Martha Helen Kostyra (married to Andrew Stewart in 1961) was born on August 3,
1941 in Jersey City, NJ. She is a chef, entrepreneur, television personality, author
and co-author of numerous books and articles involving cooking, gardening, weddings,
and home improvement. She has written more than seventy-five books.
Entertaining was published in 1982. This was Stewart's first book, and it features the
recipes and photographs from the parties she hosted as part of her catering business.
Although it may be outdated now, it was revolutionary more than two decades ago
in how it expressed innovative ideas on how to entertain. One of the reviewers on
Amazon writes: "This book was published over 20 years ago. It is the foundation
of Martha Stewart's reputation, the starting point of her magazine, TV shows,
and the Kmart product line. The book is worthy of that reputation, as I am hard
pressed to think of how any book could do a better job at its chosen task."