A Place at the Table: A Novel

Very entertaining. The play on food, cooking, race, culture, homosexuality, and history was artfully executed. Character development was rich. About the only thing I would like to have been included was a recipe for that pound cake.

This was a good book with different characters. The book goes in a different path about half way through and I had to keep going back to the previous pages to make sure I was still reading the same book. You got to care for the characters and wanted their lives to turn out good.

This book -- the author's third -- is even better than her first two. I put a pot of tea on just as I started reading, figuring I'd come back and get a cup in a few minutes. The entire pot of tea got cold, because I couldn't bear to put the book down long enough to go get any. So you must buy it and read it AT ONCE, but fix yourself something to drink BEFORE opening the book, or you'll be thirsty when you finish. Just a PSA.

A good easy read. The book touched on many sensitive subjects; perhaps too many
It seems a bit overly ambitious and ends quite abruptly
That being said I appreciate the author's research A nice read not great literature

Wow, this was a really ridiculous book. I could not get past even the first chapter. A friend put it best when she noted that this book is written for middle-aged mothers living in suburbia. Not even close to reality.

It was mention of a gay character that first drew me to Susan Rebecca White's "A Place at the Table." But, oh, I got so much more! Within a short span of time, this is the second book I've read where I both could not put the book down nor did I want the story to end, that other experience coming from Susan Meissner's "Secrets of a Charmed Life." I think this happens when an author embraces his or her reader with a captivating story and characters one can not spend enough time with. That's how I felt at story's end...that author White had brought me into this story, spinning, if not a web, then a beautifully constructed story with ingeniously connected characters. There's a prologue of sorts, with no date given to it (as the sections of the remaining story have), and, on finishing that "prologue," I wondered, as I began reading further, just how that prologue was going to relate to story that followed. I needn't have asked, for over the next 300 pages, everything would be revealed to me. Bobby is the thread that runs through the story, as is Alice, and the journey White takes her characters on is what charms, intrigues, and moves the reader. I'll tell you none of the story, as some reviewers do. Let me just say that if you give this story some brief time, you will not regret losing yourself to the writing talent of Susan Rebecca White. She's a master!

(3.5 stars) While the story primarily takes place in New York, the South plays an integral role in the three stories that are wound together. The book starts with Alice and her brother James who witness a horrific event in 1920s North Carolina that forces her brother to go into hiding before leaving town, worried that his outspoken behavior as a young black man will end up getting him killed. Alice eventually heads to New York, starting a restaurant with her friend and the next interconnection is with Bobby, a young homosexual man who is able to move to the city because of his grandmother’s support after his family disowns him. He begins to work at the restaurant and becomes a successful young chef. The third connection is Amelia, editor for a cookbook/memoir by Alice and her connection to the story becomes an interesting and bittersweet twist. The book examines prejudice and growth both towards race and sexual orientation.

Alice, Bobby and Amelia are all brought together at Cafe Andres in NYC. They have differing pasts, but their love of southern food brings them all together.

I thoughts the character portraits were beautiful at times. But the story that weaves the three characters together I found to be lacking. I think this book would have been stronger if it just focused on one of the characters and allowed the others to be side characters to the main point of views story. As it was, I wanted to know more about all of them and felt unsatisfied with the story that was produced.

A rich, beautiful novel about three unlikely, complex characters who meet in a chic Manhattan café and realize they must sacrifice everything they ever knew or cared about to find authenticity, fulfillment, and love.

A Place at the Table tells the story of three richly nuanced characters whose paths converge in a chic Manhattan café: Bobby, a gay Southern boy who has been ostracized by his family; Amelia, a wealthy Connecticut woman whose life is upended when a family secret finally comes to light; and Alice, an African-American chef whose heritage is the basis of a famous cookbook but whose past is a mystery to those who know her.

As it sweeps from a freed-slave settlement in 1920s North Carolina to the Manhattan of the deadly AIDs epidemic of the 1980s to today’s wealthy suburbs, A Place at the Table celebrates the healing power of food and the magic of New York as three seekers come together in the understanding that when you embrace the thing that makes you different, you become whole.

-- I started reading this book, and I was in total heaven. Then we switched characters and I was sad for the loss of the last one. Then halfway through, I could start to see the thread weaving the stories together and I whispered to myself, bloody brilliant!! It was like a little petit four, where you bite into it, get one flavor and then halfway through the bite, something else that is even more divine shines through, and then the last bite really just made it over the top! That is the way this book is! All the characters are so three dimensional, I thought any minute Alice would come through the pages.

And who doesn't love cooking in a book? Talk about making me drool! At the back, there is a recipe for Mittie Cumbie Wade's Sour Cream Pound Cake, seems to die for! There is also a book discussion and a chat with the author, which I always love, gives the story behind the story.

This was my FIRST book by Ms White, but it won't be my last! Thank you for such a wonderful read.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

A poignant tale set in Georgia, North Carolina and NYC, following the lives of three very different people who meet in the city and form a relationship. The settings are so descriptive that they can almost be called a character in their own right.

