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Dinner with Edward: A Story of an Unexpected Friendship
“Over mouthwatering dinners, an odd couple--a nonagenarian and a recently divorced reporter--engage in a series of discussions, from the importance of beauty, to living after loss, to the power of love to redeem and renew, to how to make a succulent duck breast. I loved every moment of this book . . . Everyone deserves her own Edward--and everyone deserves to read this book.” —Susannah Cahalan, bestselling author of Brain on Fire
When Isabel meets Edward, both are at a crossroads: he wants to follow his late wife to the grave, and she is ready to give up on love. Thinking she is merely helping Edward’s daughter--who lives far away and asked her to check in on her nonagenarian dad in New York--Isabel has no idea that the man in the kitchen baking the sublime roast chicken and light-as-air apricot soufflé will end up changing her life.
As Edward and Isabel meet weekly for the glorious dinners that Edward prepares, he shares so much more than his recipes for apple galette or the perfect martini, or even his tips for deboning poultry. Edward is teaching Isabel the luxury of slowing down and taking the time to think through everything she does, to deconstruct her own life, cutting it back to the bone and examining the guts, no matter how messy that proves to be.
Dinner with Edward is a book about sorrow and joy, love and nourishment, and about how dinner with a friend can, in the words of M. F. K. Fisher, “sustain us against the hungers of the world.”
“A dinner with Edward is nothing to demur. Although the food (I am partial to the roast chicken, lovingly described) is excellent, it is the charming, sweet, and effortlessly wise company that makes this sweet read a charming way to pass a day.” —George Hodgman, New York Times bestselling author of Bettyville: A Memoir
When Isabel meets Edward, both are at a crossroads: he wants to follow his late wife to the grave, and she is ready to give up on love. Thinking she is merely helping Edward’s daughter--who lives far away and asked her to check in on her nonagenarian dad in New York--Isabel has no idea that the man in the kitchen baking the sublime roast chicken and light-as-air apricot soufflé will end up changing her life.
As Edward and Isabel meet weekly for the glorious dinners that Edward prepares, he shares so much more than his recipes for apple galette or the perfect martini, or even his tips for deboning poultry. Edward is teaching Isabel the luxury of slowing down and taking the time to think through everything she does, to deconstruct her own life, cutting it back to the bone and examining the guts, no matter how messy that proves to be.
Dinner with Edward is a book about sorrow and joy, love and nourishment, and about how dinner with a friend can, in the words of M. F. K. Fisher, “sustain us against the hungers of the world.”
“A dinner with Edward is nothing to demur. Although the food (I am partial to the roast chicken, lovingly described) is excellent, it is the charming, sweet, and effortlessly wise company that makes this sweet read a charming way to pass a day.” —George Hodgman, New York Times bestselling author of Bettyville: A Memoir
224 pages, ebook
First published May 24, 2016
387 people are currently reading
4916 people want to read
About the author
Isabel Vincent
22 books118 followersIsabel Vincent (born 1965 in Toronto) is a Canadian investigative journalist who writes for the New York Post, an alumna of the University of Toronto Varsity newspaper, and the author of several books.
(from Wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 901 reviews
May 27, 2016
A wonderful relationship between an man whose wife of sixty two years has died and the author, asked to look in on him by his two daughters. Edward is an amazing man, a man who wholeheartedly loved his wife, loves to cook and entertain, Isabel is in a troubled marriage, a journalist who is working in New York. The menus are wonderful, the descriptions of the food make one hungry. So from dinners and conversation a special friendship is formed. A glorious and sentimental story of how two people a generation apart help each other through troubled times.
I fell in love with Edward, it was hard not to, he is such an elegant, intelligent man, a man who only uses the best. We learn of his life with his wife, so beautiful, so sad. We watch how Isabel changes, becoming a fuller person, makes changes in her life, happier. Learn a little history, Roosevelt Island and the mental institution that once inhabited this space and still leaves traces. All in all a wonderful, delightful story.
ARC from publisher.
I fell in love with Edward, it was hard not to, he is such an elegant, intelligent man, a man who only uses the best. We learn of his life with his wife, so beautiful, so sad. We watch how Isabel changes, becoming a fuller person, makes changes in her life, happier. Learn a little history, Roosevelt Island and the mental institution that once inhabited this space and still leaves traces. All in all a wonderful, delightful story.
ARC from publisher.
March 26, 2017
Beautiful and short. A book about love and nourishment. About slowing down and taking it easy. Isabel the journalist.. the newly separated and then divorced... Edward the 93 years old widower who cooks and by himself is a university of life.
Over many dinners .. life is discussed and advice dispensed. Love and death... life and work.. memoirs of the past and dreams of the future..
Heart warming and touching. I wish there was some recipes of those wonderful dishes that he prepared for her
Over many dinners .. life is discussed and advice dispensed. Love and death... life and work.. memoirs of the past and dreams of the future..
Heart warming and touching. I wish there was some recipes of those wonderful dishes that he prepared for her
August 1, 2017
Isabel was just helping out a friend who asked her to check in on her father who was recently widowed. Nonagenarian Edward was grieving the loss of his beloved wife, and felt he had no reason to live. Isabel and Edward's first dinner together was the beginning of a five year friendship. Isabel's marriage was crumbling so she needed companionship as much as Edward did. She was also adjusting to life in New York City as an investigative reporter after previous jobs as a foreign correspondent.
