Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child

3.9 of 5 stars 3.90 · rating details · 2,010 ratings · 472 reviews

It’s rare for someone to emerge in America who can change our attitudes, our beliefs, and our very culture. It’s even rarer when that someone is a middle-aged, six-foot three-inch woman whose first exposure to an unsuspecting public is cooking an omelet on a hot plate on a local TV station. And yet, that’s exactly what Julia Child did. The warble-voiced doyenne of televisi...more It’s rare for someone to emerge in America who can change our attitudes, our beliefs, and our very culture. It’s even rarer when that someone is a middle-aged, six-foot three-inch woman whose first exposure to an unsuspecting public is cooking an omelet on a hot plate on a local TV station. And yet, that’s exactly what Julia Child did. The warble-voiced doyenne of television cookery became an iconic cult figure and joyous rule-breaker as she touched off the food revolution that has gripped America for more than fifty years.

Now, in Bob Spitz’s definitive, wonderfully affectionate biography, the Julia we know and love comes vividly — and surprisingly — to life. In Dearie, Spitz employs the same skill he brought to his best-selling, critically acclaimed book The Beatles, providing a clear-eyed portrait of one of the most fascinating and influential Americans of our time — a woman known to all, yet known by only a few.

At its heart, Dearie is a story about a woman’s search for her own unique expression. Julia Child was a directionless, gawky young woman who ran off halfway around the world to join a spy agency during World War II. She eventually settled in Paris, where she learned to cook and collaborated on the writing of what would become Mastering the Art of French Cooking, a book that changed the food culture of America. She was already fifty when The French Chef went on the air — at a time in our history when women weren’t making those leaps. Julia became the first educational TV star, virtually launching PBS as we know it today; her marriage to Paul Child formed a decades-long love story that was romantic, touching, and quite extraordinary.

A fearless, ambitious, supremely confident woman, Julia took on all the pretensions that embellished tony French cuisine and fricasseed them to a fare-thee-well, paving the way for everything that has happened since in American cooking, from TV dinners and Big Macs to sea urchin foam and the Food Channel. Julia Child’s story, however, is more than the tale of a talented woman and her sumptuous craft. It is also a saga of America’s coming of age and growing sophistication, from the Depression Era to the turbulent sixties and the excesses of the eighties to the greening of the American kitchen. Julia had an effect on and was equally affected by the baby boom, the sexual revolution, and the start of the women’s liberation movement.

On the centenary of her birth, Julia finally gets the biography she richly deserves. An in-depth, intimate narrative, full of fresh information and insights, Dearie is an entertaining, all-out adventure story of one of our most fascinating and beloved figures.

From the Hardcover edition.(less)

Paperback, Large Print, 1008 pages

Published August 21st 2012 by Random House Large Print (first published August 7th 2012)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Time Magazine's Top Ten Nonfiction Books of 2012

2nd out of 10 books — 8 voters

The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion

Will Read in 2013

12th out of 132 books — 5 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,000)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Sep 26, 2012 Chris rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-reads, food-essays-memoirs, non-fiction

I have adored Julia Child ever since I saw her cook on PBS in the 1970s. I hands down give her credit for my love of food and cooking. I have more of her cookbooks than any other in my collection (nine) and never pass up the opportunity to read something about her, or catch an old episode of “Jacques and Julia.” So when my own dearie brought home the latest biography in honor of her 100th birthday, I couldn’t wait to sit down and sink in.

I love the story that Child started cooking while in her...more I have adored Julia Child ever since I saw her cook on PBS in the 1970s. I hands down give her credit for my love of food and cooking. I have more of her cookbooks than any other in my collection (nine) and never pass up the opportunity to read something about her, or catch an old episode of “Jacques and Julia.” So when my own dearie brought home the latest biography in honor of her 100th birthday, I couldn’t wait to sit down and sink in.