The author has a wonderful way of spinning a tale with descriptive passages that I'm sure must appeal to Southerners who have "been there, done that". I am not familiar with how everyday life was for kids growing up in that era, though it is not that much before my own time. Ms. White's details of the South are delightful and her descriptions of NYC restaurants and food add much to the reader's pleasure.

The main character, Bobby, is an introverted, intelligent young man who knows from a young age that he is gay, but life is difficult while living in a "Father Knows Best" family with strong church and community ties. His older brother is a source of merciless teasing and abuse and his parents don't understand him, which cements his decision to flee Georgia. The other main character, Alice, grew up in North Carolina but she was born much earlier than him, when just being African-American could make you feel inferior to the white townspeople, or perhaps get beaten or lynched on a whim. I enjoyed Alice's story of growing up with her close family, especially her brother, and how her life was changed by a twist in their relationship.

The last character was Amelia, who I didn't relate to that much, but the ending wraps up sufficiently and will make you satisfied and ponder the story after it's over.
Recommended for fans of literary fiction & Southern coming-of-age fiction.

A poignant tale set in Georgia, North Carolina and NYC, following the lives of three very different people who meet in the city and form a relationship. The settings are so descriptive that they can almost be called a character in their own right.

The author has a wonderful way of spinning a tale with descriptive passages that I'm sure must appeal to Southerners who have "been there, done that". I am not familiar with how everyday life was for kids growing up in that era, though it is not that much before my own time. Ms. White's details of the South are delightful and her descriptions of NYC restaurants and food add much to the reader's pleasure.

The main character, Bobby, is an introverted, intelligent young man who knows from a young age that he is gay, but life is difficult while living in a "Father Knows Best" family with strong church and community ties. His older brother is a source of merciless teasing and abuse and his parents don't understand him, which cements his decision to flee Georgia. The other main character, Alice, grew up in North Carolina but she was born much earlier than him, when just being African-American could make you feel inferior to the white townspeople, or perhaps get beaten or lynched on a whim. I enjoyed Alice's story of growing up with her close family, especially her brother, and how her life was changed by a twist in their relationship.

The last character was Amelia, who I didn't relate to that much, but the ending wraps up sufficiently and will make you satisfied and ponder the story after it's over.
Recommended for fans of literary fiction & Southern coming-of-age fiction.

Susan Rebecca White's first two books are gems; insightful, warm, and eminently readable. Now, in her third novel, she expands her story-telling territory across generations and families, connected by food (yes, there are recipes in the book!), love, and self-discovery.

"A Place at the Table" is delicious.

I recently posted my 3 favorite books of 2013 never thinking I would finish a book before the new year or that it would be up there with the top 3 but that is exactly what happened with A Place At at the Table by Susan Rebecca White. I finished it before the new year because I could not put it down. I became totally engrossed in the lives of Bobby and Alice and later, Amelia.

Three people, Bobby, Alice and Amelia with very different backgrounds come together in this unforgettable story of humanity, food, love and forgiveness. I love to read and to cook, my two most relaxing past-times, this book is filled with food and literary references, a cup of tea and this book right after the holidays was like a relaxing, comforting vacation.

The book travels from a black community in North Carolina in the 1020's to New York City in the 80's during the onset of the AIDs epidemic. Bobby, Alice and Amelia are all looking for acceptance, love and a place at the table, a place where they fit in, where they are comfortable in their own skin. Their stories eventually connects, leaving me wanting to cook and share a place at the table with this wonderful cast of characters.

Beautifully written, I will surely investigate other books by this author, a must read for 2014.

The novel mostly centers on Bobby. I will be honest and say I've never read a story about a gay male protagonist. I wasn't sure what to expect. The story begins when Bobby is just a little boy, even before he is understanding himself. I found myself falling in love with this little boy and cheering for him as he began to stand up for himself. Even as he becomes an adult, I felt so parental for Bobby! Oh and such an awful time, the 80s during the AIDs epidemic--I won't say more.

I felt so much for Alice, she had seen, lived and lost so much over her lifetime. Really liked her and had so much empathy for her. The story of Amelia--seemed out of sync with the rest of the novel. I will say it ended up coming together beyond my expectations! I have mixed feelings about the end of the novel. I would have liked a little more closure with one of the characters. However, it was simply a wonderful novel. I would highly recommend it. I also would have loved some more recipes in the back of the book :) everything sounded so yummy!!!

Love, heartbreak, loss, deception, acceptance and rejection - this book has it all! My favorite quote from this novel and the one I feel sums up the story best is "I think it is fair to say that I have become more interested in observing the world, rather than judging it."

I loved the stories of the three individuals - Alice, Bobby and Amelia - as well as how they all come together and are connected in a very creative way. I would have liked to see Alice's character developed a bit more. I felt like the prologue was almost all we got of her life until closer to the end when it explains how they are all connected. I really liked her character and would've liked to read more about her.

I also loved that they all start their new lives in New York City considering New York and Ellis Island have always been symbolic of a "new world." The book is centered around southern food and because I was born and raised in the south, it was very familiar to me. I liked that the novel included a recipe for "Meemaw's Pound Cake."