Edward was a charming Southern gentleman who had come to New York hoping for an acting career, although he ended up working as a welder and a tailor. Edward enjoyed writing poetry, making furniture, and was a gourmet cook. He and Isabel enjoyed his fabulous meals, accompanied by perfectly chilled martinis and wine. Edward had a gift of enjoying life to the fullest--from making new friends to baking perfect apricot souffles. Edward told Isabel that he was grateful that Isabel had come into his life at a critical time. "We gave each other the courage to go on with our lives. We were equally giving and receiving in that period, which was crucial to you and me."
"Dinner with Edward" is a small, lovely book about a special relationship. In these days where we often eat on the run, it's also a reminder to take the time to share a wonderful meal with good food and thoughtful conversation.
Edward was a charming Southern gentleman who had come to New York hoping for an acting career, although he ended up working as a welder and a tailor. Edward enjoyed writing poetry, making furniture, and was a gourmet cook. He and Isabel enjoyed his fabulous meals, accompanied by perfectly chilled martinis and wine. Edward had a gift of enjoying life to the fullest--from making new friends to baking perfect apricot souffles. Edward told Isabel that he was grateful that Isabel had come into his life at a critical time. "We gave each other the courage to go on with our lives. We were equally giving and receiving in that period, which was crucial to you and me."
"Dinner with Edward" is a small, lovely book about a special relationship. In these days where we often eat on the run, it's also a reminder to take the time to share a wonderful meal with good food and thoughtful conversation.
February 9, 2017
2.5 stars
Isabel, struggling over her crumbling marriage, and Edward, a man in his 90s who is grieving over the recent death of his wife, strike up a friendship over weekly dinners. The meals that are so lavishly described are a springboard for stories from both their lives. Edward's wisdom on love, marriage, and life is sprinkled throughout. Through this unlikely friendship, both begin to heal from their wounds.
The problem for me is I felt something was missing. It was sweet but there was no depth, and I didn't become attached to either character, especially Isabel. Although a short novel, I struggled to finish it. For a book that revolves around food so much, recipes would have been nice.
I do not recommend the audiobook. The narrator has an odd cadence to her speech and overacts the part. She reads it with a light chick-lit tone.
Isabel, struggling over her crumbling marriage, and Edward, a man in his 90s who is grieving over the recent death of his wife, strike up a friendship over weekly dinners. The meals that are so lavishly described are a springboard for stories from both their lives. Edward's wisdom on love, marriage, and life is sprinkled throughout. Through this unlikely friendship, both begin to heal from their wounds.
The problem for me is I felt something was missing. It was sweet but there was no depth, and I didn't become attached to either character, especially Isabel. Although a short novel, I struggled to finish it. For a book that revolves around food so much, recipes would have been nice.
I do not recommend the audiobook. The narrator has an odd cadence to her speech and overacts the part. She reads it with a light chick-lit tone.
March 21, 2025
Delicious.
Delightful.
If you are a foodie you are going to love the references to the many dishes mentioned throughout this beautiful short novel.
And...You will absolutely adore the budding friendship between Isabel and the 93 year old Edward who likes to cook for her.
Also...Little did she know that this unexpected friendship would change her life in so many glorious ways....as well as give Edward a continued reason to live.
Delightful.
If you are a foodie you are going to love the references to the many dishes mentioned throughout this beautiful short novel.
And...You will absolutely adore the budding friendship between Isabel and the 93 year old Edward who likes to cook for her.
Also...Little did she know that this unexpected friendship would change her life in so many glorious ways....as well as give Edward a continued reason to live.
July 13, 2016
In this heartwarming memoir, a journalist tells how friendship with an elderly gentleman rekindled her appetite for life. New to NYC and with a faltering marriage, Isabel received an unusual request from her friend Valerie: Would she look in on Valerie's father, Edward? In his nineties, he'd recently been widowed and Valerie was worried about him losing the will to live. If he could have a guest to cook for and entertain, it might give him a new sense of purpose. As it turned out, it was a transformative friendship for the author as much as for Edward. Each chapter opens with a mouth-watering menu. Although Edward is now deceased, when we see him for the final time, he is still alive and well. This is a nice way to leave things – rather than with a funeral, which might have altered the overall tone.
Non-subscribers can read an excerpt of my review at BookBrowse.
Non-subscribers can read an excerpt of my review at BookBrowse.
March 20, 2024
Sweet account of a 94 year old man grieving over his wife and a young mother with a failing marriage. They talk and support each other over some fabulous meals prepared by Edward. He could cook for me any day!
June 28, 2020
DWE chronicles the unlikely relationship between the author and the 90+ year old father of one of her longtime friends. On a superficial level their connection may seem like a friendship, and that's definitely how the author presents it. However I couldn't escape the conclusion that it was only a relationship of mutual need.
Both author and subject are looking for something that has eluded each their entire lives. She wants success and he craves fame and adulation. She has authored a few books and works as an investigative reporter for a popular New York tabloid and he's a guy with various talents who never reached the limelight. If she can write a book about their supposed friendship and hit all of the right notes each might finally achieve their goal. Well, she wrote the book but it just isn't any good. The best I can say is that it's mercifully short.
The first and biggest problem is that the relationship is just too contrived. Both are so self absorbed they seem incapable of genuinely caring for someone other than themselves. When she wasn't whining about work or her relationship with nameless ex-husband number 2 she was chronicling each menu item prepared by Edward in a gratingly detailed and elitist way. (If she didn't go into this relationship planning to write a book how did she recall in such excruciating detail the first several meals he prepared five years prior?) [Edit 6/28/2020: See comment below from Stephanie about how the author explains her recollection of the meals.]
