The Mother-in-Law Cure (Originally published as Only in Naples)

April 15, 2016
Vivid, candid, and oftentimes hilariously honest, this memoir traces Wilson's decision to leave her uniquely quirky, well-to-do family in the northeastern U.S. to experience the exquisite flavors of Neapolitan life. After graduating college and unsure of what her future should be, Wilson leaves her eccentric family to study abroad in Naples. There she almost immediately falls in love with the city, its food, and the family of the man she will later marry, Salvatore Avallone. In true Italian fashion, his mother, Rafaella, expertly educates Wilson in key life lessons, one recipe at a time, showing how culture, food, and love are inextricably linked. Wilson's own unhealthy relationship with food is positively altered as she strengthens her relationships with the Avallone family and finds a new home in Naples. The recipes included and the stories of famiglia are studded with mouth-watering meals, from the simple Neapolitan pizza to the complex ragu. Each experience, each delicious meal is insightfully described as the reader follows Wilson's path toward carnale, becoming confident and comfortable in one's own skin.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)