From Susan Rebecca White, award-winning author of A Soft Place to Land and Bound South , comes a breathtaking story of three richly nuanced outcasts whose paths converge in a chic Manhattan café as they realize they must give up everything they thought they knew to find a home at last. Alice Stone is famous for the homemade southern cuisine she serves at Café Andres, a chic gathering place for New York’s cultural illuminati, and in her groundbreaking southern cookbook. But her past, on the other hand, is a mystery to all who know her. Upon Alice’s retirement, Bobby Banks, a young gay man ostracized by his family in Georgia, sets out to revive the aging café with his own brand of southern cooking while struggling with heartbreak like he’s never known. Meanwhile, seeking respite from the breakup of her marriage, wealthy divorcée Amelia Brighton finds solace in the company and food at Café Andres, until a family secret comes to light in the pages of Alice’s cookbook that threatens to upend her life. In her most accomplished novel yet, Susan Rebecca White braids together the stories of these three unforgettable characters who must learn that when you embrace the thing that makes you different, you finally may become whole. White’s engrossing novel tells the story of three seemingly disparate characters, Alice Stone, an African American girl growing up in Emancipation Township, North Carolina, whose life is torn apart by racism; Bobby Banks, a gay man from Decatur, Georgia, ostracized by his family and friends; and Amelia Brighton, a well-to-do Connecticut housewife whose life is turned upside down by her husband’s infidelity and a mysterious family secret. As the novel unfolds, these three are drawn together at a tiny café in New York City. Inspired by the stories of chefs Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock, A Place at the Table is the story of troubled souls finding their way and making a place for themselves through the magic of the big city and a love of cooking. With unforgettable characters, rich detail, and seamless narration, White’s new novel (after A Soft Place to Land, 2010) will long remain in the reader’s mind and memory, a gentle reminder of the importance of acceptance in all its forms and the myriad connections that surround us. --Carol Gladstein For fans of The Help , a tale of Southern exiles--an older black woman (based on legendary chef Edna Lewis) and a young gay man--who find each other in New York City through their love of down-home cooking." ( Good Housekeeping ) “Tasty…fascinating…each character is a convincing creation…a pleasure.” ( Associated Press ) "White is convinced that coincidence doesn't exist, that we come together becasue there is a grand plan always at work. Rendering that truth so confidently and effortlessly--that is White's magic. Wanting each of us to find a place at the table--that is White's gift." ( The Anniston Star ) “Great expectations follow when a book opens with three distinct, seemingly unrelated story lines because you know somehow they all will be lashed together by the end….White’s ability to write with a believable voice from three such disparate perspectives keeps the “How?” at bay, while providing a sounding board for social issues that continue to confront us today.” ( Minneapolis Star Tribune ) A Place at the Table is the story of troubled souls finding their way and making a place for themselves through the magic of the big city and a love of cooking. With unforgettable characters, rich detail, and seamless narration, White's new novel will long remain in the reader's mind and memory, a gentle reminder of the importance of acceptance in all it's forms and the myriad connections that surround us." ( Booklist ) “The greatest Southern literature — from Faulkner on down — has dealt squarely with the broken pieces of the South. But White does this difficult work firmly in the modern age. The topics of classical Southern writing — race, class, religion — are all there, but she explores our more modern challenges, such as the acceptance of gay sons and daughters into our families, with a directness and courage that would do Flannery O’Connor proud….White has the remarkable ability — shared by only the greatest storytellers — to let her characters be who they are, for better or worse. Her writing never leads the reader to conclusions; it lets us draw our own.” ( The Bitter Southerner ) "Beautifully told...White's characters are drawn with tremendous care and precision....perfectly observed." ( Atlanta ) "Engaging...a story of acceptance, of finding oneself, and of healing." ( The Roanoke Times ) "In this latest from an emerging Southern literary voice…food, perspective cookbooks, and Southern influences link characters before they discover a deeper connection through guarded secrets from the past. White’s prose is graceful and evocative.” ( Publishers Weekly ) "Beautifully written...inspiring." ( San Francisco/Sacramento Book Review ) "No writer