My Life in France by Julia Child, Alex Prud'Homme Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of My Life in France
Book Review: "Save the Liver!"
Summary: 5 Stars
Before I read this book, I had a preconceived notion of Julia Child. She had taken on an almost cartoon-like character in my mind, due to a "Saturday Night Live" skit, and other various comedy acts. I had never watched one of her cooking shows, or had read one of her cookbooks. Yet I was also aware that most of my favorite chefs and cookbook authors mentioned her as a source of inspiration. I decided to put my prejudice aside and learn about this woman.
I loved reading "My Life In France". Julia turned out to be inspiring, warm, witty, and a new role model for me. She took up cooking in her mid to late 30's. Her first cookbook wasn't published until she was almost 50. She found her passion in life, and embraced it completely. One sentence in this book just jumped out at me, "Good results require that one take time and care." Julia seemed to live her life this way. I also loved the fact that she was a 6'2" American living in Paris, who physically couldn't blend in with the crowd. This didn't prevent her from following her dreams, or embracing life and new experiences. She faced obstacles head on, and didn't dwell on lifes disappointments. She seemed to take good care of her husband, family and friends. Those relationships came first, and the rest seemed to fall into place. What a lovely lady.
Book Review: A DELICIOUS MEMOIR
Summary: 5 Stars
First of all, I have to say that I'm not into cooking or cookbooks, but after reading so many wonderful reviews on Amazon, I decided that I had to read it.
From all the great reviews that I had read, my expectations were pretty high, but the book actually exceeded my expectations. Where do I start? Julia Child along with her husband's grand nephew, who happens to be a good writer, Alex Prud'Homme, effectively draw the reader into a French life fully lived by Julia and her husband, Paul. The descriptions of the land, the food, the people and the way of life are beautifully described in this loving memoir. I also saw a different side of Julia, one that is playful, humorous and really down to earth, while at the same time she was very detail oriented and totally dedicated to her craft. The book also features lovely pictures of Paris and other places where she and Paul visited or lived taken by Paul, as he was a skilled artist and a photographer. There are words and phrases sprinkled throughout in French (some are translated in English, others are not) and it helped that I know some French. The story picks up right after Julia gets married and moves to Paris for her husband's job. She instantly falls in love with France especially its cuisine inspiring her to start cooking. What a wonderful life she had! A great read whether you're into cooking or not.
Book Review: A Memoir
Summary: 5 Stars
"My Life in France" by Julia Child w/ Alex Prudhomme, ©2006
I love how this book reminds me of Julia, from seeing her on television. You can just hear her expressing herself, in person, about something, just that way.
She had a love of life and her husband. Of course she was a bit privileged and her husband earned a good salary with the fringe benefit of living in foreign countries, like France and Norway. But the privilege and life she led seems to be less important than her attitude: she truly was having fun.
This book is not limited to her life in France. She describes her childhood, how she met her husband, her parents, where they lived in Washington, her politics, etc. It is more her memoir. A more fun memoir can not be imagined. It is wonderful she and her great-nephew got this done.
Book Review: A delicious blend of food, cooking, travel, publishing, and most of all, life!
Summary: 5 Stars
Upon seeing the movie "Julie and Julia" last summer, I immediately added both "My Life in France" and "Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen" to my to-read list, the two books that the film's screenplay was based on. I found Julia Child's memoir of her years spent in France totally engaging. As a true foodie myself, I was hooked from the moment she described her first taste of French cuisine, a dish called sole meuniere (or as she puts it, a "morsel of perfection"). But what I loved most about this memoir was that it really gives the reader a glimpse into what Julia's life was like, even before she acquired celebrity chef status. The book, a collaboration between Julia and her husband's grand-nephew Alex Prud'Homme, is very well-written and I felt as if I nearly hear Julia's distinctive voice reading certain passages aloud to me. This memoir is a delicious blend of food, cooking, travel, book publishing, and life...I only wish more memoirs and biographies could grab me as this one did!Book Review: A delicious read!
Summary: 5 Stars
A wonderful insight into her life and food adventures. This book is a joy and inspiration for foodies everywhere. Bon Appitite!