Who is Ruth Reichl from Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at the Table and what is their importance?

The narrative follows the life of Ruth Reichl from a precocious three-year-old to a well-established food writer. Ruth shows remarkable resilience and equanimity during an extremely trying childhood. Ruth's mother is mentally ill, but does not even try to be a good parent during her lucid phases. Her father is totally ineffectual and emotionally unavailable, focusing entirely on his wife. Ruth's mother abandons her repeatedly, first by taking a month-long trip to Europe and leaving Ruth with her bored grandmother, who has no idea how to care for a six-year-old. Fortunate, the grandmother dumps Ruth on Aunt Birdie, who provides the secure, loving atmosphere a child needs to thrive.