One doesn’t usually conflate “Hilo” with “U.S. Supreme Court Justice” but in this case it’s a matter of fact.
A heartfelt story of simultaneously searching for delicious recipes and purpose in life, Justice is Served is an inspiring reminder that it’s never too late to discover—and follow—your deepest passion.
When Hilo author Leslie Karst learned that her offer to cook dinner for Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her renowned tax law professor husband, Marty, had been accepted, she was thrilled—and terrified. A small-town lawyer who hated her job and had taken up cooking as a way to add a bit of spice to the daily grind of pumping out billable hours, Karst had never before thrown such a high-stakes dinner party.
Could she really pull this off?
Justice is Served is Karst’s light-hearted, earnest account of the journey this unexpected challenge launched her on—starting with a trip to Paris for culinary inspiration, and ending with the dinner itself. Along the way, she imparts details of Ginsburg’s transformation from a young Jewish girl from Flatbush, Brooklyn, to one of the most celebrated Supreme Court justices in our nation’s history, and shares recipes for the
mouthwatering dishes she came up with as she prepared for the big night. But this memoir isn’t simply a tale of prepping for and cooking dinner for the famous RBG; it’s also about how this event, and all the planning and preparation that went into it, created a new sort of connection between Karst, her partner, and her parents, and also inspired Karst to make life changes that would reverberate far beyond one dinner party.
JUSTICE IS SERVED
By Leslie Karst
She Writes Press | On Sale April 4, 2023
Paperback: $17.95 | eBook: $8.99 | ISBN-13: 978-1647424589
Overview:
• An intricate blend of food memoir, celebrity tell-all, and law biography.
• For readers who enjoyed Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner, Julie and Julia by Julie Powell, Save
Me the Plums by Ruth Reichl, and books about RBG.
• Timeless themes and universal issues such as the search for one’s life purpose, women’s rights, and
joy in the mundane.
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Advance Praise:
• “Home chefs and Ginsburg fans will find this culinary adventure exquisitely delectable.” —Kirkus Reviews
• “An entertaining, engrossing page-turner that documents months of planning and soul-searching . . .. an extraordinary evening with the Ginsburgs and Karst’s renewed resolve to find a vocation that she ‘truly loved—as much as Ruth did the law’.” —Foreword Reviews
• “The highest of recommendations for this unique and gorgeously written recipe for happiness. Surprising, captivating, and as delicious as a perfect meal, I love this book beyond all reason.” — Hank Phillippi Ryan, USA Today bestselling author of Her Perfect Lie
• “[A] delectable page-turner . . . part memoir, part culinary odyssey, and part historical account of an extraordinary evening. I was salivating from beginning to end.” — Reyna Grande, author of A Dream Called Home
• “delicious and delightful. . . . Whether you love food or the law—or both!—you will savor every page.” —Adam Winkler, author of We the Corporations, National Book Award finalist
• “[A] captivating chronicle of one woman’s commitment to the law, to the culinary arts, to family, and to finding her life’s purpose. . . . Karst has masterfully woven her own story with that of the beloved Supreme Court justice, creating a narrative of two inspiring women whose paths cross for one special night.” —Elizabeth McKenzie, author of The Dog of the North and The Portable Veblen
• “Leslie Karst’s celebration of women’s progress wrapped up in the tale of one stupendous and lifechanging dinner is . . . chef’s kiss. Quietly patriotic, passionate, and oh-so readable, this book is a feast.” —Catriona McPherson, Anthony and Agatha Award-winning author of In Place of Fear
• “A literary meal that’s heartwarming, suspenseful, humorous, and entertaining. . . . An absolute delight.” —Ellen Byron, USA Today bestselling author of the Cajun Country and Vintage Cookbook Mysteries
• “Leslie Karst delights and tempts your appetite in this lovely memoir. . . . Justice is Served is a dish you’ll savor and enjoy.” —Maddie Day, Agatha Award-winning author of the Country Store and Cozy Capers Book Group Mysteries
• “Leslie Karst’s account of preparing a home dinner for a very distinguished guest—and nine others, including the security detail—is refreshingly candid, and studded with telling nuggets from RBG’s life and work. Entertaining, informative, and recipes included!” —Harold McGee, author of On Food & Cooking and Nose Dive
• “[T]his lively read…deftly interweaves the life and achievements of the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Karst’s quest for meaningful, satisfying work in life, and the pleasures of connecting at the table. The book is a romp from cover to cover—and, just like a great meal, left me ready for more.” — Karen Shimizu, Executive Editor, Food & Wine
About the Author:
The daughter of a law professor and a potter, Leslie Karst waited tables and sang in a new wave rock band before deciding she was ready for “real” job and ending up at Stanford Law School. It was during her career as a research and appellate attorney in Santa Cruz, California, that she rediscovered her youthful passion for food and cooking, at which point she once again returned to school—this time to earn a degree in culinary arts. Now retired from the law, Leslie spends her days penning the Sally Solari culinary mystery series, as well as cooking, gardening, cycling, and singing alto in her local community chorus. She and her wife and their Jack Russell mix split their time between Santa Cruz and Hilo, Hawai’i