Tuesday, November 10, 2009

I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti

I have a new book to share with you! This is one I have had marked on my GoodReads To-Read shelf for a few months. I recently wrote the author, Giulia Melucci, to see if she would be interested in giving away a copy of I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti. I've got some good news for you, Giulia is offering 5 copies for giveaway!

Giulia is a perpetually single woman dreaming of the perfect man and a marriage proposal - both of which she can't seem to find. In her debut memoir, I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti, she details her broken relationships and the delicious food she just can't resist preparing. Sometimes for the men in her life. Sometimes because of them.

Expect lots of Italian dishes in this book as the title implies. Giulia is the daughter of two Italians: a Brooklyn born first-generation Italian-American mother and a father who immigrated from southern Italy to establish a medical practice in the United States. With recipe titles like First Date Butterflies (Farfalle with Tuna), A Salad that Failed to Make a Perfect New Year's Eve (Mache, Pomegranate, and Pecan Salad), and No Nookie Gnocchi you'll be entertained as much by the recipes as you are by the stories of Giulia's failed romances.


Dating only a few in college and marrying by the end of my 20th year, I don't have anywhere near the dating history Giulia describes in her book. Naturally, I found it interesting and amusing to read her dating woes and drama. And hilarious to see the lengths to which she'd go to get that next boyfriend. I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti is perfect for anyone who needs a fun, easy read as well as those who can't keep their mouth from salivating while reading recipe after recipe. I happen to fit into both categories.

And because I come from Sicilian descent (though only one-quarter), I have to share this fun quote about Giulia's Sicilian mother.

"My mother is Sicilian, which to her means a meal is not complete until you have 'something sweet.' She is dogged in her pursuit of the best desserts and will drive any distance if she hears there's a good bakery hidden somewhere in the tristate area. If she wasn't just back from one such expedition, she'd whip something up: a coconut custard pie, a chocolate bundt cake, or moist ricotta fritters covered in powdered sugar."

-Giulia Melucci; I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti


The Rules:
  • Leave a comment on THIS post by 11:59 pm PST November 15th
  • Anonymous comments: leave your email address and first name in the comments.
  • 5 random winners will be announced November 16th.
  • Contest open to US and Canadian Residents only.
Extra Entries: Additional entries can be earned by doing any of the following, giving you a total of 3 entries. Leave a separate comment for each of your entries.
  • Tweet about this giveaway. Include @goodLifeEats and a link to the giveaway in your tweet. Leave the link to your Twitter post in a comment.
  • Subscribe to goodLife {eats} via email or RSS reader. New Subscribers only.

109 comments:

  1. I haven't read this book yet, but I want to. I know we have the same taste in books so if you loved it I will too:) thanks!

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  2. I've wanted to read the book ever since I saw the piglet review! I also added you to my google homepage subscriptions (which I've been meaning to do forever!)

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  3. Looks like a great read! I would enjoy this.

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  4. Wow, this looks like a great read. I'm always looking for a new book and great plot!

    Jessica

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  5. http://twitter.com/saramomof2/status/5601393572
    I follow you on twitter @saramomof2 & tweeted!

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  6. Hey, I didn't know you were a Sicilian. Me too, just one quarter. My grandmother's meatballs are a distant memory.

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  7. Sounds like a great book Thanks for this review and giveaway
    tanyainjville@yahoo.com

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  8. Tweeted
    https://twitter.com/starryeyed24/status/5601940147

    tanyainjville@yahoo.com

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  9. this sounds very interesting! Something a little different than your standard cookbook.

    bettyearl@prodigy.net

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  10. The books sounds entertaining and familiar. I too, am a single gal who loves to cook. I love to read recipes and plan meals Sometimes I plan meals just for me and sometimes for that special someone I am dating at the time. I will go all out if I really like the guy. :)

    Leslie

    lawright211999@yahoo.com

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  11. Would love a copy of this book.
    Jill
    wenigj@aol.com

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  12. Ooh, I love books about food!

    amanda@fakeginger.com

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  13. As a perpetual foodie and bookie (Whoops, wrong word! I mean I love books.), I love the premise of this book. If I don't win one, I will buy it!

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  14. sounds like a great read...count me in!

