Maybe it's because I've already read three other books about Julia. There was not much in this one that was new, except Julia's attitude towards Gays which was not admirable, and her rejection of the movement to improve the food industry and remove irradiated foods, and other food manipulations from our market was disappointing. I had always thought of Julia as having high standards when it came to food and cooking and this acceptance of whatever the food industry told her over when should have been her common sense was surprising. Her dislike of Gays was precisely like here father's dislike of Jews, intellectuals, artists, and she hated that. But apparently, as Shapir says, she couldn't see the contradiction. So maybe it was not as enjoyable a read as I had hoped because it made Julia a little less admirable.... and a little more human.

For someone who hasn't read My Life in France, Appetite for Life, and her letters (As Always, Julia), this isn't a bad book. Its main weakness is that once it arrives at the point where she begins working on Mastering the Art of French Cooking, it pulls away from being a biography, and becomes a just history of her career. ( )

I really, really admire Julia Child more than ever and I want to learn more about her! ( )

I enjoyed what I read of this book, but then I realized that it was essentially the same stories I read in My Life in France--which was a really wonderful book. And I read My Life in France too recently to feel like re-reading these stories, you know? ( )

Delightful short biography of The French Chef. I had no idea Child was in the OSS, but she was- and she kept her signaling mirror in her kitchen drawer ever after, just in case. Lots of fascinating facts, warmly told. Too short by half. ( )