Share Cake and Conversation With Ayelet Waldman

Book clubs are all about food, friends, wine, and, of course, amazing books. So what could be better than chatting with an author who shares that love of cuisine and conversation? Author Ayelet Waldman fits the bill perfectly, and she’s ready to talk—éclair in hand. Enjoy her note to book clubs below, and then schedule your group’s chat with Ayelet Waldman today!

Dear Readers,

There are some writers for whom it’s all about the wine. Me? I’m in it for the pastry.

Years ago, when I first began doing book club appearances, I immediately realized that if the food—and especially the dessert—was special, then I was guaranteed a good time. Pinot is all well and good, but there’s something about a bite of molten chocolate cake that really loosens a booklover’s tongue.

Participating in book clubs is one of the great joys of my literary life. Writing is a lonely business, and because of that many writers are introverts, ideally suited to long days in locked rooms. I, however, am a notorious extrovert. (My husband jokes that my epitaph will read, “Me and my big mouth.”) I love talking to people, sharing stories and confidences. To me, sadness is more bearable if shared, happiness more wonderful. (Another joke of my husband’s—he insists that I can find out more about a stranger in line for the restroom than he can find out about person in ten years of friendship).

The delight I get from reading is similar to the delight I get from people. For me it often comes down to the joys of intimacy. A book allows me to experience the world through someone else’s eyes. Talking to other readers about our shared experience of the book magnifies that joy tenfold. It’s because of this that I relish the experience of attending book club meetings. To be allowed access to a reader’s experience of a novel is such a privilege for the writer. And if accompanied by cake? What could be more wonderful?

Yours truly,
Ayelet Waldman

PS. Worry not, when I appear over Skype or phone, I provide my own éclair (or donut, or panna cotta).

Ayelet Waldman’s new novel, Love and Treasure is now available in hardcover. Set against the backdrop of the Second World War, this spellbinding story weaves together the true history of the Hungarian Gold Train with a bittersweet love affair, ultimately drawing readers into the present day where long-buried secrets are revealed.