I love the story that Child started cooking while in her late 30s and “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” was published when she was in her 50s. For those of us looking for someone to look up to for that second phase of life, she was it. A consummate businesswoman, she worked well into her late 80s. That said, Spitz added a bit of dust to her shine, at least for me. She allowed her lawyer to cut ties with longtime publisher and editor Knopf and Judith Jones in one fell swoop, she was a raging homophobe, she had a facelift (!), and she was emotionless and sometimes caustic. While everyone has looked up to the love affair and marriage of Paul and Julia Child, Paul was at times an incredibly difficult man, especially following a series of heart attacks and strokes. How was Julia able to balance a crazy schedule of TV and book appearances as well as writing the latest and greatest cookbook AND taking care of her unwell husband all at once? Spitz gave us only the slightest look. I probably would have crawled under a rock, but she appeared to deal this deck she was given with aplomb and finesse. I wonder how that is possible. All these and much more have lead me to look at her in a different light.

Spitz has a definite voice as a biographer; adding his own opinion here, comments there. When I read biographies I really don’t want the voice of the writer, I want to hear the voice of the subject.

I’m glad I read this book, but feel like a young child who discovers there is no Santa Claus; still somewhat mystified by the myth, yet sad it isn’t what I had imagined. (less)

13 likes · like · see review

Oct 04, 2012 Tanna rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction

on chapter 14 today
This is a book that you don't want to finish because you don't want it to end. It's re-energizing my drive to bake more bread ... not really the right time for that at the moment.

Six years in France; 4 in Paris, 2 in Marseille. What an amazing experience and Julia maximized it.
Fascinating the relationship between Julia and the two French women collaborators and then her connection with Avis DeVoto - I loved that book "As Always, Julia".

Hate to have finished this.
This was a wo...more

6 likes · like · see review

Oct 26, 2012 The Library Lady rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-biography, overrated-crap

I might have been impressed by this book if I hadn't already read Noel Riley Fitch's Appetite For Life last summer and Julia Child's own My Life In France several years before that.

There is little new material here, aside from a bit of chat here and there everything here was covered in those books. Spitz spends a good deal of time imposing his own view of Julia upon her behavior, commenting on social history and slanging American home cooking--and as a home cook myself, there are other choices b...more

8 likes · like · see review

Feb 03, 2013 Fran V rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Dearie tells the story of Julia Child, one of my heroes. She was a late bloomer, who, a decade after graduating from Smith (and barely at that) still didn't know what the heck to do with her life. By the time she died in 2004, two days shy of her 92nd birthday, she was an American icon. Her kitchen can be seen in the Smithsonian, and on this web link http://amhistory.si.edu/juliachild/

Biographies are perhaps my favorites reads. I am always interested in reading about the childhood of intriguing...more

2 likes · like · see review

Sep 06, 2012 Lisa rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: unfinished

Ugh. I had such hopes for this book, but after listening to about 3 hrs of it I gave up. The author seemed so caught in every minute detail of her life that he couldn't get to the good stuff. During the 3 hrs that I listened, I learned that she had ancestry back to the Mayflower, wore a gingham dress as part of her high school uniform and ate at dinners in New York during the 1930's. Shesh!

The author also tended to have a tone of superiority in his writing that i really didn't like. Several time...more

14 likes · like · see review

Mar 26, 2013 Joanne Guidoccio rated it 5 of 5 stars

When Bob Spitz was asked to escort an older woman in Sicily, he replied, “I don’t do that kind of work.” But he changed his mind when he heard the woman was Julia Child, admitting that he had a huge crush on the six-foot three-inch cooking icon.

During that month in Sicily, Julia poured out her entire life to Spitz, and he was smart enough to run a tape recorder. He took a nine-year detour to write The Beatles and then spent four years writing and researching Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia...more When Bob Spitz was asked to escort an older woman in Sicily, he replied, “I don’t do that kind of work.” But he changed his mind when he heard the woman was Julia Child, admitting that he had a huge crush on the six-foot three-inch cooking icon.

During that month in Sicily, Julia poured out her entire life to Spitz, and he was smart enough to run a tape recorder. He took a nine-year detour to write The Beatles and then spent four years writing and researching Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child. The result is a beautifully crafted book which was released earlier this month. An excellent way to mark the centenary of Julia Child’s birth.

While there have been many other books and movies about Julia Child, Spitz has managed to breathe new life into her story, providing us with fresh information and insights into her remarkable character.

