Writing at the Kitchen Table: The Authorized Biography of Elizabeth David

by Artemis Cooper

Elizabeth David was born into a upper-class family and pursued a rebellious and bohemian life as a student of art and then an actress in Paris, before running off with a married man to Greece and then settling in Cairo, where she worked for the British government. After the Second World War, she returned to England, where she was shocked by poor food into writing first articles, then books on Meditteranean cooking. A Book of Mediterranean Food was published in 1950, inspiring a cookery revolution, bringing new flavours and ingredients to the drab, post-war British diet. Over the next few years, David was to become a major influence on British cooking, yet her classic cookery books show little of the colourful personality behind the public persona. Artermis Cooper, in this refreshing biography, reveals an adventurous and uncompromising personality - a woman with a passion for food, life and men. This is the whole of her strong friendships, her failed marriage, tempestuous affairs and the greatest love of her life, told with extensive refererence to David's private papers and letters.'In this wonderful and creative book, Cooper has brought David to life... she not only writes like an angel, but has done her research with great skill and obvious enjoyment.' Derek Cooper, Sunday Times'Engagingly well-written, thoroughly researched and documented. One of the delights of Artemis Cooper's book is that it makes you go back, time and again, to the source. And suddenly I will find that I have whiled away the afternoon re-reading, for the sheer pleasure of it, half of Spices or An Omlette and a Glass of Wine.' Frances Bissell, The Times'Fluent, engaging and astonishingly readable.' Clarissa Dickson Wright, Mail on Sunday'Artemis Cooper is skilled and wise enough to handle the contradictory sides of David's character without being either censorious or sensational.' Arabella Boxer, The Times Literary Supplement

Genres: Biography, Food, Nonfiction, Food Writing, Cookbooks, Biography Memoir, British Literature

480 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 28, 1999

About the author

She is the only daughter of the second Viscount Norwich and his first wife, Anne (née Clifford), and a granddaughter of Lady Diana Cooper. She has a brother, the Hon. Jason Charles Duff Bede Cooper, and a half-sister, Allegra Huston, the only child of Lord Norwich and Enrica Soma Huston, the estranged wife of American film director John Huston. She attended the French Lycee, the Convent of the Sacred Heart in Woldingham and Camden School for Girls. She then went to St Hugh's College, Oxford and obtained a degree in English language and literature. In July 2015, she was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of York.

She spent time in Alexandria, Egypt, with Voluntary Service Overseas teaching English at the University of Alexandria. She has also lived in America, mostly in New Mexico.

In 1986, Artemis Cooper married fellow writer and historian Antony Beevor. The couple have two children, Nella and Adam.

Reviews

[Rachel Hope · Rating 3 out of 5]

A serviceable cradle-to-grave biography of David, drawn from her personal papers left behind (at the time) in the hands of her literary executor Jill Norman. I think this is an honest portrayal of a flawed character who had a great influence on British culture in the postwar era. Elizabeth David comes across as a secretive, touchy, egotist, who could be charming and even caring, but who struggled with any real intimacy - in her friendships or her love life. Cooper doesn't do much to explore the impact that David's writing had on British food culture, but she provides a lot of information about the research and writing of Elizabeth David's many books. The biography is definitely worth a read if you're curious about the interesting life of this famous food writer.

[Eden · Rating 3 out of 5]

2020 bk 376. Reading Elizabeth David's Christmas book made me curious about her recipes - and luckily one of my local public libraries had a biography of her. The author was selected by David's named beneficiary of her writings and Cooper had access to materials far beyond that of an ordinary biography. After reading this, and finding some parts of her life fascinating, some parts infuriating (she never gave people 2nd chances) she is not a person whom I would have enjoyed meeting. But I do admire her writing and her willingness to cook and define her cooking into writing for the British housewife/foodie. Good to know about but won't re-read.

[Jon Blanchard]

After her death there were two biographies of the grande dame of British cooking, an official one by Artemis Cooper and another buy Lisa Chaney.
Elizabeth David said that all you needed to know about her was in her books, and Chaney relates all of her books to her personal life and character, which is not what you would expect from a cookery book. Chaney, unlike Cooper, can provide rather literary and lengthy background. David was born in Sussex so we get several pages evoking the South Downs, which in fact played very little part in David’s life.

