09/13/2021

Walker (Against All Grain) follows her grain-free and gluten-free cookbooks with this unflinching chronicle of dealing with an autoimmune disease and her path to discovering food’s “amazing power to heal.” At 22, Walker was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory disease that attacks the colon. A simple blood test revealed a long list of food sensitivities including oregano, green peas, potatoes, and watermelon, with grains and dairy at the top. “It was not just the food itself,” Walker writes, “it was what was in it, how it was digested, and how it was prepared.” This set her on a yearslong trial-and-error quest to fashion a diet that required minimal digestive processes, which she details in inviting, conversational prose. To replace wheat- or rice-based noodles, she made her own by cutting strips of coconut flour crepes; instead of sugar, she swapped in honey. While juggling life as a busy mom, Walker researched and developed almost 1,200 recipes and published two bestselling cookbooks, gaining unintended celebrity as a health advocate along the way. Ever the optimist, she writes, “If you’re new to grain-, gluten-, and dairy-free living, I want you to know that you’re not alone.” Full of delicious recipes and positive affirmations, this is sure to offer hope to many. Agent: Curtis and Karen Yates, Yates and Yates. (Sept.)

Cookbook author and health advocate Walker (Against All Grain, 2013) offers this prime example of a conversational memoir. It reads as if a friend is sharing a deeply personal story, and in this case readers will be all ears. Walker is an absolute health cheerleader, and her enthusiasm catapults off the page: she is on a mission to spread the news that diet can indeed improve wellbeing. Walker shares her experiences with severe gastrointestinal issues that threatened her life. Her journey has not been an easy one, and there are losses and frightening moments along the way, but ultimately this is a story of loving food and family, accepting support, and understanding self-worth. Resources toward the end of the book include a note, written by Walker's husband, for caregivers; an index of grain-free and Paleo foods; and a grocery list to start readers on their journey to a happier gut and therefore a happier life. Anyone who has struggled with balancing their diet will benefit from this inspiring memoir.