He is a New York Times best-selling writer – 170 books, translated into 34 languages, with sales of over 6 million – but if you are a childless adult, you likely don’t know his name. If you are a 12-year-old YA reader, however, you cheer when you hear it. Plus, the sweet fried dough of many lands that makes our immigrant nation.

• •  Person: Jack London
  •  Place: Central Park’s North Woods
  •  Thing: pasticio
  •  Randy’s People: 3 characters from New Grub Street