For Adults
About the Event
Join us for an warm and relatable conversation with Sonali Menezes as she celebrates the release of her illustrated memoir, Depression Cooking: Feeding Yourself When It All Feels Too Hard. Books will be available for purchase, and a signing will follow the event.
Notice of Scent Sensitivity: The author experiences sensitivities to various chemical-based and scented products. Scented products such as hair spray, perfume, and deodorant can trigger reactions such as respiratory distress and migraines. Participants are kindly asked to avoid wearing scented products when attending this author event. We thank you in advance for your cooperation in our efforts to accommodate their well-being.
Presented in partnership with Words Worth Books.
About Depression Cooking: Feeding Yourself When It All Feels Too Hard
When artist Sonali Menezes found herself struggling with mental illness, disordered eating, and the crushing weight of capitalism, she began to look for easy and delicious ways to feed herself that would both fulfill her hunger and her need for care. Her method — non-judgmental, anti-diet, and approachable — became Depression Cooking, a book that combines recipes, personal memoir, and illustrations to provide a guide for those moments in all of our lives when making a meal, and loving yourself, feels impossible.
In each chapter, Sonali writes and draws about a challenging period in her life, when food seemed more like an enemy than an ally, and shares the recipes and cooking tips that nurtured her body and her soul. From dal to ramen to “things on toast,” Depression Cooking lays out an approach that helps us through life’s hardest challenges, whether that’s becoming a new parent, being fired from a job, weathering grief, or living on our own for the first time.
Part comic, part food memoir, part cookbook, Depression Cooking is a love letter to the sad, hungry, and exhausted versions of ourselves who always deserve care, community, and good food. This empathetic, innovative, and delightfully funny book is one of one, and exactly the permission we all need to enjoy beautiful meals just because we can.
About Sonali Menezes
Sonali Menezes is an artist, zinester, and writer. She lives in Hamilton, ON, with her husband, cat, and houseplants. She loves food and eats it every day in celebration. Depression Cooking is her first book. Find her on Instagram: @sonaleeeeeee.
Accessibility Accommodations: We strive to make our programs welcoming and accessible for everyone. If you have any accessibility needs, accommodation requests, or questions about participating, please contact us at wplprogramming@wpl.ca and we'll do our best to support you.
Photography Notice: Please note that photographs and videos may be taken at this event and may be broadcast, reproduced, and/or made available in print or online. For individual or small group photos, staff will make attendees aware of their presence and will ask permission before taking photos.
For larger public events, please note that by attending, you are consenting to the use of your appearance, image, and voice in print or digital productions created by the Waterloo Public Library for promotional use only. Please speak to library staff at the event if you’d like to be excluded from any photo/video.
Staff: Maddy
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