Plus, receive recommendations and exclusive offers on all of your favorite books and authors from Simon & Schuster.
LIST PRICE $29.00
PRICE MAY VARY BY RETAILER
Free shipping when you spend $40. Terms apply.
Buy from Other Retailers
Table of Contents
About the Book
Discover the transformative power of generosity in this poignant and uplifting story by New York Times bestseller J. Ryan Stradal, about a middle-aged lunch lady who receives an anonymous $15 million gift.
Peggy Johnson thought she knew what the rest of her life would look like. In her fifties, recently divorced, with her grown children on opposite sides of the country, Peggy spends her days working as a cook at the local elementary school. Some people think “lunch lady” is a less-than-respectable job; Peggy considers it her duty to make sure every child is fed, even those who haven’t been able to pay. Even if it’s not strictly within the administration’s guidelines.
When the local newspaper starts a new series on “local heroes,” Peggy, to her surprise, is the first honoree. (Her next-door neighbor’s grandson nominated her because she always shovels his grandmother’s driveway.) What is even more surprising, however, is the anonymous $15 million gift Peggy receives several weeks after the article runs. The gift is from a former student, someone Peggy fed when their parents could not, and the request is simple: use this money to continue to help others however you see fit. And buy something for yourself as well.
Set in the pre-digital, post-grunge era of the late nineties, Lunch Money reminds us that generosity is often repaid in ways we don’t expect, and that it’s never too late for a second act. As delightful as it is wise, it showcases J. Ryan Stradal as a writer at the top of his game.
Peggy Johnson thought she knew what the rest of her life would look like. In her fifties, recently divorced, with her grown children on opposite sides of the country, Peggy spends her days working as a cook at the local elementary school. Some people think “lunch lady” is a less-than-respectable job; Peggy considers it her duty to make sure every child is fed, even those who haven’t been able to pay. Even if it’s not strictly within the administration’s guidelines.
When the local newspaper starts a new series on “local heroes,” Peggy, to her surprise, is the first honoree. (Her next-door neighbor’s grandson nominated her because she always shovels his grandmother’s driveway.) What is even more surprising, however, is the anonymous $15 million gift Peggy receives several weeks after the article runs. The gift is from a former student, someone Peggy fed when their parents could not, and the request is simple: use this money to continue to help others however you see fit. And buy something for yourself as well.
Set in the pre-digital, post-grunge era of the late nineties, Lunch Money reminds us that generosity is often repaid in ways we don’t expect, and that it’s never too late for a second act. As delightful as it is wise, it showcases J. Ryan Stradal as a writer at the top of his game.
About the Author
Photograph by Ryan Schude
J. Ryan Stradal is the author of the New York Times bestseller Kitchens of the Great Midwest and the national bestsellers The Lager Queen of Minnesota and Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club. His shorter writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Rumpus, and The Guardian, among other places. Born and raised in Minnesota, he now lives in California with his family.
Product Details
- Publisher: Atria Books (May 4, 2027)
- Length: 352 pages
- ISBN13: 9781668247754
Browse Related Books
Raves and Reviews
"I can't say it any other way: you will be a better person after reading Lunch Money. Filled with wit, beauty, joy, human connection, and Stradal's skilled narrative voice and attention to details and nostalgia, the book fully absorbed me. Peggy Johnson is a character who will forever stay in your heart. —Ethan Joella, author of The Top of the World
"What happens when a decent person is handed a fortune? Lunch Money reads like an updated Frank Capra movie—think Mr. Smith Goes to Washington—and Peggy Johnson is a hero for our times. As warm and sweet as a slice of peach pie." —Meg Howrey, author of They’re Going to Love You and Body Language
"J. Ryan Stradal writes from the heart, and this is his most heartfelt novel yet. The story of how a truly good woman faces the best and worst life throws her way, Lunch Money is part playful meditation on generosity, part wacky romp careening around hairpin turns—imagine Carl Hiaasen hitting the Midwest. Hang on tight for the ride! From school cafeteria to winery to snowplow factory to murder site, I cheered for Peggy who is the kind of person the world needs more of these days." —Kim Fay, national bestselling author of Love & Saffron and Kate & Frida
“Lunch Money is warm, sharp, surprising and bursting with heart, the kind of novel that makes you believe that an act of kindness can change a life and the lives of everyone around it. J. Ryan Stradal spins a charming, funny, deeply empathetic yarn about what happens when we truly notice and connect with each other. Reading Lunch Money is like sitting on the back porch with an old friend while they spin a story about the most outrageous and transformative moment of their life, and you don’t want them to stop. This novel is a delightful joy to read; you’ll close the book wanting to share it with a friend just so can talk about the wisdom, twists, and hilarity of Peggy Johnson’s life.” —Patti Callahan Henry, NYT Bestselling author of Heart of the Wild
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
-
Book Cover Image (jpg): Lunch Money
Hardcover 9781668247754
-
Author Photo (jpg): J. Ryan Stradal Photograph by Ryan Schude(0.1 MB)
Any use of an author photo must include its respective photo credit