To balance the relationship we get Edward, a guy who set out to be an actor, then a playwright, then a poet. Edward was married to the love of his life for nearly 70 years, raised two successful daughters, essentially lived life as he chose and yet he comes across as a self-pitying snob. He calls everyone in his circle darling and baby and he talks in a vague, flowery style that has all the precision of a horoscope. He's an updated version of Chance the Gardener from Jerzy Kosinski's Being There.
At one point (location 1193 of the kindle version) Edward criticizes funerals he attended because family members became too emotional and he felt the deceased weren't being honored properly, so he asked if he could speak at one service and had everyone laughing in a matter of minutes (no ego there). But within a few pages he tearfully recounts visiting his father on his death bed some 55 years earlier. Add hypocrite to his list of shortcomings.
This is one of those rare instances when I'd say a schmaltzy relationship movie (Hallmark Classic?) would outshine this book every time.
As to great books about good food I'd recommend any one of the dozens of America's Test Kitchen cookbooks. Edward may turn his nose up at recipes but they never disappoint commoners like me.
Both author and subject are looking for something that has eluded each their entire lives. She wants success and he craves fame and adulation. She has authored a few books and works as an investigative reporter for a popular New York tabloid and he's a guy with various talents who never reached the limelight. If she can write a book about their supposed friendship and hit all of the right notes each might finally achieve their goal. Well, she wrote the book but it just isn't any good. The best I can say is that it's mercifully short.
The first and biggest problem is that the relationship is just too contrived. Both are so self absorbed they seem incapable of genuinely caring for someone other than themselves. When she wasn't whining about work or her relationship with nameless ex-husband number 2 she was chronicling each menu item prepared by Edward in a gratingly detailed and elitist way. (If she didn't go into this relationship planning to write a book how did she recall in such excruciating detail the first several meals he prepared five years prior?) [Edit 6/28/2020: See comment below from Stephanie about how the author explains her recollection of the meals.]
To balance the relationship we get Edward, a guy who set out to be an actor, then a playwright, then a poet. Edward was married to the love of his life for nearly 70 years, raised two successful daughters, essentially lived life as he chose and yet he comes across as a self-pitying snob. He calls everyone in his circle darling and baby and he talks in a vague, flowery style that has all the precision of a horoscope. He's an updated version of Chance the Gardener from Jerzy Kosinski's Being There.
At one point (location 1193 of the kindle version) Edward criticizes funerals he attended because family members became too emotional and he felt the deceased weren't being honored properly, so he asked if he could speak at one service and had everyone laughing in a matter of minutes (no ego there). But within a few pages he tearfully recounts visiting his father on his death bed some 55 years earlier. Add hypocrite to his list of shortcomings.
This is one of those rare instances when I'd say a schmaltzy relationship movie (Hallmark Classic?) would outshine this book every time.
As to great books about good food I'd recommend any one of the dozens of America's Test Kitchen cookbooks. Edward may turn his nose up at recipes but they never disappoint commoners like me.
December 20, 2016
3.5 stars Isabel Vincent is in her forties, with a crumbling marriage, newly employed by Th New York Post and has relocated with her family to New York from Toronto after a career spent primarily as a foreign correspondent. Edward, in his nineties and the father of Isabel's concerned friend Valerie, is a new widower, deeply bereft from the recent death of his beloved wife. Edward has lost his zest for life; Isabel is asked by Valerie, who lives in Canada, to check on Edward periodically.
Edward cooks - divinely. Old fashioned, perfectly composed dinners reminiscent of Julia Child's French method of creating elegant cuisine are Edward's re-entry to having a passion for life again, and those meals begin by inviting Isabel to dinner weekly.
What follows is Isabel Vincent's memoir of those meals, of her friendship with the multi-talented and faceted Edward and the life changes for both. Edward becomes an admirer, a mentor, an advisor, a source of nourishment for Isabel's trampled soul and immature personality along with the food he brings, in the safe haven of his apartment. With Edward, Isabel experiences chivalry, develops a sense of her own femininity and and examines life values from a broader scope. In effect, she grows up.
I cringed a couple of times when Isabel vented about "men", and that she didn't want anything to do with them again. I'm not sure if she intended for the reader to feel the nuances of her remark, or was truly unaware of the ageism in it. After a "certain" age, people lose visibility. Losing one's gender is actually disheartening, which the young in this world of politically correct "gender neutral" wouldn't understand. An elderly man continues to be a MAN, perhaps frailer, greyer but still wants to be considered a MAN. Women suffer from the same invisibility, pooled into the greyscale with men. Isabel's remarks pointed out her insular life experience, and how much Edward's insights had jump started Isabel's growth.
By end of the book, we see that Isabel has indeed "grown up", moving outside of the self-centred orbit that was hers upon moving to New York. She was a fortunate woman to have met Edward, at such a critical point in her life.
Edward cooks - divinely. Old fashioned, perfectly composed dinners reminiscent of Julia Child's French method of creating elegant cuisine are Edward's re-entry to having a passion for life again, and those meals begin by inviting Isabel to dinner weekly.
What follows is Isabel Vincent's memoir of those meals, of her friendship with the multi-talented and faceted Edward and the life changes for both. Edward becomes an admirer, a mentor, an advisor, a source of nourishment for Isabel's trampled soul and immature personality along with the food he brings, in the safe haven of his apartment. With Edward, Isabel experiences chivalry, develops a sense of her own femininity and and examines life values from a broader scope. In effect, she grows up.
