Latest comment on My World Café from Dawn Neely Randall in Ohio
“When I read my friend’s chapter titled “Burritos” in his new book My World Café I just had to go to Lupitas,my favorite Mexican restaurant in Oberlin, and have a little splurge of my own. Marybelle helped make my “burrito and book” visit extra fun. This book is inspiring me to go out and enjoy an adventure based on each chapter. Well, almost every one. There is one with the word “liver” in it, which may need some improvising. However, the Goulash chapter, followed by the Apple Strudel chapter are next calling my name. David’s memoir writing is so informative, reflective, intertwined, and memorable. Each chapter is served up with musical connections, historical tidbits, cultural indulgences, and the feeling of a life well-lived many times over. One of my favorite photos of David was snapped in Spain, with smoke billowing around his head, sun filtered through his hair, as he stood grilling things for our writing group’s dinner. Maybe he could add that photo to a sequel titled My World Café: Seconds, Please”
P.S. There are recipes, too!
P.P.S. The illustrations are delightful!
What other readers say about the book.
Part-memoir, part-travelogue, part-recipe book, 'My World Cafe' is one of those books that gives you bite-size tapas and the whole feast. First, I read it cover-to-cover, enjoying the travels and stories of friendship. But since then, I've been reading it for the recipes, and of course I can't help but revisit the stories that accompany each recipe, each of which is so beautifully illustrated by artist Laura Davis. Double-dipping, triple-dipping, if you will. Anyone who has read David Wilson's first memoir 'Left Field' (and if you haven't, stop reading this and go buy it, right now, it's a great read) will know that he is always ready to fight for social, economic, and cultural justice. But David fights with music and food, as well as words and action. In ‘Left Field’ we learned about how he used bread and music to support a community in its recovery from war. In ‘My World Cafe’ we witness him affirming friendship, finding resonance, caring and being cared for, forging intercultural bonds and understanding, building relationships and community, one recipe at a time. Food and music, accompanied by David's sharp observational eye, vivid references to history and literature, served a gift for anecdote and a side of dry humour and plain talking - it's a damn fine combination. Like me, you'll be going for seconds. Gillian Howell PhD, Musician | Researcher | Educator
"Lovely stuff from the author's swag bag: traveller's tales and gorgeous drawings plus liver and bacon. What more could anyone want?" Elizabeth Luard, broadcaster and food lover
“A worldfest of a book - a tribute to the bonding power of shared food as a force for enlightenment. The book’s Rabelaisian gusto put me in mind of Proust’s madeleine - of the joyous childhood pleasures of picking mushrooms before breakfast with my Irish grandmother and foraging for berries to make the juicy summer puddings you describe from your youth.” Edwin Maynard
"Take odes to the pleasures of shared eating and season with nuggets of nutrition, politics, philosophy, travel, biology, biography, botany, history, geography, cooking … and you have My World Café. Enjoy.' " Jim Brann
“ My World Café tells the stories of David Wilson’s favourite meals and recipes and is filled with a warm blend of stories of friendship, history and politics along with dishes enjoyed around the world including liver-and-bacon, borscht, strozzapreti and goulash.” Camden New Journal
“ My World Café is a celebration of something as necessary to our survival as oxygen and love. Each recipe is delivered in the company of a person important to him, the memory of taste heightening the memory of that person and place, with the history of the food folded in like a delicious batter.” Jan Woolf, International Times
"I'm amazed at the amount of research you must have done and how many interesting people you have encooutered who told you fascinating things relating to the history and origins of the recipes. You have had a rich life. Congratulations on your opus magnum." Dorothy Hughes
“Eclectic, delightfully eccentric, historical, political and mythological. Generously illustrated with Laura Davis' charmingly quirky drawings. Altogether a delicious thing.” Lesley Glaister, writer and reviewer
“We totally love your book. You brought back memories of Mervyn Levy and Gustav Delbanco. My god, those guys….” Michael Walling. Artistic director, Border Crossings
“An enjoyable journey of meals the author has eaten that stretch deeply in each country's history. A book full of stories and recipes spiced with the warmth of friendship.” Haifa Zangana
“Wow! What a life...such lovely illustrations too.” Inga Baystrom
“What a rich medley of food, politics, travel and interesting people !I am determined to try some of the recipes. A lovely book.” Carol Ritchie
“It makes a great read.” Anthea Norman-Taylor
"You have found a brilliant way of being able to bring so many great stories together.” Diana Boyer
"I have really loved My World Café - so full of life and warmth, and a wealth of cracking anecdotes”. Annemarie Nearly
"He has been eating (and drinking) with me at my home for over 25 years. When with us he completes my family. As he says, along with the lamb, “there is always music, singing and tavla. See you soon David." Orhan (Oha) Maslo, Mostar Rock School
"Enjoying your book. Your reference to the black and white Pye TV took me back as that was the first TV we had and I remember its slightly indented shape. Good recipes too." Dorothy Hughes
My World Café is available in some bookshops and can be ordered from Riversmeet Productions here:
https://riversmeetproductions.co.uk/publications/
