Book Review: As Always, Julia, edited by Joan Reardon

As Always, Julia: The Letters of Julia Child and Avis DeVoto by Julia Child

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


If you liked My Life in Paris and the movie Julie & Julia, you may really enjoy this book, which collects the correspondence between Julia Child and Avis DeVoto from their first contact when Julia was beginning to master the art of French cooking until and beyond the publication of her classic cookbook--a time during which they were "pen pals" and became best friends forever. The letters are well-edited and the editor, Joan Reardon, deserves recognition for doing a great job of filling in the blanks and identifying people and events mentioned in the letters that the reader might not know about. (She also translates the bits of French that creep into the letters.) Avis's letters are just as interesting, if not more so, than Julia's, as Avis was married to a famous and excellent writer, Bernard DeVoto, was a thinker and editor in her own right, and they knew many of the literary and other lights of society in their Harvard University/Cambridge, Massachusetts, community and throughout the country. In addition to the struggles and triumphs surrounding the writing and publication of Julia's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, the two women give a great depiction of their daily lives in the 1950s and the political climate in the United States at the time. (Both were horrified by the Communist witch hunt being conducted by Senator Joseph McCarthy and his House Unamerican Activities Committee; both were delighted years later by the election of President John F. Kennedy.)

Avis is the perfect friend and encouraging editor; without her, Julia may not have had the wherewithal to endure the years and setbacks involved in completing and publishing the cookbook. Also interesting are the details of Julia and her husband Paul Child's postings around Europe with Paul's job for the U.S. Information Service and the two friends' family and travel experiences. In addition to being a valuable chronicle for those interested in Child, the book is another addition to the growing body of resources on the value of women's daily lives and thoughts (in a vein similar to the historical work of Laurel Thatcher Ulrich). Brava! Highly recommended.



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