After graduating from Smith College, Julia was a lost soul. Her marks were less than stellar and she did not demonstrate any special talents. Her adviser commented, “She would do well in some organized charity or social service work…In any case, Julia’s family is wealthy. She will not need a job I do not believe.”

In her diary, Julia wrote, “I felt I had particular and unique gifts that I was meant for something, and was like no else.” She had to weather many misadventures before those gifts started to materialize and did not hit upon her true calling until the age of forty.

In other books and the movie Julie and Julia, great emphasis is placed on her marriage to soul mate, Paul Child. I was surprised to learn that it was not love at first sight, but a gradual deepening of affection. In an early letter, Paul wrote, “I believe she would marry me, but isn’t the right woman from my standpoint.” He questioned “the lack of worldly knowledge, the sloppy thinking, the wild emotionalism, the conventional framework.” They also appeared to be physically mismatched. Nevertheless, they married and enjoyed a decades-long love.

While in Paris, she learned French, attended the Cordon Bleu and spent hours honing her cooking techniques. What was even more remarkable is the fact that she didn’t learn how to cook until age forty. She was all thumbs in the kitchen and had to be walked through the most basic tasks. One nephew commented, “The joke was she could burn water if she boiled it.”

It took six years for Julia and her collaborators to write Mastering the Art of French Cooking. As Julia and Paul moved through Europe, she continued testing and retesting each recipe until perfection was achieved. When Mastering the Art of French Cooking hit the stores, it was a phenomenal success. It also helped launch Julia’s career in public television at age fifty.

Julia remained independent all her life, actively living and cooking until her death at age 92.

Definitely a page turner–all 500+ pages!(less)

like · see review

Jan 31, 2013 Cindy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have a slight obsession with Julia Child. I love her television shows and remember watching her on PBS as a very young child. I even narrate my own kitchen misadventures using her distinctive voice. Yet I have never picked up and read a biography about her. Shame on me.

One day I was at the library and they had Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Childon display. I quickly snatched it up and started reading it as soon as I got home.

Bob Spitz's writing irritates the heck out me. It reminds me o...more

1 like · like · see review

Jan 14, 2013 Angela rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: lunch-and-lit, non-fiction

I don't cook. That's not an exaggeration for effect--it's the simple truth. I heat canned soups, slap together sandwiches, and buy whatever fruit is in season. I grew up in a non-cooking household. I think we had a basic Betty Crocker cookbook tucked on the bookshelf in my childhood home, but I know that if we did, it spent more time collecting dust and serving as a bookend than it ever did cracked open on a counter. And I can pretty much promise you that no cooking program ever graced our house...more

1 like · like · see review

Dec 27, 2012 Courtney rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: auto-biography, cooking, read-in-2012

I did not grow up with Julia Child on our television. Though my parents liked to cook, the cookbooks in our house and the shows on our local PBS station were The Victory Garden and The Frugal Gourmet, rather than The French Chef, In Julia's Kitchen with Master Chefs, or Julia & Jacques Cooking at Home. Consequently, up until 2009, my mental image of Julia Child wasn't even Julia Child. It was Dan Aykroyd impersonating Julia Child on Saturday Night Live. That changed abruptly in 2009 when I s...more I did not grow up with Julia Child on our television. Though my parents liked to cook, the cookbooks in our house and the shows on our local PBS station were The Victory Garden and The Frugal Gourmet, rather than The French Chef, In Julia's Kitchen with Master Chefs, or Julia & Jacques Cooking at Home. Consequently, up until 2009, my mental image of Julia Child wasn't even Julia Child. It was Dan Aykroyd impersonating Julia Child on Saturday Night Live. That changed abruptly in 2009 when I saw Julie & Julia for the first time. Though I thought the idea of cooking your way through "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" intriguing, I was enchanted by Meryl Streep's Julia. Could the real thing possibly be as good as Streep made her out to be?

Enter "Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child." As it turns out, the real thing is even better.

"Dearie" spans the entirety of Julia's life, even briefly filling you in on her parents' familial history. It provides a wonderful sense of who Julia was as a person. I very much enjoyed reading about Julia and her husband Paul’s (amazing) relationship, Julia’s activism in advancing women in the culinary arts, her dedication to her craft, and her vehement refusal to let anyone try to turn her into a corporate sponsor. I was amazed to learn about her family's wealthy background, as well as Julia's apparent lack of interest in food or cooking until relatively late in life. It gives me great hope as an aspiring cook that she began cooking in her 30s, and was something of a fiasco in the kitchen to begin with.

