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As Always, Julia: The Letters Of Julia Child And Avis DeVoto: Food, Friendship, And The Making Of A Masterpiece (2010)

by Joan Reardon(Favorite Author)

4.1 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

0547417713 (ISBN13: 9780547417714)

languge

English

genre

Memoir & Autobiography

publisher

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH)

review 1: This is an unusual book as it is almost exclusively correspondence between two women that started by chance when Julia Child wrote a letter to Bernard DeVoto commenting on an article he had written about knives. That letter was answered by his wife, Avis, who did a lot of Bernard's secretarial work. From that small and chance beginning, a strong friendship bloomed that lasted almost forty years until Avis' death. The editor, Joan Reardon, has added a little summary at the beginning of each of the sections and sprinkled photographs throughout, but mostly it is the correspondence. I have read other books by and about Julia Child but this is the one that made me truly appreciate how much work went into "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" and how difficult it was to get ... moreit published. The letters contain a lot of political commentary, some of which was familiar to me, some which surprised me, and some which meant nothing to me, and a lot of cooking details, most of which went over my head. There were times when the book put me to sleep, especially if I was sleepy to begin with. But what shone through most of all, was the love and support these two women gave each other.
review 2: This was a delight to read. Julie & Avis become best friends via letter & did not meet in person for four years...something that I think those who spend a lot of time online will be able to relate to. They cover "the book" of course but a lot of politics, post-war Europe & the States, family, friends, food history, everything. Just a note about books of letters: it can be a wonderful thing to have on the night stand with a few other books. When you're tired but want to read something short & a poem or a short story are not in order, a letter or two is just the thing. Highly recommend. (It will also will make you want to write a good letter. Maybe. :) less

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