Saturday, April 10, 2010

Bon Appetit!


I finished reading Appetite for Life, The Biography of Julia Child by Noel Riley Fitch. What a fantastically interesting woman Julia was. The public persona we think of with her teaching french dishes on PBS to the masses was only a part of her. In fact, she didn't get famous until she was about 50. I loved reading about her marriage to Paul Child. They loved each other tremendously and made each other successful. When he died in the book, I was very sad as I could only image how she must have felt.

I empathized with her as she was never able to have children and that would be her only regret at the end of her life. I wonder if I could move on with life and grab it by the horns as she was able to - to find so many ways that brought her joy and meaning.

Her young adult life in the service to this country was so fascinating. As this book was published before the government released that she was a spy it was more exciting.

The book was dry at times and there is a LOT of french food not defined but the story was compelling and I have a new appreciation for a woman that was often parodied as a smart, hard-working, joyous woman who revolutionized food television and the cookbook industry.