Why read What She Ate?

Book cover of What She Ate: Six Remarkable Women and the Food That Tells Their Stories

Book description

'If you find the subject of food to be both vexing and transfixing, you'll love What She Ate' Elle

Did you know that Eleanor Roosevelt dished up Eggs Mexican (a concoction of rice, fried eggs, and bananas) in the White House?

Or that Helen Gurley Brown's commitment to…

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Why read it?

1 author picked What She Ate as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Amanda L. Van Lanen

Author

This book is delightful. Shapiro is one of my favorite food historians. I recommend all her books, but if you’ve never read her before, start here.

It’s full of surprising and unexpected stories. Eleanor Roosevelt extracts culinary revenge, Eva Braun drinks champagne while worrying about her weight, and Helen Gurley Brown binges on sugar-free gelatin. These stories left me thinking about my own relationship with food and what that says about the society we live in.

From Amanda's list on The best books that will change the way you think about food and agriculture.