I can't say I was as enthralled with Spitz's writing as I was with his portrayal of Julia herself. Though I eventually couldn't put it down, "Dearie" starts off rather slowly and I found the first 100 pages or so quite boring, and very repetitive. I was occasionally confused about chronology, as the author occasionally presented things out of chronological order, but didn’t indicate that fact until quite a bit into the digression. These technical problems did not in the least ruin the book for me, though they did tweak my nerves a bit.

"Dearie" is a good read for Julia fans, for people interested in food, or possibly even people interested in the history of haute cuisine in America and American eating habits.(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Dec 08, 2012 Susan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction

The size of the book is daunting (almost 900 pages), but for me, at least, it became one that I didn't want to put down. This goes far beyond "Julie and Julia". It is a true biography of Julia Child from her privileged (but not carefree) childhood through her teen, college and early career years where she struggled to find her place in the world. I especially enjoyed learning more about her OSS days in Asia during WWII. Then, of course, comes the cooking, all told in a very logical, readable man...more

like · see review

Nov 19, 2012 Shirley Brosius rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: nonfiction

I doubt I ever read a biography that covered every aspect of an individual’s life more thoroughly than this book. It was as though Bob Spitz had a ringside seat beginning with Julia Child’s childhood escapades and her relationship with her difficult father right on through years of trying to find her niche in the world. Then he recorded her unstoppable enthusiasm once she discovered a passion for French cooking. With her devoted husband Paul cheering her on, Julia mesmerized public television au...more

2 likes · like · see review

Nov 19, 2012 Jane Hoppe rated it 3 of 5 stars

How many books about Julia Child can a person thoroughly enjoy? Three, it turns out. Having read Noel Riley Fitch’s biography, Appetite for Life, and Julia Child’s and Alex Prud’homme’s My Life in France, I wondered if Bob Spitz’s Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child might prove to be too much of the same. It did not. Though time line events were familiar, behind-the-scenes anecdotes and interviews were new.

Because of this third book about Julia Child, I think I understand her thinking and...more

2 likes · like · see review

Oct 13, 2012 Jessi rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, appealing-characteristic-character, biography, nonfiction

I. ADORED. this book. I think I would have enjoyed reading it more but listening to it was highly satisfying. A blip in my download meant that I only got the first twentieth of the book. From the opening description of Julia's appearance on public television, I was hooked. I actually gasped out loud when I realized that I wasn't going to be able to keep listening for the rest of my four-hour ride home.
Bob Spitz did a lot of research. I would have added a descriptor to "a lot" but thought that i...more

1 like · like · see review

Sep 24, 2012 Kathleen Hagen added it · review of another edition

Dearie: the Remarkable Life of Julia Child, by Bob Spitz, Narrated by Kimberly Farr, Produced by Random House Audio, downloaded from audible.com.

Julia Child knew how to do little more than boil water before the age of 34. Then she learned some general kitchen prep from her sister-in-law, and then studied at the Cordon Bleu School of Cooking in Paris for the basics and more. Julia’s life, even before her cookbooks and t.v. shows, was pretty remarkable. She came from old money conservative republi...more Dearie: the Remarkable Life of Julia Child, by Bob Spitz, Narrated by Kimberly Farr, Produced by Random House Audio, downloaded from audible.com.

