Clubs & Travel Enthusiasts

From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home - Inspirational True Story for Book Clubs & Travel Enthusiasts

$19.96 $36.3 -45% OFF

Free shipping on all orders over $50

7-15 days international

6 people viewing this product right now!

30-day free returns

Secure checkout

37695092

Guranteed safe checkout
amex
paypal
discover
mastercard
visa
apple pay

Description

A 2020 Audie Award Finalist One of AudioFile’s Best Audiobooks of 2019!Now a limited Netflix series starring Zoe Saldana! This Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick and New York Times bestseller is “a captivating story of love lost and found” (Kirkus Reviews) set in the lush Sicilian countryside, where one woman discovers the healing powers of food, family, and unexpected grace in her darkest hours.It was love at first sight when actress Tembi met professional chef, Saro, on a street in Florence. There was just one problem: Saro’s traditional Sicilian family did not approve of his marrying a black American woman. However, the couple, heartbroken but undeterred, forged on. They built a happy life in Los Angeles, with fulfilling careers, deep friendships, and the love of their lives: a baby girl they adopted at birth. Eventually, they reconciled with Saro’s family just as he faced a formidable cancer that would consume all their dreams. From Scratch chronicles three summers Tembi spends in Sicily with her daughter, Zoela, as she begins to piece together a life without her husband in his tiny hometown hamlet of farmers. Where once Tembi was estranged from Saro’s family, now she finds solace and nourishment—literally and spiritually—at her mother-in-law’s table. In the Sicilian countryside, she discovers the healing gifts of simple fresh food, the embrace of a close knit community, and timeless traditions and wisdom that light a path forward. All along the way she reflects on her and Saro’s romance—an incredible love story that leaps off the pages. In Sicily, it is said that every story begins with a marriage or a death—in Tembi Locke’s case, it is both. “Locke’s raw and heartfelt memoir will uplift readers suffering from the loss of their own loved ones” (Publishers Weekly), but her story is also about love, finding a home, and chasing flavor as an act of remembrance. From Scratch is for anyone who has dared to reach for big love, fought for what mattered most, and those who needed a powerful reminder that life is...delicious.

Reviews

******
- Verified Buyer
A heartbreaking memoir about incredible love, tremendous loss, and leaning on the comforts of family and food to survive.While studying abroad in Italy, Tembi meets Saro. Their relationship flourishes quickly and their epic love affair begins in the streets of Florence. In LA, they make a life together. It’s clouded by the knowledge that Saro’s parents don’t support his marriage to Tembi - a Black American. Saro’s rare cancer diagnosis is the beginning of their end. When he dies, Tembi must learn how to survive - for herself and for her daughter. The unexpected comforts of Saro’s Sicilian hometown, his mother, and her authentic cooking help net navigate grief and the vast possibilities of life after Saro.This book is amazing - so heartbreaking and wonderfully written. The structure is uniquely dynamic, and Locke’s life stories are exceptionally interesting. Books that make me cry are my favorite, and this one made me weep. In particular, Locke’s descriptions of Saro’s final days left me breathless. A very compelling theme, belonging, is prevalent throughout the novel. Neither Tembi or her daughter are white or Sicilian, so they stick out like a sore thumb on their visits. Do they belong in Sicily or this family when Saro is no longer around to bridge the gap? Locke also plays with the connection between food, comfort, and growth quite a lot - it welcomes guests, cures sadness, and nourishes the body like nothing else can. Deeply symbolic and equally mouth-watering, I love this aspect of the book. From Scratch is such a special memoir. Beautifully written and exceptionally heartbreaking, I think it will touch your heart as it has mine.