I cringed a couple of times when Isabel vented about "men", and that she didn't want anything to do with them again. I'm not sure if she intended for the reader to feel the nuances of her remark, or was truly unaware of the ageism in it. After a "certain" age, people lose visibility. Losing one's gender is actually disheartening, which the young in this world of politically correct "gender neutral" wouldn't understand. An elderly man continues to be a MAN, perhaps frailer, greyer but still wants to be considered a MAN. Women suffer from the same invisibility, pooled into the greyscale with men. Isabel's remarks pointed out her insular life experience, and how much Edward's insights had jump started Isabel's growth.
By end of the book, we see that Isabel has indeed "grown up", moving outside of the self-centred orbit that was hers upon moving to New York. She was a fortunate woman to have met Edward, at such a critical point in her life.
January 11, 2019
Stunning. Wonderful. Unputdownable. This book is described as "a story of an unexpected friendship ". And it is. But so much more. The tender and enchanting account of a friendship between a very elderly man (early 90's) and a lady (late 30's) played out over dinners and some letters.
August 16, 2023
"But from the beginning of our relationship, I knew instinctively that his culinary tips went for beyond the preparation of food. He was teaching me the art of patience, the luxury of slowing down and taking the time to think through everything I did.”
What a touching and indeed life-affirming read! Isabel, an investigative journalist, accepts to keep an eye on her best friend’s father, a nonagenarian recently widowed. Edward has a passion for food and invites her to amazing dinners, elaborate meals he puts together with time and effort, that demand to be savoured. In this sanctuary, the two start an unexpected friendship that helps them deal with their situations, one a crumbling marriage, the other the loss of the love of his life.
At first, all I could concentrate on were the descriptions of food (luscious) and indeed of New York (fascinating). Soon enough, however, the persona of Edward started to jump out of the pages. Here was a seemingly ordinary man, who had lived a small, hard, honest life, but who was anything but. While hosting dinners for people all around him, developing their taste buds, he was also feeding their souls and reminding them to value the good things in life.
“The secret is treating family like guests and guests like family.”
Isabel turned out to mean quite a bit to me too since we share a similar heritage - my parents emigrated from Portugal but to Belgium, not Canada, and I’ve lived most of my adult life in London. Just the mention of certain dishes and I could see myself back in time, tasting them. That connection of food and memory, as well as music (funnily enough, I LOVE Ella Fitzgerald), is so powerful! This memoir felt like a tender hug, reminding me of what is important in life and that you need to slow down to truly appreciate them :O)
What a touching and indeed life-affirming read! Isabel, an investigative journalist, accepts to keep an eye on her best friend’s father, a nonagenarian recently widowed. Edward has a passion for food and invites her to amazing dinners, elaborate meals he puts together with time and effort, that demand to be savoured. In this sanctuary, the two start an unexpected friendship that helps them deal with their situations, one a crumbling marriage, the other the loss of the love of his life.
At first, all I could concentrate on were the descriptions of food (luscious) and indeed of New York (fascinating). Soon enough, however, the persona of Edward started to jump out of the pages. Here was a seemingly ordinary man, who had lived a small, hard, honest life, but who was anything but. While hosting dinners for people all around him, developing their taste buds, he was also feeding their souls and reminding them to value the good things in life.
“The secret is treating family like guests and guests like family.”
Isabel turned out to mean quite a bit to me too since we share a similar heritage - my parents emigrated from Portugal but to Belgium, not Canada, and I’ve lived most of my adult life in London. Just the mention of certain dishes and I could see myself back in time, tasting them. That connection of food and memory, as well as music (funnily enough, I LOVE Ella Fitzgerald), is so powerful! This memoir felt like a tender hug, reminding me of what is important in life and that you need to slow down to truly appreciate them :O)
December 2, 2019
Thank you @pushkin_press for gifting me a copy of Dinner with Edward to review! I read this for #NonFictionNovember (finally got another one under my belt, woo!), a moving memoir of a sweet friendship between Isabel Vincent, a journalist in New York who, at the time, was going through a marriage crisis, and Edward, a ninety-something-year-old who had just lost his wife of 69 years when the two were introduced by his daughter.
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Isabel starts going round to Edward’s apartment for delicious meals and life lessons, as the nonagenarian decided 20 years ago that his wife had done more than her fair share of cooking and wanted to cook for them, cultivating a veritable passion for food. I did think their friendship was lovely, although both are not without their flaws (something I feel mean saying because they’re both real people, we’re all flawed, duh). Some of Edward’s views were very much what you’d expect of a ninety-something-year-old, and honestly I thought Isabel was a bit selfish once she pulled through her crisis and found love again.
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This might just be my cold, cynical English self showing, but some parts of this book just rang a little false. Do Americans really get together and then proclaim joyfully to one another, ‘This has been the greatest night of my life, I won’t ever forget it’? Because when British people have a dinner party, we say, ‘Right then, I better be off, thanks’. I’m not saying one is better than the other! I’m just saying it felt a bit sentimental for my own tastes.
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But the meals - omg. Do not read this book on an empty stomach! I wish there had been a recipe book attached to it, Edward can COOK. The dinner parties he hosted sounded fantastic, full of conversation and, more importantly, sumptuous food.
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Overall, a sweet read that verged on sickly at times, but not bad!
.
