If You Can’t Take the Heat: Tales of Food, Feminism, and Fury

James Beard Award–winning blogger DeRuiter (All Over the Place) presents an amusing and wholly relatable memoir that speaks to a wide range of issues, including body image, misogyny, and social media abuse. DeRuiter was working on her blog, The Everywhereist, when she wrote about her disgust with chef Mario Batali’s vapid and tone-deaf apology for sexual misconduct. The post went viral and eventually earned her the James Beard Award for her long-form personal essay while also attracting countless death threats, gross insults, and personal attacks. A few years later, a hilarious post on an absurdly pretentious 27-course dinner she and her husband experienced in Italy also went viral, bringing the same results. DeRuiter narrates the audio production and certainly knows how to present her material with perfect comedic timing and wry humor. She shows her anger and happiness where appropriate and is all about the freedom to feel her feelings. Her sharp wit and a deep understanding of herself and the people around her make for a refreshing listen.