1. Surprise Me – If you choose this option, we’ll be sure to seat you at a dinner that meets your dietary restrictions (there is a place to share these with us when you register).

2. Tender Is the Night – F. Scott Fitzgerald
The glamorous lifestyle of the French Riviera in the 1920s sets the stage for this elegant feast. You’ll savor salmon canapés; whole beef tenderloin; creamed mushrooms; wild rice; green salad with poached asparagus, endive, and cucumber; and a mocha-chocolate mousse cake with fresh berries. Not too tough to take! M

3. The Girl Under the Olive Tree – Leah Fleming
This Greek feast invites you to bask in the island’s sun-drenched mosaic of flavors. You’ll start with ouzo and mezze—grape leaves, hummus, olives, and pita, move on to a Greek salad, and indulge in a main course of chicken souvlaki, roasted potatoes, and vegetarian moussaka. Save room for baklava! V, M

4. The Midwest Survival Guide – Charlie Berens
Join your neighbors for a “Midwestern nice” feast Inspired by the tradition of Wisconsin supper clubs. The family-style meal will include a selection of farm-fresh hearty dishes based on European immigrant roots with a distinctive modern Midwestern flair. M

5. SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome – Mary Beard
Celebrate the SPQR (Senate and People of Rome), who challenged the idea of imperial rule and invented the idea of citizenship, with this rousing Tuscan feast. Start with a pesto/tomato puff pastry and antipasto, followed by limoncello chicken, roasted fennel and asparagus over pasta, and Caesar salad. Togas optional. M, V

6. James – Percival Everett
As canny and sophisticated as James himself, this dinner will feature upscale versions of old Southern favorites. Start your virtual journey down the Mississippi with pimento cheese and deviled eggs, pull up for some seafood gumbo, and dock at a heaping helping of fish with red beans and rice accompanied by loads of vegetables. P 

7. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow – Washington Irving
Gallop along with Ichabod Crane to this traditional all-American feast—with a scary twist. The menu will feature a charcuterie board, butternut squash soup, braised beef short ribs or salmon with lentils, grilled vegetables, and, naturally, apple pie for dessert. You might lose your head over this one! M, P, V

8. Hotel Pastis: A Novel of Provence – Peter Mayle
Simon Shaw, a rumpled, fortyish English advertising executive, left it all behind to decamp to the South of France—and you can now join him, culinarily at least, by choosing this French vegetarian feast. Your hosts will showcase the fresh produce of Provence and share the magic of pastis, a little champagne, and new friends. Vive la France! V

9. Between Two Waters: Heritage, Landscape, and the Modern Cook – Pam Brunton
Inspired by dishes served at the author’s restaurant in the idyllic Scottish Highlands, this feast will offer an assortment of savory appetizers, saffron and mussel broth, cream of corn soup, venison stew, cod roasted with cherry tomatoes and shallots, mushroom risotto, roasted vegetables with sauce vierge, arugula salad, and sweets. Blasta! M, V, P

10. The Wildes – Louis Bayard
Follow the path that Oscar Wilde and his family took in the aftermath of his sensational trial. You’ll start in England with sausage rolls and smoked salmon, travel to Italy’s Liguria region for farinata (chickpea pancakes) and pesto, and end in Normandy, where apples, cream, and hearty stews grace the table. So good, it’s almost scandalous! M

11. The Song of Achilles – Madeline Miller
All praises to the immortals for this sumptuous Greek feast based on a reimagining of Homer’s enduring masterwork, The Iliad. The menu will include an assortment of Mediterranean dips and spreads, spanakopita, salad, chicken and beef dishes, and a vegetarian moussaka. You’ll be head over heels! M, V

12. The Maid – Nita Prose
Molly the maid can’t figure out who murdered a hotel guest, but it’s no mystery what she loves to eat at Olive Garden: “The Tour of Italy.” Your host will offer homemade versions of the restaurant’s classic trio: lasagna, fettuccine Alfredo, and chicken parmesan—and, of course, salad and breadsticks aplenty! M

13. An Oktoberfest Death – Thomas J. Miller
Beer isn’t the only thing with bite at this Oktober-feast based on a mystery that blends suspense and sauerkraut in a deliciously twisted tale. As steins clink and secrets bubble to the surface, you’ll enjoy a Bavarian vesper board, beer-braised pork roast with gravy, and spaetzle. Lederhosen optional; curiosity mandatory! M