Isabel starts going round to Edward’s apartment for delicious meals and life lessons, as the nonagenarian decided 20 years ago that his wife had done more than her fair share of cooking and wanted to cook for them, cultivating a veritable passion for food. I did think their friendship was lovely, although both are not without their flaws (something I feel mean saying because they’re both real people, we’re all flawed, duh). Some of Edward’s views were very much what you’d expect of a ninety-something-year-old, and honestly I thought Isabel was a bit selfish once she pulled through her crisis and found love again.
.
This might just be my cold, cynical English self showing, but some parts of this book just rang a little false. Do Americans really get together and then proclaim joyfully to one another, ‘This has been the greatest night of my life, I won’t ever forget it’? Because when British people have a dinner party, we say, ‘Right then, I better be off, thanks’. I’m not saying one is better than the other! I’m just saying it felt a bit sentimental for my own tastes.
.
But the meals - omg. Do not read this book on an empty stomach! I wish there had been a recipe book attached to it, Edward can COOK. The dinner parties he hosted sounded fantastic, full of conversation and, more importantly, sumptuous food.
.
Overall, a sweet read that verged on sickly at times, but not bad!
January 9, 2021
I enjoyed this memoir of the author's unlikely friendship with the nonagenarian father of one of her friends. Virtually friendless in New York City and mired in a miserable, increasingly deteriorating marriage, Isabel finds herself being lovingly nurtured by Edward, learning life lessons that reach far beyond the food he so carefully prepares for her. The book is structured around their weekly dinners, beginning with the menu, at which Edward and Isabel share their experiences and memories. Isabel is moved from her self-preoccupation by Edward's indomitable spirit and his determination, despite the death of his beloved wife, to live the remainder of his life with joy and meaning. Although not as well-written, I found in this story echoes of M.F.K. Fisher and Frances Mayes.
December 14, 2017
Enjoyed reading this, delightful. Why did I read it? I wanted a food memoir to read for the Better World reading challenge and I saw a review for this by Katherine over at I Wish I Lived in a Library.
Plot Well there isn't one but there is a wonderful accounting of Edward in his nineties and Isabel who is in an unhappy marriage. Isabel visits Edward once a week and partakes in his delicious meals. No recipes but oh my, makes me want to appreciate and taste such food.
What Appeals to Me? The way Edward lives his life so fully in his nineties and his obvious deep love and devotion to his wife who is now dead. He battles with this loss but it does not diminish too much his participation in life. I liked the way Isabel valued the friendship and grew as a person in the time she was able to experience this special relationship.
And so... Very happy to have read it. As one person also pointed out from It's Monday! What Are You Reading? pointed out there is a great tip for scrambled eggs that she uses to this day. I have yet to try it but I will.
Plot Well there isn't one but there is a wonderful accounting of Edward in his nineties and Isabel who is in an unhappy marriage. Isabel visits Edward once a week and partakes in his delicious meals. No recipes but oh my, makes me want to appreciate and taste such food.
What Appeals to Me? The way Edward lives his life so fully in his nineties and his obvious deep love and devotion to his wife who is now dead. He battles with this loss but it does not diminish too much his participation in life. I liked the way Isabel valued the friendship and grew as a person in the time she was able to experience this special relationship.
And so... Very happy to have read it. As one person also pointed out from It's Monday! What Are You Reading? pointed out there is a great tip for scrambled eggs that she uses to this day. I have yet to try it but I will.
March 11, 2024
I read Dinner with Edward by Isabel Vincent for our FB book group. Another wonderful book I would never have read if not for our group! Isobel’s oldest friend Valerie’s Dad’s Wife has just passed. Isabel is invited for dinner with Edward, cooked by Edward. This dinner will change the way she looks at her life. Each dinner leaves you salivating as you read and, with each dinner, more and more is revealed about Isabel and Edward’s life. Fantastic true story. Enjoy!
July 1, 2016
I had a rocky start with this one; but once it got moving.... I sure did enjoy it. What a charming story that I found nuggets of life wisdoms interwoven in its pages.
A favorite quote Edward imparted to Isabel: " You are a fine and talented woman, whose potential is get to be realized given the love and support and luck we all need. Where you lost the will to fight for what is yours, where you gave away control of you life, is the mystery you are now unraveling. When you get it all back, hold on to it" That is some powerful stuff! I loved the both the simplicity and complexity of life that Edward lived. He loved a woman most passionately and lost her. He perseveres on, finding joys in life, food, and the people he meets. I wanted to meet him halfway through the book.
What is it about: Journalist Isabel Vincent a recent transplant to NYC strikes up a routine of having dinner with her friend's widowed father. Her friend doesn't live in New York and it is a comfort to have Isabel check in on her ninety three year old father. What Isabel doesn't expect as through these culinary masterpiece dinners, she gains a friend, confidant, and guide to help her through her journey as mother, woman involved in a broken marriage heading to divorce, and a seeker in life. A lovely read.
A favorite quote Edward imparted to Isabel: " You are a fine and talented woman, whose potential is get to be realized given the love and support and luck we all need. Where you lost the will to fight for what is yours, where you gave away control of you life, is the mystery you are now unraveling. When you get it all back, hold on to it" That is some powerful stuff! I loved the both the simplicity and complexity of life that Edward lived. He loved a woman most passionately and lost her. He perseveres on, finding joys in life, food, and the people he meets. I wanted to meet him halfway through the book.
What is it about: Journalist Isabel Vincent a recent transplant to NYC strikes up a routine of having dinner with her friend's widowed father. Her friend doesn't live in New York and it is a comfort to have Isabel check in on her ninety three year old father. What Isabel doesn't expect as through these culinary masterpiece dinners, she gains a friend, confidant, and guide to help her through her journey as mother, woman involved in a broken marriage heading to divorce, and a seeker in life. A lovely read.
