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I had no idea that Julie Child's career as a chef began when she was 36 years old! Child's a fun read, not just for her meandering foray into the niceties of French cooking, but for her attitude. Not once does she say, "poor me" when they are shipped off to Germany and Oslo, or her husband is packed away to a nursing home. I definitely enjoyed this book.
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Exactly the right cure for the January winter blues, My Life In France is a wonderful read that leaves you dreaming of the Parisian lifestyle. The open and candid story telling of the ups and downs of an expatriot life, ring true to those who have and are still living it. Already a bit of a Francophile, Julia Child has confirmed my love of France, Paris and all things French. Her details of the housing, the markets, the people and the food as well as her discovery of her career and herself equal
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This book is so joyful, and got me so hungry. I also tried out how to make scrambled eggs according to Chef Bugnard at Le Cordon Blue, and it was awesome (secret: heat barely stirred eggs over low heat and be patient).
Julia Child does come off as a rather 'my way or the highway' person at times, and her relationship with her father - and her criticism of her dear French friend and co-author, Simca - makes me rather uncomfortable indeed. There is also a jerky quality to the writing.
Despite all t ...more
Julia Child does come off as a rather 'my way or the highway' person at times, and her relationship with her father - and her criticism of her dear French friend and co-author, Simca - makes me rather uncomfortable indeed. There is also a jerky quality to the writing.
Despite all t ...more

Aug 13, 2009
Erin (NY)
rated it
really liked it
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review of another edition
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This book was well-written and interesting. It was a bit slow to start. Although I liked the bit about how Julia was settling in to life in France, it was not nearly as exciting as the part where she starts cooking.
I found it so interesting to know how a cookbook gets written, and there is just so much more that goes into it that you might imagine.
I found it so interesting to know how a cookbook gets written, and there is just so much more that goes into it that you might imagine.

She's hilarious and she even makes me forget my pseudo-vegetarian ways and get excited about stuff like how to de-bone a duck. Did you know there's a cooking implement called a "duck press?"
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This was a lovely, delicious book. So wonderful to read about Julia's love of France, so similar to my own. I know I will read this one again :)
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Fun read - although I think I enjoyed the Julia Child segments of the movie Julie & Julia more than this book itself.

Jan 13, 2010
Yiga
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