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48 pages 1 hour read

From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home

Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 2019

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Book Brief

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Tembi Locke

From Scratch

Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 2019
Book Details
Pages

352

Format

Autobiography / Memoir • Nonfiction

Setting

United States And Italy • Contemporary

Topic
Publication Year

2019

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

From Scratch by Tembi Locke is a memoir that chronicles the author’s relationship with her husband, Saro, and her journey through grief and healing after his death. The narrative shifts between timelines, detailing Tembi and Saro’s love story, marriage, Saro’s battle with cancer, and Tembi’s emotional recovery in his Sicilian hometown of Aliminusa. This book involves themes of terminal illness and loss.

Emotional

Romantic

Inspirational

Bittersweet

Heartwarming

Reviews & Readership

4.2

50,801 ratings

74%

Loved it

21%

Mixed feelings

6%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

From Scratch by Tembi Locke portrays a heartfelt narrative of love, loss, and healing, resonating deeply with readers through its rich emotional landscape and vivid descriptions of Sicilian culture. While praised for its authenticity and evocative storytelling, some find its pacing uneven. Overall, it's a compelling memoir that intertwines romance and grief with culinary delight.

Who should read this

Who Should Read From Scratch?

Readers who savor heartfelt memoirs about love and loss will enjoy From Scratch by Tembi Locke. This book will appeal to fans of Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert and When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi. It captures the journey of personal healing and the cross-cultural experiences that deepen human connections.

4.2

50,801 ratings

74%

Loved it

21%

Mixed feelings

6%

Not a fan

Character List

Tembi Locke

An African American actress and the memoir's first-person narrator, who shares her journey from studying art history in college to meeting and marrying Saro, a Sicilian chef, during a semester abroad in Italy.

An accomplished Sicilian chef whose charm and persistence win over Tembi during her study-abroad experience in Florence, leading to a deep and transformative relationship despite cultural challenges.

Saro's traditional Sicilian parents who initially disapprove of his relationship with Tembi, driven by cultural and societal norms, but whose perspectives shift over time.

The adopted daughter of Tembi and Saro, who navigates her multicultural identity and familial bonds through meaningful experiences in both the United States and her father's native Sicily.

Book Details
Pages

352

Format

Autobiography / Memoir • Nonfiction

Setting

United States And Italy • Contemporary

Topic
Publication Year

2019

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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