Julia Child knew how to do little more than boil water before the age of 34. Then she learned some general kitchen prep from her sister-in-law, and then studied at the Cordon Bleu School of Cooking in Paris for the basics and more. Julia’s life, even before her cookbooks and t.v. shows, was pretty remarkable. She came from old money conservative republicans in California and there were more things she couldn’t discuss with her family than those that she could. She joined the OSS, (precursor to the CIA) during WW II, and in that organization met Paul Child. They lived in Ceylon, Paris, Oslo, Berlin, and finally back to the U.S. in Boston. Spitz details her hard work and constant devotion to French cooking, the hard time she had getting and keeping shows on television, the huge amount of time it took her to publish each of her books as she insisted that all her recipes be tested over and over to get the kinks out. She was married to Paul, who was with her for most of her endeavors second-in-command, for 40 years. Then he details how Paul’s failing health put another burden on Julia, about which she never complained. Paul had Alzheimer’s but until the very end when he forgot how to use a phone and didn’t recognize her anymore, she spoke with him daily and visited him daily when she was in town after he was placed in the nursing home. Julia was passionate, committed to several liberal causes, including Planned Parenthood, and from her first book and PBS t.v. show, changed the relationship Americans had with food. Until the very end of her life, (she lived until her mid ‘90’s, she was always ready for new adventures in cooking and maintained her leading edge status in modern cooking. Without Julia and the cooks who followed her, there probably wouldn’t be a food network today. Kimberly Farr did a great job narrating this book and portraying Julia’s character without trying to imitate her voice.
(less)

1 like · like · see review

Sep 06, 2012 Consuelo rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: biography

"Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child," by Bob Spitz, is a delightful biography about an American culinary icon. One of the most fascinating bits of information is the section outlining the work Julia did while employed by the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the intelligence agency that FDR developed prior to Pearl Harbor.

In addition, Spitz provides a timeline of the culinary history of American's tastes and eating habits while discussing the profound changes and impact Julia and the...more

1 like · like · see review

Dec 13, 2012 Sara rated it 2 of 5 stars

A good biography doesn't read like a biography. It doesn't speak directly about the person (the subject) and start sentence after sentence with "she _______" or make blatant statements about their character like "Julia was a non-conformist." It also doesn't speak with a pre-determined tone of what we know or expect the person to be- merely confirming and reinforcing the general opinion or knowledge about the person. These are all of the reasons why this is not an interesting or well written biog...more

4 likes · like · see review

Oct 07, 2012 Michele Weiner rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a wonderful, loving portrait of a real American character, Julia Child. Julia, nee McWillliams, came from a prominent and well-off Pasadena "pioneer" family. Her father was a curmudgeon and her mother was free-spirited and eccentric. Julia was an energetic tomboy with a brother who was somehow not quite capable or hardy enough in this family, and a sister, Dort, who grew to be 6"5"" tall. Brother John was sent back to New England to run the paper company that was the source of his mother...more This is a wonderful, loving portrait of a real American character, Julia Child. Julia, nee McWillliams, came from a prominent and well-off Pasadena "pioneer" family. Her father was a curmudgeon and her mother was free-spirited and eccentric. Julia was an energetic tomboy with a brother who was somehow not quite capable or hardy enough in this family, and a sister, Dort, who grew to be 6"5"" tall. Brother John was sent back to New England to run the paper company that was the source of his mother's family's original fortune. It is suggested that he was dyslexic and shy, which must have made life difficult for him in his boisterous, opinionated, high-energy family. During her grade school years, Julia spent her free hours leading a neighborhood gang of miscreants whose activities sometimes crossed the boundary between endearingly mischievous and dangerously delinquent.

She was sent to boarding school as a teenager, and then went on to Smith, where she earned respectable C grades, but didn't find her calling. Although the author didn't emphasize her drinking, Julia's enormous energy found both productive and unproductive outlets, and he mentions a few episodes when Julia overindulged during these years, and in later life. After a brief stint as a copywriter in NYC, Julia returned home when her mother became itll. Caro McWilliams died in 1937. Julia remained in California with her grieving father, but was at loose ends. She tried a few things, but nothing thrilled her and she fell into a rich girl's life, socializing and playing golf until WWII gave her a chance to live a bigger life.

Julia went to Washington and got a job with the OSS as a file clerk. In 1944, she was sent to Ceylon where she met Paul Child, who became the love of her life. Julia apparently had a zest for sex as well as for wine. She and Paul started off slowly, but became a life-long love match. When the war ended, Paul accepted a job in Paris, and Julia had no idea what she would do next. She stumbled into her love for food when Paul introduced her to French cuisine. Julia's enormous energy needed an outlet, and cooking became her saving interest. She eventually met two women with whom she would undertake to write a book for Americans about French cooking, which became a huge success, opening up opportunities for Julia, who despite her gangly, awkward appearance and odd voice, became an immediate TV star.

