cover image Memoir of the Sunday Brunch

Memoir of the Sunday Brunch

Julia Pandl. Algonquin, $13.95 trade paper (272p) ISBN 978-1-61620-172-2

A witty and affectionate debut from Pandl, an occasional standup comic who first self-published this book in 2011, is rife with colorful recollections of familial adventures at home and at her parents’ Milwaukee restaurant, Pandl’s. The youngest of nine, the author, now 41, began her restaurant career at 12, and she quickly learned the joys and horrors of working the Sunday brunch (hilarious depictions of panicked pancake-making and hungover fish-deboning are particularly memorable). Her parents, whom she calls Terry and George, are kooky for sure, but when George is in boss mode, he transforms into a twitching, tongs-wielding, dining-room tyrant. But it’s all part of the lovable, unforgettable package that is George—which makes Pandl’s story all the more poignant as she writes of Terry’s illness and death, and later, George’s own illness and dependence on his children. Pandl shifts perspectives from daughter and sibling to caregiver and companion; she writes, “Our parents are planted everywhere in us.” There’s much to relate in this worthwhile read, from funny family and workplace tales to thoughtful musings on faith, mortality, and loyalty. (Nov.)