Kitchens of the Great Midwest - Softcover

An oven-warm yet bittersweet collection of character studies circling the story of Eva Thorvald . . . Hilariously precise in its cultural geography . . . But in spite of its locavorous detail, the novel's plot is driven by a universal truth: that food brings people together (Independent on Sunday)

This offbeat debut features many satisfying ingredients, including triumph over adversity, recipes and a warm Midwestern backdrop (Mail on Sunday)

Stradal creates something quirky, affecting and delicious (Sunday Mirror)

Fun and original (Woman and Home)

Stradal's delicious debut reveals Eva's sweet, sad, funny self in a series of funny vignettes (Psychologies)

A gorgeous feast that feeds both the senses and the soul (Simple Things)

A tender coming-of-age story with a mix of finely rendered pathos and humour . . . Ultimately, Kitchens reveals the strong interplay among food, family and our most cherished memories . . . Stradal suggests that love - or the absence of love - is the most powerful condition of all (Washington Post)

Time flew by when we sat down with Kitchens of the Great Midwest, a charming and unusual first novel . . . We were blown away by Stradal's flair for depicting messy emotions and mixed-up families, and delighted by his insightful and funny reflections on foodie culture and class dynamics (iBooks, Book of the Month)

A warm and enjoyable read about life, love, food, family . . . and chilli eating contests (Stylist, book of the month)

This wise and witty tale of immigrant assimilation wholeheartedly embraces a passion for food . . . Laugh-out-loud funny . . . Stradal is so good at evoking the inner lives of his characters, male and female, young and old . . . Stradal has a sharp eye for the evolution of culture and for landscape; his tone is light, always a little askew . . . Midwesterners never forget what things cost, and Kitchens of the Great Midwest is a terrific reminder of what can be wrested from suffering and struggle - not only success, but also considerable irony, a fair amount of wisdom and a decent meal (Jane Smiley Guardian)