In her own words, here is the captivating story of Julia Child’s years in France, where she fell in love with French food and found her “true calling.” From the moment the ship docked in Le Havre, en route to Paris, in the fall of 1948, Julia had an awakening that changed her life. Soon this tall, outspoken gal from Pasadena, California, who didn't speak a word of French and knew nothing about the country, was steeped in the language, chatting with purveyors in the local markets, and enrolled in the Cordon Bleu. This memoir is laced with wonderful stories about the French character, particularly in the world of food, and the way of life that Julia embraced so wholeheartedly. Here, she reveals the kind of spirit and determination, the sheer love of cooking, and the drive to share that with her fellow Americans that made her the extraordinary success she became.
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"Child's autobiography is one of the warmest books I've read in a long time. The ebullient personality that Child possessed shines through. Child goes into great detail about her life after her marriage and the experience in France that lead her to co-write "Mastering the Art of French Cooking."" — Alessandra (5 out of 5 stars)
"Child's autobiography is one of the warmest books I've read in a long time. The ebullient personality that Child possessed shines through. Child goes into great detail about her life after her marriage and the experience in France that lead her to co-write "Mastering the Art of French Cooking.""
" Loved it. Love Julia Child and her passion for food, life and France. Loved how much she loved her husband. Loved that she spent 4 pages on an entire TV career and an entire chapter on finding the perfect recipe for French bread. Loved it! "
" Loved this book! Julia's motivation, hard work, and passion are inspiring. And her relationship with Paul is beautiful. It was great to read such a positive true story and to learn about French cooking along the way. Don't read on an empty stomach though! "
" I devoured this book while being sick in bed. I think my favorite thing about this book was her portrayal of her beautiful relationship with Paul. I loved their quirkiness, their full support of each other's endeavors, and just a general life of adventure as a couple. "
" SUCH an amazing woman, life and story! Took me more than a few pages to get into it, but then wow! "
" Lovely book. I want to book the next flight out to Paris and eat at amazing restaurants. Instead I'll have to get one of her cookbooks and try some recipes. Julia didn't get married till she was 34 and didn't find her true calling until she was in her late 30's. There's hope! "
" Really, just so delightful. Julia's love affair with France and food, and the story of Mastering The Art of French Cooking. "
" I started reading about food and cooking during college, thanks to the influence of a college girlfriend. I loved the Julia Child cooking shows. This book was a great read. "
" Her passion for food, life and her husband came through with so much energy and joy. It was such fun. Felt like I learned a lot about post WWII as well and why I would never ever want to write a cook book! OMG... "
" This book was an absolute joy to read. "
" There's really only one phrase needed to sum up this memoir: "joie de vivre." "
" Julia is my imaginary friend. "
" So enjoyable if a tiny bit self-serving "
" Loved this account of Julia's time in France. Enchanting not only for her experiences but for her ability to portray the time and place. "
" This was a fun book to read. "
" Though it seemed long, I enjoyed the romantic view of Paris post-WWII from the eyes of Julia Child. "
" Incredibly compelling story and writing style. Julia reveals her deepest feelings and truest aspirations as if she were talking to a close friend. Truly admirable, driven, and compassionate individual. "
" authentic voice, as careful in describing her life and experiences as she was in the kitchen. Bravo Julia. Bravo. "
" Sweet book just too dry after their Paris experience "
" LOVE this book. Her voice describes the food with such passion that you want to make what she talks about. Maybe that's why I've bought both volume of mastering the art..love she has for her husband for France and making the perfect omelet speak volumes. "
" The story of Julia and Paul Child during their years in Paris, where Julia learned to cook. I absolutely LOVED this book! Highly recommended. "
" It was ok, but not spectacular. "
" This was an easy read, and oh so charming. It was fun to read about how Julia spent her time getting trained in the art of French cuisine, and the lead up to her own cooking show. Higly recommended reading for a lazy Sunday afternoon. "
" Fun read, especially for me since I live in the middle of the setting for this story. I see these buildings and restaurants and the history. By the way, the apartments still don't have heating or air conditioning in Paris. "
" I want to go to there. "
" As inspiring as it was completely charming. This book made me want to learn french and learn more about cooking. "
" I enjoyed finding out so much more of how Julia Child became the French Chef. "
" Made me want to love Paris, live abroad, buy Mastering the Art of French Cooking and, of course, eat! Not necessarily in that order. "
" I was disappointed in this book. The second half of the book was pretty good, but the first half was just soooo slow. "
Alex Prud’homme is the author and coauthor of several books, including coauthor of Julia Child’s memoir, My Life in France, a New York Times bestseller. He is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in the New York Times, the New Yorker, and other publications.
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