14. Angel in the Whirlwind: The Triumph of the America Revolution – Benson Bobrick
Raise a toast to the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence at this authentic Colonial American dinner. This feast will feature roast heritage turkey, Thomas Jefferson’s macaroni and cheese recipe brought from France by James Hemmings, and a green vegetable and mixed-green salad typical of produce popular in 18th-century America. Huzzah! M

15. The Sheltering Sky – Paul Bowles
Travel across North Africa without the harsh heat and shifting sands at this exotic feast. The menu will feature Moroccan chicken tagine with olives and preserved lemons in a saffron sauce, Algerian couscous with vegetables and dried fruit, Tunisian chakchouka (poached eggs in a vegetable sauce), zaalouk (eggplant and tomato salad), and flatbread. M

16. Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning – Peter Beinart
The underpinning for this Middle Eastern feast is the cookbook Jerusalem, by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi, which features unique cross-cultural recipes from mezze to inventive vegetable dishes and more. Your hosts will share not only a succulent meal but also their experiences living and working in Israel and Palestine. M, V

17. The Covenant of Water – Abraham Verghese
Verghese’s best-selling novel about a family plagued by drownings provides a jumping-off point for this pescatarian feast. The menu will feature Indian dishes creatively adapted from cookbooks and modified by your hosts, including at least one vegetable dish that will likely be a surprise. This is one you’ll want to plunge right into! P

18. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow – Gabrielle Zavon
A Korean-American character whose grandparents own a pizza parlor inspired your hosts—who hold a special place in their hearts for a slice join—to explore the intersection of Korean and Italian American cuisine. On the menu: gochujang and kimchi penne vodka with pork belly, Korean fried chicken wings, and Italian chopped salad filled with banchan. M

19. Does This Taste Funny? Recipes Our Family Loves – Stephen and
Evie McGee Colbert
The satirist and his wife share favorite recipes from South Carolina in their high-spirited cookbook. Join in on the fun at this feast featuring seafood and party appetizers with a distinctly Southern flair. And don’t forget cocktail hour, which Stephen loves “because it feels like a reward for going so long without a cocktail.” P

20. Wind, Sand and Stars – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
A book about the wonders of flying sends this feast soaring, starting with endive salad and pâté from France, moving on to Spanish gazpacho, and taking flight with the redolent flavors of North Africa, including two tagines (one chicken, one tomato and feta), as well as kebabs and other dishes of the region. Happy landings! M, P, V, G

21. The Lost Daughter: A Novel – Elena Ferrante
Lose yourself in this feast that’s a nod to both the author’s Neapolitan characters and the Greek setting of this novel. Your hosts will greet you with a Negroni cocktail and nibbles before you sit down for handmade thin-crust pizza, followed by shrimp saganaki over orzo and a tricolore salad with bread. P

22. Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual – Michael Pollan, illustrated by Maira Kalman
Michael Pollan says to eat food, not too much, and mostly plants. Let vibrant, colorful, seasonal produce take center stage in simple, honest dishes—made without a single ingredient a third grader wouldn’t be able to pronounce—and dinner becomes beautiful, satisfying, and uncomplicated. Your hosts’ favorite Food Rule of all: Eat with other people. P, V

23. The British Are Coming: The War or America, Lexington to Princeton, 1775-1777 – Rick Atkinson
Celebrate the American Revolution with 18th-century recipes that fortified the colonists to fight the British and win the war! Delicious homemade specialties will make the most of ingredients that were available at the time, including pork and pippin pie, cranberries, squash, corn, chutney, and cheese. Tea (ahem) will NOT be served. M

24. The Warmth of Other Suns – Isabel Wilkerson
You’re invited to break cornbread with the hosts of this Southern comfort/soul food feast inspired by America’s Great Migration, when millions of Black Americans moved north, bringing their rich culinary traditions with them. The menu will include BBQ chicken, mac and cheese, sweet potato casserole, and green beans. You’ll warm right up to this one! M