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  15. This book sounds AWESOME! If I don't win a copy, I think I'll be adding this to my Christmas list =D

    lauwil07@gmail.com

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  16. I love reading books about food!!!! This one sounds great!!

    hamccarthy64@cox.net

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  17. This book sounds like so much fun!

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  18. I too love to read about cooking & eating.

    Jennifer (starxlr8 at gmail dot com)

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  19. This has been on my "to read" list for awhile, too. What a generous giveaway, thank you for hosting it!

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  20. I have been wanting to read this for awhile....would love to win this one!
    Thanks!
    Tania
    lovebigbakeoften@gmail.com

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  21. I tweeted about the giveaway as well:

    http://twitter.com/browneyedbaker/status/5606381150

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  22. I love cooking books and this one sounds fun!

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  23. I really can't wait to read this! I'll have to wait and see if I win first before running to the library!

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  24. I follow you on blog, I don't know if that counts!

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  25. ooh ooh! i'd love to win this =)

    pbjenny1@gmail.com

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  26. i also twittered about it:
    http://twitter.com/pbjenny

    my tweets are protected, but here's what i posted:
    "contest by @goodLifeEats to win "i loved, i lost, i made spaghetti" =) check it out. http://digg.com/u1G7Qp"

    *crosses fingers*
    pbjenny1@gmail.com

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  27. Mmm... sounds like good food (I love Italian). And a good story to go with it? Even better.

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  28. I became a subscriber today, too!

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  29. Here's my Twitter link... http://twitter.com/meggieloulou1

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  30. I must be part Sicilian because I agree with Giulia's mother that a meal is not complete without a little sweet. Thanks for the chance at the giveaway.

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  31. I just subsribed to your Google feed. foodie ffanatic dd.h930@gmail.com Dani

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  32. Sounds like such a fun book. Love the Title too. I have a US address & would love to be entered.
    Thank you for such a wonderful giveaway!

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  33. I'm afraid that I don't know how to leave a link to my Twitter retweet with the link to this post. I'm ddh77 at Twitter. Dani

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  34. Sounds like a Super fun book, I'd love one!! Thanks for the chance to win!

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  35. It sounds like a cool book. I'd definitely like to have it!

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  36. I, too, know Love-Loss - Spaghetti. thanks for the book give away!!!!

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  37. I've been on a foodie memoir kick lately, and this one looks adorable. Thanks for the giveaway opportunity!

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  38. As a love-sick and homesick Italian-American NYer, I am definitely entering for this book. :D

    --Nico
    nicodeyo@gmail.com

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  39. I have been racking up good food reads...I can't wait to dig into this one!
    -Stephanie

    smr381@psu.edu

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  40. this sounds like a great read!

    m_strupeck@yahoo.com

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  41. I could use a good book about now. I 'd love a chance to win. Thanks.

    zippieee@msn.com

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  42. I tweeted
    http://twitter.com/zebastyandylan/statuses/5619567892

    zippieee@msn.com

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  43. Looks like something I would enjoy! Would love to enter this...also added you to me google reader, love this blog!

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  44. I'm Sicilian ...so that explains my need for "something sweet"!!!

    Sherri
    emesher@aol.com

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  45. Mmm...sounds like a great book! I love Italian!

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  46. This sounds like a great and entertaining book!

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  47. And here's the tweet (paninikathy):

    RT @goodlifeeats Win 1 of 5 copies of I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti http://bit.ly/2A5IDJ (has been on my wishlist for months!)

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  48. This book looks like a fun twist to a normal cookbook. I love to read, and love to cook!

    Lisa
    lisa.lovesbargins at hotmail dot com

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  49. Great book title - and who hasn't turned to spaghetti when heartbroken.

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  50. This would be a great addition to all my cookbooks :)

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  51. I tweeted about it : http://twitter.com/thescorpiowoman/status/5623021257

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  52. Sounds like a great read! Pick me!! Reminds me of the a great quote... "Approach love and cooking with equal abandon"

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  53. I would love a copy of this book!

    yurisasaki[at]gmail[dot]com

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  54. This really does sound like a fun read! I'd love to check it out! Plus, I'm a sucker for Italian food...yum!

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  55. This looks awesome. I love a good read especially about food.

