My Life in France Book Review

When Julia Child stepped foot in France for the first time in 1948, it was love at first bite.  She fell head over heals for the people, the little nuances of her and Paul’s tiny apartment, and the food…oh the food!  It only took one meal for Julia to realize her calling.

My Life in France is a delicious memoir by Julia Child and her grandnephew, Alex Prud’homme.  In this last year of her life, Julia recounts “…some of the things I have loved most…Paul…France…and the many pleasures of cooking and eating.”  This is not 1940’s Paris…this is Julia’s Paris.  This is Paris through the eyes of the lover.  In Julia’s eyes, Paris could do no wrong and the view she gives us of this charming city is enough to satisfy anyone’s palate.

The tone and style of My Life in France is pure Julia.  As you devour each page, you could hear her unique voice uttering such “Julia-isms” as “ta-da!” and “phooey!”  Her love for everything culinary is so apparent and the joy she feels from cooking literally jumps off the page.

It’s quite clear throughout My Life in France that one of the main reasons Julia is so passionate about Paris is because her dear husband, Paul, is there with her every step of the way.  Her “Guinea Pig”, as she affectionately called him, sampled all her dishes, took all her photographs (which you can see scattered throughout the book), and even risked his job and reputation to help Julia succeed.

Besides covering her six year love affair with Paris, My Life in France also covers Julia’s schooling (or lack thereof) at the infamous Cordon Bleu, the start of her own cooking school, Les Trois Gourmandes, the production and eventual release of her well-known book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, the launch of her popular TV series, The French Chef, and concluding with Paul’s illness and their eventual departure from their “spiritual home” in Paris.

My Life in France is everything a Julia fan could hope for.  Her exuberance for food and enjoyment is enough to get anyone excited about cooking and her dedication to providing the best recipes she could is proof of how passionate this larger-than-life woman was in educating, teaching, and cooking.

NEXT WEEK: It’s Lobster Week!  Prepare for a week full of everything and anything lobster related.  Why?  Why not!

Looking for a new book to read? Check in every Friday for a “Bee Happy” post, where I share reviews of books I’ve read or other book-themed lists.