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: So good, I was sad to reach the last page.
Summary: 5 Stars
I LOVED this book. With my continuing growth and love of cooking, Julia Child has become positively one of my favorite people on Earth. I had no idea what I was getting into with this book when I picked it up. I knew I wanted to read this specifically because it was really coming straight from her and not some researcher. These pages brought to me the real Julia. I never knew all the details of her French living life with her husband Paul. I now know that she and Paul clearly had such an amazing friendship and special bond with each other. One thing I hoped to see in this book was a lot of food talk. I was thrilled that so much of it revolved around meals she prepared, down to the exact ingredients each time. Hearing about her friends, her parties, her writing, her political views, I feel like she is someone I would love to have known and been friends with. If you like Julia Child and appreciate all her quirks, this book will make you love her. Read it.Book Review: Utterly Julia
Summary: 5 Stars
Absolutely heartfelt, charmingly candid memoir from the woman who practically single-handedly brought French cuisine to the American kitchen. It's how she became who she became, in her own words.
I read this concurrently with MFK Fisher's immortal The Gastronomical Me and Ian Kelly's biography Cooking for Kings: The Life of Antonin Careme. Fisher was a gastronome, an appreciator and a highly sensitive writer; Careme was a showman and an innovator with a gift for the spectacular. There is no one definition for a foodie... they're as different as human beings. In this exalted company, Julia more than stands her ground.
Speaking in her own clear words, Julia stands out as a sensible, fun-loving, seriously dedicated chef, student and teacher whose passion for her subject carries over to, and is an offshoot of, her love of life in general. It's virtually impossible to read this autobiography and be downhearted. Her joie de vivre, sense of adventure, experimentation, wonder and simple delight in discovery and sharing are contagious and much needed in a chilly world.
I recommend this warm and engaging autobiography not just for those who enjoy cooking, but for anyone who would like a torch along the path to finding their own joy in life. Unmissable and life-enhancing.
Book Review: Very Julia Child
Summary: 5 Stars
This informative memoir covers Julia Child's and photographer husband Paul Child's years in France, mostly Paris in the fifties, with humor, and her joyful experience learning the French way to cook at the famous Cordon Bleu. There are recipes and detailed descriptions of the meals and wines she and her husband and friends enjoyed. It's very Julia Child, and includes many wonderful photos of their life there.Book Review: Well written and an amazing insight into a very interesting person
Summary: 5 Stars
I admit that as an Australian I knew very little about Julia Child. The only information I knew about her was that she was a television cook and was a revered personality in American television. After reading this book about the start of her marriage and travelling through France with her husband and learning about the language, food and people of her adopted country is amazing. I thoroughly recommend this book, it is very well written and an interesting insight into a fascinating person.Book Review: Wonderful book
Summary: 5 Stars
Although I wish the book had had pictures and the French bits had had translations I still can't bear to give this book anything less than the full 5 stars. The movie Julie & Julia was my only exposure to the legendary Julia Child (too young for the TV show) but the depiction by the also legendary Meryl Streep compelled me to get this book.
Julia is intelligent, hard working, strong, funny and most of all tenacious, determined to get the most accurate information for her recipes, it really made me admire her as a person. Reading her memoirs of her time in Europe and her writing/TV career felt like spending time and reading letters written by a dear friend from a different time. I wish I could thank her for sharing her life with us.