Julia was by all accounts a very warm and generous friend, but she could be cold-blooded in business matters, and in later years, was extremely devoted to maintaining her image. She was a Democrat and person who was never grasping for money (perhaps because she'd always had some), but who certainly knew how to maximize her earning power by coordinating TV series with the publishing of books. She was not hesitant to squeeze her publisher for a better deal using a lawyer who was thought sleazy by most. Julia was always admiring of handsome men, and was susceptible platonically to their attentions. When in later years Paul suffered a series of strokes, Julia missed the companionship they had shared for so long. When he finally had to be put in a home, Julia found another companion (platonic). She refused to nurse him through his final illness, though!

I enjoyed this very positive portrait of Julia Child, and feel prepared to read more critical views which I'm sure are available. She was a remarkably singular individual who had an enormous cultural impact. (less)

2 likes · like · see review

Oct 18, 2012 Mark Eichin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle

"Dearie" covers Julia Child's *entire* life, accomplishments, and relationships, to a degree I would not have previously thought to be interesting - the author is clearly a big fan, without being fawning, and covers some fairly dark topics in a respectful manner. I grew up with Julia Child being part of what TV *was* and it was fascinating to see how much that impression was sheer force of will on her part - and how much of an outright *troublemaker* she was :-) It also gets across the ludicrous...more

2 likes · like · see review

Dec 26, 2012 Courtney rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: general-women-s-history

Okay, I'll admit it doesn't sound very exciting to read a ginormous book about a dead chef, especially if one isn't a chef herself, but this one sneaked up on me. I was in the car listening to the Diane Rehm Show and heard the author, Bob Spitz, being interviewed about the book. That, coupled with the fact that I'd received a Barnes & Noble % off coupon in my email, was enough to prod me to order the book. While heft-wise it's certainly no Mastering the Art of French Cooking, it was still in...more

3 likes · like · see review

Aug 07, 2012 Beth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Author Bob Spitz spent several weeks traveling through Sicily with Julia Child in 1992 and admits that he developed “a powerful crush on her,” which inspired him to write Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child. The book’s release coincides with the 100th anniversary of her birth, and it’s the perfect way to celebrate the rich life of this culinary legend, television pioneer, and cultural icon. Both the author’s admiration and Julia’s larger-than-life personality shine through in this in-dept...more Author Bob Spitz spent several weeks traveling through Sicily with Julia Child in 1992 and admits that he developed “a powerful crush on her,” which inspired him to write Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child. The book’s release coincides with the 100th anniversary of her birth, and it’s the perfect way to celebrate the rich life of this culinary legend, television pioneer, and cultural icon. Both the author’s admiration and Julia’s larger-than-life personality shine through in this in-depth new account of her life.

In 1942, Julia wanted to join the Women’s Army Corps or the Navy WAVES, but she was rejected by both organizations because at 6’3” she was considered too tall. Instead, she began to work for the Office of Strategic Services (the precursor to the CIA). While working for the OSS, she met Paul Child, and they married in 1946. Paul and Julia moved to Paris in 1948, and Julia had a life-changing experience eating sole meunière on her first day in France. Food became Julia’s passion. She attended the Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and began to teach cooking. She also co-authored Mastering the Art of French Cooking, which is now considered a classic cookbook.

In 1962, Julia was featured on a segment of People Are Reading on Boston's WGBH to discuss her cookbook. She shocked the host by making an omelet on a hotplate on live television and unknowingly launched a revolution. That first television appearance led to her successful cooking show The French Chef, the growth of educational television and what later became PBS, and the current popularity of the Food Network and celebrity chefs. Julia was fearless in the kitchen and had a unique ability to make cooking seem completely accessible and fun. She made America wanted to cook along with her.