April 27, 2016
This book started a little slow for me, but once it got going, I could not put it down! There were so many emotions running through this book. Edward had just lost his wife through death and Isabel was losing her husband through divorce. Neither wanted to go on. They both felt there was nothing left until they met. What resulted was a wonderful friendship over the most exquisite dinners (complete with details, don't read hungry) with Edward giving out little hints as to what made everything so good.
Yes, this is a "must have tissues" read and I LOVED it. Edward is a very special man and he teaches Isabel a lot about life, love and cooking. I can say while I did shed some tears, it does give a semblance of hope for the rest of us.
Thanks Algonquin Books for approving me to read this title and to Net Galley for providing this title in exchange for an honest review.
Yes, this is a "must have tissues" read and I LOVED it. Edward is a very special man and he teaches Isabel a lot about life, love and cooking. I can say while I did shed some tears, it does give a semblance of hope for the rest of us.
Thanks Algonquin Books for approving me to read this title and to Net Galley for providing this title in exchange for an honest review.
July 15, 2016
It was a very easy read, however it lacked depth. I found the story to be a little boring and pointless. The characters were not development in a way that the reader would become attached to them. The book jumps around a lot into different moments in time but never really gets into great detail about anything. It is a forgettable book.
December 30, 2016
A lonely woman befriends a lonely elderly man in this true story. Isabel is asked by her friend to look in on her friend's father, who has just lost his wife. Isabel and Edward talk and eat together. Edward shares secrets of his kitchen along with the secrets he has learned in life. A lovely little book.
August 30, 2016
Dinner with Edward is very much in the same genre as Tuesdays with Morrie. The age-old story of a friendship between a young troubled character and an much wiser, older person.
Only this time, the older Edward is a gourmet cook and prepares delicious dinners for the younger, having-trouble-with-her-marriage Isabel. Edward has just lost his wife and Isabel’s friend (who lives out of state) asks her to check in on him by letting him prepare her dinner a few nights a week. Together, they plot, this will keep Edward happy and busy, while giving Isabel a much-needed break from her failing marriage.
Each chapter starts with a menu of the glorious meal he prepares for Isabel and the drinks enjoyed before dinner — old fashioneds, martinis – grown up drinks. It is over these drinks and delicious food that the conversations, reminisces, and problems unfold.
I had trouble finishing this book, and found it dull and predictable — same old problems — same old trite wisdom’s from an elderly man. Slow down, enjoy life as if every day is your last, and even this quote from the book:
"He knew that paradise was not a place, but the people in your life" (groan)
I never felt that “paradise” connection between Isabel and Edward, as each chapter reads like a disconnected short story. Edwards memories and past experiences never really connect with Isabel’s current day problems. Stories are told, advice is given, and food is eaten.
And what food! Each chapter only comes alive with the descriptions of the wonderful meals prepared by Edward. You look over his shoulder as he gently stirs sauces and grills perfect steaks with herb butter. So I carried on, largely skimming the boring bits and reading for the food. But, in the end (get this!) no recipes – none – I felt bereft, cheated somehow
One reviewer said Dinner with Edward combined the best of Tuesdays with Morrie with Julie and Julia – since I didn’t like either of those books, I should have had fair warning.
One saving grace, Edward describes, in detail, a method for perfect scrambled eggs. It’s on page 9 if you wish to avoid reading the rest of the book.
A digital review copy was provided by Algonquin Books via NetGalley
See all my book reviews at http://www.bookbarmy.com
Only this time, the older Edward is a gourmet cook and prepares delicious dinners for the younger, having-trouble-with-her-marriage Isabel. Edward has just lost his wife and Isabel’s friend (who lives out of state) asks her to check in on him by letting him prepare her dinner a few nights a week. Together, they plot, this will keep Edward happy and busy, while giving Isabel a much-needed break from her failing marriage.
Each chapter starts with a menu of the glorious meal he prepares for Isabel and the drinks enjoyed before dinner — old fashioneds, martinis – grown up drinks. It is over these drinks and delicious food that the conversations, reminisces, and problems unfold.
I had trouble finishing this book, and found it dull and predictable — same old problems — same old trite wisdom’s from an elderly man. Slow down, enjoy life as if every day is your last, and even this quote from the book:
"He knew that paradise was not a place, but the people in your life" (groan)
I never felt that “paradise” connection between Isabel and Edward, as each chapter reads like a disconnected short story. Edwards memories and past experiences never really connect with Isabel’s current day problems. Stories are told, advice is given, and food is eaten.
And what food! Each chapter only comes alive with the descriptions of the wonderful meals prepared by Edward. You look over his shoulder as he gently stirs sauces and grills perfect steaks with herb butter. So I carried on, largely skimming the boring bits and reading for the food. But, in the end (get this!) no recipes – none – I felt bereft, cheated somehow
One reviewer said Dinner with Edward combined the best of Tuesdays with Morrie with Julie and Julia – since I didn’t like either of those books, I should have had fair warning.
One saving grace, Edward describes, in detail, a method for perfect scrambled eggs. It’s on page 9 if you wish to avoid reading the rest of the book.
A digital review copy was provided by Algonquin Books via NetGalley
See all my book reviews at http://www.bookbarmy.com
May 18, 2016
As a food blogger, I am partial to books that contain food in some way. So, I loved Dinner with Edward because of all the mentions of food. However, I also love it because of the writing, the story and the characters.
