Review: I Like You & Giveaway

Summary: I LIKE YOU is an "entertaining guide to entertaining" and includes recipes, complete meal plans, decorating suggestions, music choices, conversational ice-breakers, and hospitality tips to create the perfect evening at home. The book has scrapbook feel, including color as well as black and white photos, illustrations, and craft patterns. Whether it's an intimate night for two or a ladies' luncheon for twenty, Sedaris offers her own advice to make guests feel welcome and the host look good. I LIKE YOU is the essential handbook for full-scale entertaining the Sedaris way.

The inspiration for I LIKE YOU comes from Sedaris's own domestic expertise. A notorious baker and cook, her famous cheese balls can be bought at Gourmet Garage and her cupcakes at Joe Coffee in New York City. Sedaris covers all aspects of home entertaining. Sample chapters include: A Greek Dinner Date; Grieving; Entertaining Children; A Rich Uncle Comes to Visit; Baby Shower; The Elderly; Cooking for Oneself; Picnic; and a variety of courtships, such as dating a hunter, a dieter, or an alcoholic. All chapters contain tips, hits and misses, and end with a critical evaluation of the event or a letter from a guest. -- Warner Books Press Release

I was very excited when I received a copy of Amy Sedaris' I LIKE YOU: HOSPITALITY UNDER THE INFLUENCE from Hachette Book Group USA. I LOVE cookbooks! It's not that I cook a lot, but I do love looking through cookbooks (especially ones with lots of pictures.) And, I LIKE YOU is a really big cookbook (over 300 pages) filled with tons of pictures. I couldn't wait to sit down with a cup of coffee and look at all the recipes!

I remember awhile back when I saw Amy Sedaris on The Martha Stewart Show promoting her cookbook; and I thought she was a hoot! I had a feeling that her cookbook wouldn't be like any other cookbook that I own. Well after reading through this book, I can now say for sure that this is nothing like any other cookbook that I've ever seen. There are lots of recipes, but this book is so much more than just a normal cookbook. This book is a very entertaining (and often times, outrageous) cookbook!

If you're not familiar with Amy Sedaris, you should really check out her website. I think she is a riot! This book captures Ms. Sedaris' hilarious personality perfectly. I had so much fun reading this book, and I found myself laughing out loud many times. I also love how there is just so much happening on each page. You could read this book over and over again and still find new things to laugh at. While much of this book is truly "out-there" and wacky, there are actually some great entertaining tips and recipes mixed in.

Not only is this book chock full of recipes that are actually do-able, but it also has lots of helpful entertaining hostess tips (as only Ms. Sedaris can give.) There are lots and lots of pictures -- some are of the recipes, buts many are of "decorating ideas" and "crafts." Ms. Sedaris even says that, "This book is so visual, a monkey could enjoy it." You can read an excerpt of her cookbook here. And you can even see some of the sample recipes here.

The paperback version of I LIKE YOU will be available on October 22nd; and I am so happy to say that I have up to five copies of I LIKE YOU to share with you. For every fifteen comments that I get, I will give away one book -- that means if I get 30 comments, I will giveaway two; 45 comments, three books, etc. up to five books. Please leave a comment with your e-mail address for one entry. If you would like to be entered two times, blog about this contest with a link back to this post. I will continue to receive entries until Friday, October 17th at 11:59 p.m. EST; and I will announce the winner(s) on October 18th. Unfortunately, this contest is open to US mailing addresses only. A big thanks to Hachette Book Group USA for offering this giveaway.