Julia passed away in 2004, but her ground-breaking work will always be remembered. She changed the landscapes of both American food and television. In the words of the lady herself, “Bon appétit!”(less)

3 likes · like · see review

Oct 11, 2012 Marca rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Julia was a force of nature, that is for sure. Julia was fearless and full of adventure during a time when women were legally relegated to second-class citizens. She made her own way and followed her own path, and made changes in the world. This biography follows her through the war years where she worked for the spy department, her long-time marriage to Paul Child, her years abroad where she discovered French cooking, and the inception of the Julia Child empire we all know today. I actually met...more

4 likes · like · see review

Sep 16, 2012 Vicki rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audio, biography, cookbook

I listened to this one (20 discs -- definitely turned that one in late!), because for some inexplicable reason, I've been on an audiobook kick lately. Specifically speaking, a Julia Child audiobook kick. So I feel I've sort of become an armchair expert on them. Another reviewer said that she thought this was exhaustive, possibly to its own detriment. It's true that if you just want the juicy stuff you should get Julia Child, A Life, by Laura Shapiro (only five or six discs on audio, so there you...more

2 likes · like · see review

Sep 05, 2012 Claire rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, from-library, biography

I knew nothing about Julia Child, not even her existence until in a moment of synchronicity I recorded (unsuccessfully due to our crappy signal) Julie and Julia, then found this biog in our local library.

This is a very well-written biography, full of information but not over-burdened with footnotes or citations (they are available on the website should you wish to find out more). The prose is eminently readable, only occasionally falling prey to verbiage, most notably in chapter titles or referr...more

3 likes · like · see review

Sep 20, 2012 Carol Smith rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: biography, nonfiction

Very thorough, very satisfying, a life story to savor. And more than that.

Just as the best film documentaries are those that communicate more than their stated subject matter, this biography transcends Julia's remarkable life. It's a master class in a life well led. Her story demonstrates that a person can discover their true passion and purpose at any point in life and then pursue it to the furthest extent possible. There is hope for the rest of us.

Her husband and lifelong friend Paul had a tou...more

1 like · like · see review

Jan 06, 2013 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book was dense! It took me a long time to get through this one, but not because the author was verbose...there was just SO MUCH happening in Julia Child's life. It seemed that I was reading this book all the time but barely getting through it! It was fascinating, though, and I do love Julia Child.

After reading this book, I am further convinced that Julia and I would have been best friends. I especially loved the stories from her college years and her mischievous nature. And her hot love aff...more

like · see review

Dec 31, 2012 Marsha rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: _500-pages-or-more, _non-fiction, 2012, biography

I give this book a skimpy 5 only because of its length. The breadth and depth of the research, the the easy intimacy of the storytelling and the unpretentious style more than make up for its many, many pages.

Julia Child is one of the few public figures with which I feel a very personal connection. Coming of age in the 70's with my own kitchen for the first time, "Mastering the Art of French Cooking", was my go to resource for culinary experimentation and entertaining.

But the story of her life,...more I give this book a skimpy 5 only because of its length. The breadth and depth of the research, the the easy intimacy of the storytelling and the unpretentious style more than make up for its many, many pages.

Julia Child is one of the few public figures with which I feel a very personal connection. Coming of age in the 70's with my own kitchen for the first time, "Mastering the Art of French Cooking", was my go to resource for culinary experimentation and entertaining.

But the story of her life, like Elizabeth Taylor's in some respects, is at least as interesting as her contribution to the American table. Starting with an idyllic, privileged childhood in Pasadena at the beginning of the 20th century, to her ivy league education in the east and then overseas service during and after WW 2, she always seemed to be living the many social, political, academic and cultural upheavals of the 40's, 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's and beyond. Her overseas experiences challenged the isolationist politics and "American Exceptionalism" of her father and many of her foreign service acquaintances. Her husband Paul, a lifelong career diplomat, was called back to Washington and investigated and interrogated by McCarthy's minions while serving in France. She was a pioneer in the early years of television where her unaffected style propelled her to stardom. She became a role model for the woman's movement just by doing what her drive and ability led her to do. She supported planned parenthood and other feminist causes, traveled extensively, befriended other prominent chefs and refused to enrich herself by promoting products and foodstuffs she used regularly.

Julia Child was a transformative figure in the culinary world; until she arrived on the scene in the early 60's, the face of American cooking was either of a professionally trained, formal male chef or a "modern" housewife who speedily breezed through meals by opening cans and jars of processed foods. She scandalized the country by drinking wine with the meals she produced on live TV. She not only revolutionized the way people cooked and appreciated food, but also the way recipes were written emphasizing clear, complete, instructions using equipment and ingredients easily available to the American Public. An anecdote I found particularly endearing was the fact that her phone was listed and people often called her at home for help when they hit a snag while cooking.

