Wednesday, July 8, 2009

"My Life in France" by Julia Child and Alex Prud'homme


I've been meaning to post about this book for some time, and the impending release of the movie Julie & Julia gave me just the reminder I needed. After reading this, you will absolutely fall in love with the curious, witty, spirited, trailblazer that was Julia Child. You'll also want to move to Paris immediately. I found it so inspiring that the woman we all know as the stateside doyenne of French cuisine didn't learn to cook until she was in her mid thirties. The book is filled with charming observations and moments of introspection like this one:

"Upon reflection, I decided I had three main weaknesses: I was confused (evidenced by a lack of facts, an inability to coordinate my thoughts, and an inability to verbalize my ideas); I had a lack of confidence, which caused me to back down from forcefully stated positions; and I was overly emotional at the expense of careful, "scientific" thought. I was thirty-seven years old and still discovering who I was."

It's a great summer read that you'll want to pick up again come fall.

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