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  56. The recipe titles are so cute! Sounds like a great read!

    :)

    smashleysiobhan@gmail.com

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  57. Love your blog, and this sounds like a fun read.

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  58. I've been wanting to read this for ages! With your review (and her generosity!) It should be a winner!

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  59. Looks like a fun read & I love that she interspersed recipes in the story. Cute video.

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  60. Haven't read it yet, but I already love this book! Can't wait to read it when I have some free time! :)

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  61. Tweet Tweet! http://twitter.com/ladybuggin/status/5629515074

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  62. This sounds great! I'm always looking for a good book to read.

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  63. Who doesn't love to read (talk, dream, think) about food? I feel like that's all I do sometimes, and I haven't gotten bored yet - hungry sometimes, but not bored.

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  64. I just found your blog through Make and Takes. So glad that I did. This book looks great. Going to explore your blog some more. . .

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  65. Looks like a book I would thoroughly enjoy! Pick me. Please.

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  66. Sounds great, sign me up!

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  67. I've been meaning to read this book as well! I think i have the same dating strategy...win 'em by their stomachs. Has not been working for me either.

    miss.irene@gmail.com

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  68. Oh yeah....I'm so happy Canadians can enter! I've heard of this book but haven't seen it around here...please include me in the draw!

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  69. Sounds like the story of my life.

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  70. Reading and cooking, a great combo! Here's to me winning one of the copies of the book, wahoo!

    kathy.hillacre@gmail.com

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  71. I adore Italian food and love to read.
    veniceangel@hotmail.com

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  72. I love the sound of this book, both because I'm a Reader (note the use of the capital 'R'. haha!) and because while I love Italian food, I don't have much experience cooking it. Also intriguing is the quotation. It sounds as if Giulia's mother is a bit like a few of the women in my own family.

    a(dot)hayek(at)gmail(dot)com

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  73. Even if not a winner, this is going on my To Read list via Goodreads. Just from the title and sysnopsis, I see uncanny parallels with my own life. :)

    tara.thies@gmail.com

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  74. This really looks wonderful!!!

    -Amy
    www.singforyoursupperblog.com

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  75. Ooooohhhh, I hope I win!!
    Katie
    bluewingsloo@hotmail.com

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  76. Any book that talks about Italian food is one I'd love to have!

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  77. Heather
    nutkinnb_at_gmail.com

    This sounds great!

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  78. What a fun book ... sounds like an entertaining read!

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  79. I love the new memoir/cookbook format! This one looks great too!
    Jen (jen_bedford@hotmail.com)

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  80. This sounds like the perfect tasty treat for both my belly and my eyes! I can't wait to dig into it!!!!

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  81. I am very excited about this book! I am Italian-Sicilian .... and the culture and food is the very best!! I loved the video!! I know the book has to be a riot!!

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  82. Sounds like a great read. I'm not Italian, but I LOVE the food!

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  83. wonderful giveaway!
    i love to read books!!!
    junghwa-chung@hotmail.com

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  84. I love reading about romance and great food!

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  85. I hope I win as I love reading good books!
    jimlinda5678@yahoo.com Linda.

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  86. I'd love to read that book! It's on my list.

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  87. I love being Sicillian, mostly because when I get married I'm implementing the Viennese table tradition (further proving my love of sweets). The book sounds delightful... misery loves company :)

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  88. love to cook. love to read. maybe that's why I check your blog every few days!
    keeping my fingers crossed that I'll win this!

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  89. debra.pp@hotmail.com
    i would love to win

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  90. the book sounds really interesting. I would love to read it.

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  91. Sounds fun - especially for holiday entertaining!

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  92. Looks like a wonderful fun read.
    Crosses fingers and hopes to win!

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  93. Love the title and would love to win it!!! Thanks SO MUCH for arranging this! I'll tweet about it too! My email is jennifer [at] jennifercarrollevents [dot] com

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  94. I tweeted! check it out: http://twitter.com/JCarrollEvents

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  95. Any mix of dating and food, should make for a delightful read:)

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  96. Tweeted your giveaway

    http://twitter.com/FoodCents

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  97. Sounds delicious! Hope to win!

    Sara
    sara.ffy@gmail.com

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