My Life in France by Julia Child (a review)

My Life in France
4 out of 5: Alex Prud'homme (Julia Child's husband's great-nephew) wrote My Life in France in the voice of his great-aunt after spending many afternoons interviewing Child, then in her nineties. This "memoir" faithfully captures Child's lively personality and her distinctive voice, down to her idiosyncratic expressions: "Phooey!" "Ouf!" and "Bravo!" The photographs included in the book add further authenticity.

My Life in France is not a complete life story. Rather, the focus is on Child's time abroad with her husband, Paul, who worked in various diplomatic capacities over the years. During this time, Child shed her provincial ideas and discovered her love of gourmet cooking and French food. The book includes a detailed account of the genesis and the sometimes frustrating development of Child's masterpiece, Mastering the Art of French Cooking. This cookbookbrought French cooking within the grasp of American home cooks and is now widely regarded as a catalyst in the development of the appreciation of good food in America. My Life in France will appeal to lovers of French food and will inspire those who enjoy cooking.