Although Cooper is the official biographer she provides far more information about David’s turbulent romantic life. Both biographers give anecdotes to show the contempt in which David held her unfortunate husband, Tony David, but Cooper describes the history of their relationship in some detail which Chaney does not.

Reading both books about someone whose books give me great pleasure, particularly her journalism, I got the impression that I would not have liked to know her personally. Chaney spells our her imperiousness and her high Tory attitudes, but Cooper does not gloss over her dropping old friends.

Although Cooper is the shorter book, she provides more information. She ends her book with an account of the memorial service and subsequent meal: “The best way to remember Elizabeth, then as now, was at a table with wine and talk and friends”.

The trouble is I wonder how many friends she had left after the way she treated some of them.

[Nicola Pierce · Rating 5 out of 5]

I saw this book in my sister's kitchen, fell in love with both the cover and the title and had to get myself a copy. I knew absolutely nothing about Elizabeth David and little about cooking. Furthermore, I've never read a cookbook in my life but now I just might. I do love reading about a writer's life and watching their talent and life experience unfold. This is the sort of book that inspires me even if the subject is someone I would not have warned too had we met. And I'm fairly confident that I would have bored E.D to rage. Anyway, I gobbled up this biography up in two or three sittings, utterly impressed with her lack of fearlessness and independence in building up her empire. It was also a sad story in some ways, I don't think she ever knew real happiness. But, a fascinating read all the same!

[Fiona · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read so much about this enigmatic woman that I thought this was just another read. I enjoyed it enormously. I learned a few things,am probably pleased I never met her or was on the receiving end of the waspish tongue,but she was fascinating and her life and legacy still fascinate me. She influenced the British without a doubt but as a bookseller I know she is still collected and followed and adored.
Artemis Cooper has written a very readable biography I loved it

[Kathrin Peters · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a delightful read, particularly if you like food.

[Dave Clarke · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Copper's book on Cairo during the second World War, though her book on Paris during the same period left me cold, this, however is more like the Cairo book, lively, engaging and allowing the stories to develop naturally, as the various protagonists of Elizabeth David's life drift in and out of focus, and whilst cookery does, as one would expect, take up a large part of the story, it never feels like an overpowering ingredient, that drowns out the other flavours, rather, it's the thing that binds it all together ....

[Virginia]

Not extremely impressed with the non food life parts. A lot of Davids personal life is dryly presented in an almost disapproving way. Then there are a few time issues. The trip to France with the faulty car is presented both before and after the first book, is it the same trip. The separation from Tony David again before or after? The book presents David rather coldly, I do not get the sense that the author thought that highly of David. While perhaps one point of view, I prefer bios written with more enthusiasm.

But the book is redeemed by the culinary parts. There Davids life is described in colorful detail.

Much is said about her letters to and from. A collection of them would be much more entertaining. In all this book left me informed but disappointed.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fascinating read for me because as a kid hers was the kind of life I anticipated living. So far mine has proven to be much more mundane, and probably that is a blessing, but she still fascinates me.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an inspiring life and well written book. I was concerned when I saw "authorized biography" on the cover, fearing a sanitized, flat effort but this was clear, well researched and candid. Her story is fascinating, especially her war years and the detail about life in post war Britain.

[Connie Kronlokken]

Norman Douglas to Elizabeth: "Look for what is true and authentic; see things as they are; be constantly vigilant against the pretentious and the sham; above all, please yourself and take the consequences." As shown in her biography, Elizabeth did just that! A very well-written story.

[lixy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up just to skim, as I had read and liked Elizabeth David's books back when my mother had them. I ended up really liking this bio.

[Sophie James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant. More than just food. A great writer, a complex woman. I know Nigel Slater thinks she's a bit on the grumpy side. I surrender to her grumpiness. She knows more than I do.

[C · Rating 3 out of 5]

ED seems to have been a complex woman with a full life. This book does justice in portraying that. After reading the biography, I am eager to dive into works written by ED herself.

[Diane in Australia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars = I liked the book. I'm glad I read it.