Thank you to LibroFM for an audio arc of the essay collection, My First Popsicle: An Anthology of Food and Feelings, edited by Zosia Mamet.

Actress and writer Zosia Mamet ( daughter of famed playwright David Mamet) had an idea to curate a collection of essays regarding food and our emotions surrounding food. Mamet contributes her own essay, but also calls upon famous friends, such as Kaley Cuoco, her costar on The Flight Attendant, to contribute to the anthology. I listed to the audio version and many of the essays are read by the writers themselves, adding to the charm and intimacy of the stories.

As with many anthologies, the content was uneven in how I connect with the stories. Regarding this collection particularly, the writing talent was uneven, likely due to the abundance of celebrity contributors. I’m not implying that celebrities can’t also write, just that it was uneven and some contributions felt less polished or poignant than others. That said, I applaud the concept and generally delighted in several of the contributions.

Although we may connect with food in different ways, the idea of having emotional attachment to taste and the power of that particular sense is universal. I think most readers will find a connection with some of the essays, enough to make this collection recommendable.