We first meet Isabel when she is talking with her her friend, Valerie. It is shortly after the death of Valerie’s mother and she is worried about her father, Edward. He is alone in New York in the apartment that he shared with his beloved wife, Paula. She lives too far away to visit him regularly. Isabel has just moved to New York to work as a reporter. She is struggling with a marriage that is unraveling and it’s impact on her young daughter. When Isabel tells Valerie that things are not going to well in her life either, Valerie suggests that she have dinner with Edward. She tells isabel that he is a very good cook and perhaps this would help him.
Isabel arrives at Edward’s apartment for dinner, not knowing what to expect. What she gets is Grilled Sirloin Steak, Sauce Bourguignonne, New Potatoes, Chocolate Souffle, and a lovely bottle of Malbec. What she also gets is the beginning of a wonderful relationship with Edward.
This is the story of that friendship. The stories they share, all over lovingly described dinners. It is an unlikely friendship, but one that flourishes. Two people needing each other at the right place and the right time.
I admit that as a foodie, I loved the descriptions of the food, the effortless way that Edward cooked. But I don’t think you have to be all that involved with food to love this novel. The friendship is the heart of the story.
I loved this book!
I received an ARC copy of this book.
We first meet Isabel when she is talking with her her friend, Valerie. It is shortly after the death of Valerie’s mother and she is worried about her father, Edward. He is alone in New York in the apartment that he shared with his beloved wife, Paula. She lives too far away to visit him regularly. Isabel has just moved to New York to work as a reporter. She is struggling with a marriage that is unraveling and it’s impact on her young daughter. When Isabel tells Valerie that things are not going to well in her life either, Valerie suggests that she have dinner with Edward. She tells isabel that he is a very good cook and perhaps this would help him.
Isabel arrives at Edward’s apartment for dinner, not knowing what to expect. What she gets is Grilled Sirloin Steak, Sauce Bourguignonne, New Potatoes, Chocolate Souffle, and a lovely bottle of Malbec. What she also gets is the beginning of a wonderful relationship with Edward.
This is the story of that friendship. The stories they share, all over lovingly described dinners. It is an unlikely friendship, but one that flourishes. Two people needing each other at the right place and the right time.
I admit that as a foodie, I loved the descriptions of the food, the effortless way that Edward cooked. But I don’t think you have to be all that involved with food to love this novel. The friendship is the heart of the story.
I loved this book!
I received an ARC copy of this book.
September 14, 2017
I loved this story of friendship between a young 30-something woman, Isabel, and a 90-year-old man, Edward. He is the father of her good friend, Valerie, whose wife has just died. Valerie asks that Isabel visit her father because of his loneliness and grief, hoping a new friendship will keep him from being so depressed after his wife's death.
Edward is an amateur gourmet chef and loves to cook for friends, so Isabel becomes a frequent visitor. The two become close friends, sharing life lessons, histories, sorrows, and dreams. Isabel is going through a stormy time in her married life, and Edward helps her look at her life, as she tries to decide what she wants and what to do next.
It is a short book, very soothingly written with much talk about food: buying it, preparing it, and eating it. It is wonderful! Also, you can tell how they both love New York City and its vibrant hustle and bustle. It is just an amazing book recommended to me by a friend and which I am passing on to a friend. It is definitely a "friend" book :)
Edward is an amateur gourmet chef and loves to cook for friends, so Isabel becomes a frequent visitor. The two become close friends, sharing life lessons, histories, sorrows, and dreams. Isabel is going through a stormy time in her married life, and Edward helps her look at her life, as she tries to decide what she wants and what to do next.
It is a short book, very soothingly written with much talk about food: buying it, preparing it, and eating it. It is wonderful! Also, you can tell how they both love New York City and its vibrant hustle and bustle. It is just an amazing book recommended to me by a friend and which I am passing on to a friend. It is definitely a "friend" book :)
March 28, 2017
Read for Cook the Books
Dinner with Edward is a foodie memoir about a journalist who as a favor, starts having dinners with her friend's father to check on him as he is depressed after the death of his beloved wife. The dinners soon turn into a weekly event and a loving friendship that ends up helping both Isabel and Edward lead happier lives. Each chapter starts with the menu of a dinner that Edward cooked (An example: Grilled Sirloin Steak, Sauce Bourguignonne, New Potatoes, Chocolate Souffle, Malbec) and the food is talked about as well as life lessons. Edward gets Isabel's company and purpose by helping her and Isabel gets delicious food, cooking tips, and the prompting and guidance to live and love more fully.
I enjoyed spending time with Edward as much as Isabel did and was sorry to have the book end so quickly (it's only 224 pages). Of course any book that describes food so well and so lovingly gets extra points in my book--I wanted to eat and make so many of the dishes mentioned like soft shell crabs, fried in a light batter and served with hot melted butter, perfectly scrambled eggs, avocado salad with pungent blue cheese dressing, Fennel Remoulade over Lettuce, macarons and fleur de sel caramels, Pan-Fried Potatoes with Gruyere, Apricot Souffle and Apple Galette, to name just a few.
You can see my review as well as a recipe for Shrimp and Corn chowder inspired by the book on my blogpost here: http://kahakaikitchen.blogspot.com/20...
