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: Julia being Julia and doing it well.
Summary: 5 Stars
For those who find Julia Child's recipes to be to their liking, plus those who appreciate her refreshingly irreverent attitude toward the culinary arts, will enjoy this book. That is by no means said in a critical way, but recognizes that Julia's manner can sometimes be off-putting to those who take their cooking rather too seriously. I enjoyed reading about her beginnings in Paris and her difficulty in establishing herself in the male dominated world of cooking. Her trials in getting her first books published is a most interesting story of that male domination. She tells an interesting story.
Book Review: My Lie in France
Summary: 5 Stars
Don't we all love Julia? This book basicly explains how Julia became the "French chef." This is the second biography of Julia I've read and the author is obviously very fond of the old girl. A totally charming read. Food, France, travel, culture, personalities,accomplishments. Perfect. Book Review: A Cook is Born
Summary: 5 Stars
This was a very inspiring book. We learn that Julia did not have a 5-star culinary upbringing, and barely knew how to cook until she moved with her then newly-wedded husband to Paris where he served in the U.S. foreign service. She tells of her first meal in France upon arrival by boat, and how she was inspired to learn everything there was to know about French food. Education at the Cordon Bleu commences shortly thereafter, and the rest, as they say, is history.
What was interesting to learn was the length of time it took to get the "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" written, and then edited and published. It shows that, contrary to what casual observers think of people who have succeeded in life, the road there is long with sidetrips along the way.
As one who aspires to cook well, but seem to fall short now and then, this was very inspirational. I recall seeing a TV biography about Julia Child which stated that Julia did not even know how to boil water until she was 40, which then turned into an excuse to my husband that there is still hope for me! While the book proved that story to be wrong, her trials and tribulations prove that where there is a will, there is a way. And that perfection does not happen at once, but is earned by hard work, as in many of life's endeavors.
Book Review: Bon Appetit!
Summary: 5 Stars
A beautiful memoir of an amazingly well-lived life. For anyone with a love of la belle France, this will be endlessly entertaining. Those who remember Julia Child's groundbreaking cooking shows will hear her oddly distinctive voice coming through these pages. It's a love story about her relationships, especially Paul, her talented husband. Wistful, sentimental. You'll wipe away tears by the end of the last page.Book Review: A LOVE STORY, A MEMOIR, A TRIBUTE TO JULIA'S FRANCE
Summary: 5 Stars
This book completely caught me by surprise. I picked it up at the library because I saw a sprinkling of French phrases throughout and thought it might make an interesting read. I studied two years of French in college, lived near Paris for a month when I was 19, and dream of taking my children to France for a visit someday.
Never would I have expected this book to be so life-changing for me! My first shock was that Julia didn't know how to cook when she married Paul in her mid-30s! She arrived in France knowing nothing about French cuisine, summarizing her view from the ship with this: "I was a six-foot-two-inch, thirty-six-year-old, rather loud and unserious Californian. The sight of France in my porthole was like a giant question mark."
Her years in Paris represented an awakening for Julia, and I held onto her every word. How many of us also have a dream, yet we feel like we're too old to even get started? Julia discovered French cooking to be her life's passion, her raison d'etre, and she dreamed of taking the techniques she learned at Le Cordon Bleu home to America.
The heart of this book for me was "the Book," with a capital 'B,' which Julia co-authored with two French women, Simone Beck and Louisette Bertholle. The 700-page manuscript bounced around three different publishers before it finally settled under master editor, Judith Jones at Knopf. As a writer, I found her journey completely fascinating -- especially the process of how the title came to be. How different this book would have been if it had retained the original boring title of "French Home Cooking." Editor Judith Jones is the genius behind the title, "Mastering the Art of French Cooking." C'est magnifique.
The book is a love story, highlighting Julia and Paul's happy marriage, as they lived in various cities in France, Germany, Norway, and finally the U.S. Paul's magnificent photos of French life add visual depth to this work. I also thought it was interesting that the book was written by her grand-nephew, who interviewed his great-aunt during her last years of life, piecing together decades of letters written by Julia and Paul to family members. What joy that must have brought her to see her story so eloquently written.
The book is laugh-out-loud funny at times, and I've become a lifelong Julia Child fan now. I must read her other books and watch "The French Chef" DVDs because I somehow missed the show when it was on PBS. (I guess I was too young.)
For anyone remotely interested in writing, publishing, cooking, or French life and food, this book is a must-read to add to your collection of favorite books.