25. A Gentleman in Moscow – Amor Towles
Join your hosts at the Hotel Metropol for a delightful feast. As honored guests in the hotel’s grand banquet hall, you will be treated to bouillabaisse and airy baguettes, with starters of blinis, pelmeni (dumplings), and beet salad. Savor an evening of pleasure in these challenging times (lots of vodka will help!). P

26. The Witches of Eastwick – John Updike
This “wicked good” feast reflects the culture and cuisine of Rhode Island, starting with raw oysters and stuffies, accompanied by a witchy cocktail. The hearty meal will include an autumnal salad, Portuguese seafood stew with chouriço and shellfish, an Italian-inspired pasta dish, crusty rustic bread, and thoughtfully paired wines. Sounds downright bewitching! M

27. The Shadow of the Wind – Carlos Luis Zafón
This progressive Spanish feast, based on a novel set in Barcelona, will send you wafting down the sidewalks of Navy Yard. Blow in to the first house for appetizers and cocktails, then sail on to a second home for a main course of Spanish tapas and light desserts (there will be a short 5-minute walk between the two homes). ¡Buen provecho! M

28. The Last Chicken in America – Ellen Litman
A collection of wryly humorous stories about a group of Russian-Jewish immigrants trying to assimilate in a new world lends itself to a multicultural feast. The menu will feature chicken (though, presumably, not the last!) in a garlic and chili wine sauce with rice and vegetables, with a watermelon gazpacho for starters. M

29. What I Ate in One Year – Stanley Tucci
The Italian-American actor and author shares his diary of meals consumed during 12 months of delicious eating. He savored a variety of dishes as he traveled abroad and back home again. What will be on your plate? Prepare for an eclectic mix of cuisines, but be assured that all will be delizioso! M

30. Tomorrow There Will Be Apricots – Jennifer Soffer
Why wait for tomorrow when you can enjoy a delicious Iraqi-Jewish feast today? Based on recipes from the book, the menu will include masgouf (Iraqi grilled fish)—an elusive family recipe the novel’s main character goes to great lengths to find—Middle Eastern salads with pita, vegetables, and feta and spinach burekas (savory pastries). P

31. My Brilliant Friend – Elena Ferrante
Inspired by the book’s setting in a poor but vibrant neighborhood on the outskirts of Naples, this brilliant Italian feast will include appetizers of salad and prosciutto with melon, a traditional Neapolitan pasta dish as an entrée, and an Italian dessert with limoncello to finish. Mangia tutto! G

32. Wide Awake: The Forgotten Force That Elected Lincoln and Spurred the Civil War – John Grinspan
A prize-winning book by a Capitol Hill author (who just may be in attendance) provides the setup for a modern take on an inaugural meal. Lincoln’s first inaugural luncheon was quite simple, but his second inaugural feast held during troubled times was over the top. This one will fall somewhere in between, with a buffet selection of American favorites and lots of baked desserts. M

33. These Foolish Things – Deborah Moggach
This novel, which was also published—and made into a movie—as The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, inspires both a delectable Indian meal, featuring meat and vegetarian entrées, and a celebration of strangers who come together under odd circumstances and gel as friends (well, at least most of them!). M, V

34. Varina Palladino’s Jersey Italian Love Story – Terri-Lynne DeFino
Yo! You from Jersey? Even if you’re not, you’ll love this feast reminiscent of “Jersey Italian” family gatherings. It will be overflowing with boisterous high spirits and plenty of good food, including antipasto charcuterie platters, two kinds of lasagna (meat and vegetarian), crisp salad, and a selection of Italian wines and spritzers. Salute! M, V 

35. Forever – Pete Hamill
A book about a man who arrives in New York in the 1740s and is granted immortality—as long as he never leaves Manhattan—sets the scene for this feast highlighting the city’s evolving immigrant cultures. Included will be a main dish of classic Delmonico or New York strip steaks as well as—of course—Manhattans! M

36. The Meaning of Beer: How Our Pursuit of the Perfect Pint Built the World –
Jonny Garrett
Join your local brewmeister for a five-course feast paired with hoppy quaffs. Start with crudités and beer-based dips (IPA) chased by beer cheese soup (lager), followed by a main course of ale-braised short ribs and drunken mashed potatoes (ale), a kale salad with bacon and “beersalmic” dressing (porter), and a final toast of stout with Guinness Stout Chocolate Cheesecake. Cheers! M