Dinner with Edward is a foodie memoir about a journalist who as a favor, starts having dinners with her friend's father to check on him as he is depressed after the death of his beloved wife. The dinners soon turn into a weekly event and a loving friendship that ends up helping both Isabel and Edward lead happier lives. Each chapter starts with the menu of a dinner that Edward cooked (An example: Grilled Sirloin Steak, Sauce Bourguignonne, New Potatoes, Chocolate Souffle, Malbec) and the food is talked about as well as life lessons. Edward gets Isabel's company and purpose by helping her and Isabel gets delicious food, cooking tips, and the prompting and guidance to live and love more fully.
I enjoyed spending time with Edward as much as Isabel did and was sorry to have the book end so quickly (it's only 224 pages). Of course any book that describes food so well and so lovingly gets extra points in my book--I wanted to eat and make so many of the dishes mentioned like soft shell crabs, fried in a light batter and served with hot melted butter, perfectly scrambled eggs, avocado salad with pungent blue cheese dressing, Fennel Remoulade over Lettuce, macarons and fleur de sel caramels, Pan-Fried Potatoes with Gruyere, Apricot Souffle and Apple Galette, to name just a few.
You can see my review as well as a recipe for Shrimp and Corn chowder inspired by the book on my blogpost here: http://kahakaikitchen.blogspot.com/20...
July 4, 2017
I read about this book in a newspaper article of must read summer books, but I think...no. I never properly bonded with the author who seems mildly whiny and self-absorbed despite the book's point which seems to be the gift of friendship and love and cooking.
There were redeeming parts, but in general I wondered who was caring for (comforting)her daughter while she indulged in weekly dinners with the elderly Edward. It is a quick read with a satisfying ending but, for me, lacked real revelation or inspiration.
There were redeeming parts, but in general I wondered who was caring for (comforting)her daughter while she indulged in weekly dinners with the elderly Edward. It is a quick read with a satisfying ending but, for me, lacked real revelation or inspiration.
September 7, 2016
A delightful memoir of a friendship between a middle-aged woman in a failing marriage and a ninety-something widower trying to find meaning in life after the death of his beloved wife. Edward is a gourmet cook. Each chapter begins with a dinner menu and, naturally, includes Edward's tips and secrets. But this is as much about life, love, and sharing as it is about food. A perfect book for my recent flight from Denver to NY!
3.5 / 5 stars
3.5 / 5 stars
December 20, 2016
This was a lovely book! Isabel is asked by her good friend Valerie to check on her 92 year old father, Edward. Edward would like to give up on life after the death of his beloved wife Paula and Isabel is at a personal crossroad herself. From the first dinner that Edward prepares an 'unexpected friendship' is began.
The only downside to the book was that all the talk and description of food made me hungry!
The only downside to the book was that all the talk and description of food made me hungry!
February 6, 2017
This was a short sweet book but it would have been better if she had written a more detailed account of her time spent with Edward instead of bagging on her d-bag ex-husband so much. It also ended rather suddenly and awkwardly.
June 5, 2022
I found this story to be a thoroughly delightful read!
Isabel, a journalist going through a divorce leaving her rudderless and lonely and Edward, a 90-something recent widower come together for weekly restaurant quality dinners made by the elderly gentleman himself!
Both are richly rewarded by the friendship that develops over a 2-3 year period as they share their history, lives, and pain together over dinner. As Edward himself said, "We gave each other the courage to go on with our lives. We were equally giving and receiving in that period, which was crucial to you and me...Nobody knows how much we love each other". Isabel wrote, "Edward had nourished me with more than just food...Edward sustained me against the hungers of the world".
Isabel does write of her relationship with her husband and the emotional process of divorce and we see Edward become more frail after a couple of years, but we also see Isabel move forward toward a new, more fulfilled life after some healing. The story has a range of emotions, from devastation to stabilization to success.
Some of the cooking process is shared in numerous chapters and to be honest, for maximum enjoyment, it helps if the reader can cook or has some knowledge of upscale food preparation.
Isabel, a journalist going through a divorce leaving her rudderless and lonely and Edward, a 90-something recent widower come together for weekly restaurant quality dinners made by the elderly gentleman himself!
Both are richly rewarded by the friendship that develops over a 2-3 year period as they share their history, lives, and pain together over dinner. As Edward himself said, "We gave each other the courage to go on with our lives. We were equally giving and receiving in that period, which was crucial to you and me...Nobody knows how much we love each other". Isabel wrote, "Edward had nourished me with more than just food...Edward sustained me against the hungers of the world".
Isabel does write of her relationship with her husband and the emotional process of divorce and we see Edward become more frail after a couple of years, but we also see Isabel move forward toward a new, more fulfilled life after some healing. The story has a range of emotions, from devastation to stabilization to success.
Some of the cooking process is shared in numerous chapters and to be honest, for maximum enjoyment, it helps if the reader can cook or has some knowledge of upscale food preparation.
December 20, 2025
Una chicca natalizia che ti fa venire l’acquolina in bocca ad ogni capitolo.
L’amicizia tra un vedovo con la passione della cucina, Edward, e l’amica della figlia, ovvero l’autrice del libro.
Un mix di ricette, racconti di vita e poesie.
Delizioso!
L’amicizia tra un vedovo con la passione della cucina, Edward, e l’amica della figlia, ovvero l’autrice del libro.
Un mix di ricette, racconti di vita e poesie.
Delizioso!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 17, 2020
Come for the food and stay for Edward.
I want an Edward in my life.
I want to be like Edward.
It's a quick read but it's one that will keep me pondering for some time to come.
I want an Edward in my life.
I want to be like Edward.
It's a quick read but it's one that will keep me pondering for some time to come.
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