My Life in France by Julia Child & Alex Prud'homme

This week I finished reading this fun book by Julia Child and her grand-nephew. My Life in France was published in 2006, 45 years after Child's first book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking (1964). Child wrote 11 books in all, no small achievement when you consider all of the other many things that she did such as her cooking classes, appearances, television show, and world travel. I enjoyed the 333 pages of this paperback book that I bought as used through Amazon.com. It was a breath of fresh air and allowed me to peak into the life of a person who was truly happy. Julia Child enjoyed the simple things in life, and she never thought she was too old to learn. She saw each day as an adventure. Even the mundane task of shopping for food was a fun adventure as she sought to befriend the local merchants in Paris. She saw it as an opportunity to practice her French. She always kept an open mind when it came to changing a recipe or adjusting the measurements for the American cook. Her open mind allowed her to enjoy many new experiences.

I enjoyed this book because I, too, like to travel, and I'm usually up for an adventure. Child saw a move to a new country as an adventure, not an obstacle or difficulty. If I am in the same place or routine for too long, I get bored. Somehow I think that Julia and I could have been friends if we had known each other in a different time! When Julia and her husband, Paul, moved to Paris, she immediately fell in love with French food and the culture as a whole. Her years at Smith College had not really prepared her for any one career, but her interest in French cooking soon directed her toward the career that she would eventually enjoy. I can understand why Julia fell in love with France...it was new, it was "something different," she learned how to speak a new language, and she learned how to cook for the first time.

This summer my daughter and I went to France for the first time! We spent 9 days in Paris and 2 days in the Netherlands. We had an amazing time before my daughter left for college for the first time. It was a time to celebrate, eat, and see things such as the Mona Lisa that we had only read about before. As I read Child's book I noted that my daughter and I got to go to two of the places that Child mentions in her book: Notre Dame Cathedral and Marche aux Puces (a famous flea market). So I have walked where Julia Child walked! By the way, if you dream of traveling to Europe or anywhere, do not give up hope! Anything is possible. Do you think that Julia Child gave up on her dreams easily? I don't think so! So I dreamed of going to Europe for many years, and it actually happened when the time was right. God is good.

One thing that I admire about Child is that she truly loved and respected her husband. Although he was not formally educated, he worked for the U.S. government for many years and lived in several countries. Julia states, "Despite his lack of a college education, I considered Paul an intellectual, in the sense that he had a real thirst for knowledge, was widely read, and wrote poetry, and was always trying to train his mind," (My Life in France, p.85-86).

I recommend this book as one that will encourage every reader. It will help you realize that all things are possible. It will help you relax and enjoy the gentle musings of one of America's great personalities. It will help you to remember fondly the early days of television when it was considered very unique and innovative to end your television show with the French phrase, "Bon appétit." I still think it's a great line!