In sum, Julia Child's life and accomplishments were as unique and outstanding as her 6'3" frame. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in cooking, culture or the life of an unintentional trailblazer.
(less)

1 like · like · see review

Nov 12, 2012 Ronna rated it 5 of 5 stars

I grew up on Julia Child's cooking shows. I still remember so many of her shows that have become Iconic in the food world. Her passion, different voice, and determination to do things her way were unique on TV. She is probably single handily responsible for the popularity of so many cooking shows today. Her cooking books still sell respectable every year.

The book tells her life in a lovable, interesting, and no holes bared manner. Beginning with her background within a rich family, where she and...more

like · see review

Aug 22, 2012 Lynette Sheppard rated it 5 of 5 stars

I bought this book on a whim. While I enjoy some biographies, I really had little interest in Julia Child. Sure, I read "Julie and Julia" and liked it well enough - thought the movie did not live up to the book. But I don't do French cooking and while I love to eat, I don't like spending all day in the kitchen.

This turned out to be another book I could not put down. If I'd known Julia Child, I'd have been so proud to be her friend. She epitomizes the strong woman - coupled with optimism, passion...more

4 likes · like · see review

Jan 04, 2013 Kim rated it 3 of 5 stars

Having read several other bios of Julia Child, I would say that, while this is a fine book, it is not my favorite (My Life in France & As Always Julia are my favorites, as they are taken from Ms. Child's own words and focus on the 1940s-1960s). Spitz often draws conclusions about events and Child's life that aren't supported by any evidence that he presents. Also, the time spent on her very early life, while interesting and important, seems overly long.

On the good side, Spitz presents an un...more

2 likes · like · see review

Aug 16, 2012 Preeti rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Julia Child fans

Shelves: biography

My husband says I have weird tastes. As I mentioned in my review of the last Julia Child book I read, I have no obsession with food or France. I don't cook often. Yet, here I am, reading this extensive biography of Julia Child. I just don't like to (usually) limit myself!

My ideas of Julia Child were fairly vague till now, then formed a bit more after reading My Life in France, but now they're fairly solid, though probably not quite comprehensive yet.

The reason I say this is because this book, wh...more

6 likes · like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 99 100 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Bob Spitz + books about Julia Child	3	24	Jan 24, 2013 09:33am

combine
Other Editions (7)

More editions...

Genres

Biography

141 users

Non Fiction

98 users

Food And Drink > Food

30 users

Food And Drink > Cooking

13 users

Biography Memoir

13 users

Book Club

9 users

Autobiography > Memoir

9 users

Food And Drink > Foodie

8 users

History

7 users

Womens

5 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Bob Spitz

Bob Spitz is the award-winning author of The Beatles, a New York Times best seller, as well as seven other nonfiction books and a screenplay. He has represented Bruce Springsteen and Elton John in several capacities. His articles appear regularly in magazines and newspapers, including The New York Times Magazine; The Washington Post; Rolling Stone; and O, The Oprah Magazine, among others.

More about Bob Spitz...

Books by Bob Spitz

The Saucier's Apprentice: An Amateur's Adventures in the Great Cooking Schools of Europe

Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!: The Beatles, Beatlemania, and the Music that Changed the World

Barefoot in Babylon: The Creation of the Woodstock Music Festival, 1969

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Dearie: The Remar...

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

Quotes from Dearie: The Remarkable...

“On the endive show, she offered a Yogi Berra-style malaprop: "Now don't wash endive-that is, unless it's dirty." And during an episode of forgetfulness: "I did not have my glasses on when I was thinking." Once, she sorted through a jungle of seaweed in search of a twenty-pound lobster lurking in its folds; another time, she lifted the veil over a platter hunting for the "big, bad artichoke" lying furtively underneath.” — 2 people liked it

“Julia dealt with rules the way she later dealt with vegetarians; she pretended they didn't exist.” — 2 people liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child
avg rating	preview: Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child Goodreads rating: 3.90 (2010 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13531538-dearie?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1344371053l/13531538.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13531538-dearie?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child by Bob Spitz[/url]

Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website