Sweetbitter

Sweetbitter is a 2016 novel by American writer Stephanie Danler, published by Alfred A. Knopf. It is Danler's first published book. It was written over a seven-year period, and, despite glowing press before its release, received mixed reviews. The book is based in part on Danler's experience as a waitress in New York City. History and background The novel was written while Danler was a waitress at Union Square Cafe and an MFA student at nearby university The New School. Later, while a waitress at Buvette, another restaurant in New York City, she met Peter Gethers, a publisher, and informed him that she had recently finished a book. After Gethers recommended the manuscript to a friend, Danler received a six-figure contract for two novels at Alfred A. Knopf. Danler is one of a cohort of authors to receive large contracts in exchange for multi-book deals. Others include Emma Cline and Imbolo Mbue. Danler has stated that although she has much in common with Tess, the novel's protagonist, that Tess "quickly became a character, and is in many ways much better and much worse at life than I was at that age" and is not entirely based on her. She has also stated that the novel's other two central characters, Jake and Simone, are entirely fictional. Danler has compared writing her first novel to her experiences in the restaurant world.