I gave this book 4 stars. It was beautifully written and extremely creative but I would've hoped for a more developed story from Alice. Also, the ending felt a little rushed. I wanted it to keep going.

This book was a great book and not completely what I was expecting. From the cover and title I was expecting a lighter fiction read or a lovey-dovey romance book. This book was neither of those two things. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a more general literature read. Susan Rebecca White did a great job of not only showing the three characters but allowing me to connect with each one in different ways. Also, the settings were wonderfully written and give you a real sense of not only the South but New York City as well. I especially loved the characters of Bobby, his MeeMaw and the relationship between the two. Ultimately my only complaint about this book was that it ended. I didn’t want to leave the characters or their stories behind.

Absolutely wonderful book. The characters were so very three dimensional, and you were drawn into their struggles. We have three very fragile people who find each other and through that synergy find strength to soar! Excellent structure of having the novel woven together by the narratives of three characters over many years. The historic lead-in of the South during the 1920's set the stage perfectly. It perfectly arced into the 1990's. LOVED this book.

The language and superb story-telling in A Place at the Table by Susan Rebecca White immediately drew me into the lives of her rich and very-human characters. I devoured the novel in an evening. This is actually a very appropriate description since the details of the Southern cuisine cooked up by Alice and Bobby literally made my mouth water.

White tells a moving story of hope and redemption. Her gracious way of telling Bobby's story as a gay man living in New York City during the AIDS scare of the 80's reminds me of Three Junes by Julia Glass. Her prose is at times delicate, at times tactful but always moving the story towards the lovely conclusion. It's a story of unlikely friendships; healing and most amazing food.

White's novel is interesting, but not memorable. The characters seem flat and blasé, and do not stick in my memory. The story starts with a bang, but fizzles as the story progresses and the dialogue of Amelia drags like a trite sermon. I really did not enjoy a single character from Alice to Bobby to Amelia. Some of the minor characters created a little excitement, but for only a fleeting moment. This is not a book I would recommend to read.

Not a bad story, but it could have been substantially better. The book had a great beginning, but a slow middle and a rushed ending. Of the three main characters, Bobby, Alice, and Amelia, only Bobby's story is fleshed out, and indeed too much time is spent on his life. It would have been a much more engaging story if we were given more of Alice's life since the book started with her, and the (too brief) glimpse into her life was fascinating. Even worse is Amelia's story. She pops up once around the middle of the book, and then she doesn't really show up again until the rushed ending. Also, I found her part in the tale too contrived.

Started out slow, picked up at the middle, and left me hanging at the end. I found the characters interesting, but the story line had them jumping around throughout the book, and I wanted more written about each one - then have them connecting, even if it made for a long book. At one point I had to look back to see who Amelia was when her character didn't appear for a long time. I turned the page at the end and was surprised to read ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS! That's about it - a short review due to short stories!

3.5 stars

Alice and her twin James were inseparable. They knew exactly what each other was thinking at all times. Unfortunately their peaceful world is destroyed when they stumble upon a young man who was hanged and they discover the truth about their family. Flash forward roughly 60 years and Alice has become quite famous as an amazing chef and author. Meanwhile, Bobby has been abandoned by his southern Baptist family, because he is gay. He goes to New York for a fresh start and he finds himself in a quaint café, where he trains to become the head chef. Alice and Bobby share an exquisite palate that allows them to form a profound friendship, despite the harsh realities of the world.

This book describes the human emotions with every commanding detail, which will surely reach deep within readers’ hearts. Susan Rebecca White divides the book into several sections, organized by the main character’s point of view and the decade. The beginning of Bobby’s story is a bit slow and it is difficult to tell how old he is when his story begins. However readers get the chance to grow along with Bobby, as he learns to accept his homosexuality, deal with his shattered family and his quest to find an accepting God. The ending is very rushed and even though it tries to tie back into the stories of Alice and Bobby, readers will wish the author could have extended the ending. This is a thought-provoking tale of how we are all connected in this seemingly big world.

Notes:
This review was written for My Sister’s Books.
This review originally was posted on Ariesgrl Book Reviews.

Three people from very different backgrounds come together in this moving story of love, food and forgiveness. The story travels from a Free Black settlement in North Carolina in the 1920′s to New York and the deadly AIDs epidemic of the 1980′s. Bobby, Amelia and Alice all have much to overcome - their own lives and those of their ancestors, but they come to realize that in sharing their burdens and accepting their flaws they are embracing life.

Beautifully written, hard to put down. I recommend it be on the "must read" pile of readers everywhere

I really enjoyed this book.
One negative poster stated this, "Wow, this was a really ridiculous book. I could not get past even the first chapter. A friend put it best when she noted that this book is written for middle-aged mothers living in suburbia. Not even close to reality".
I couldn't disagree more. Sometimes I think people create their own reality and then are deeply repulsed by uncomfortable truths. This book may have taken license to create some connections between the characters, but I think the human experiences of this book are authentic. And, in the end, I think one of the best things in life is how unexpected relationships come along and turn out to be so special.
I'm glad I read this book, and I applaud the author for a wonderful, creative work.