Being new to this country in 2001 I lacked the understanding for the reverence and fascination with Julia Child. This book opened my eyes. Beautiful scenery and descriptions and as I read I was often hungry. It is a pity more of the French was not translated as there were whole sentences I was left with no understanding. Overall a good book giving some insight into an American Icon. Out to buy her original cookbook now.

This is a marvelous story of Julia Child's life when she lived in Paris and Marseille. This autobiographical sketch is engaging, positive and encouraging. Even if you aren't a cook this is a marvelous read!

I have been lucky to have met Julia Child on several occasions and to have entered the fine wine industry in Napa Valley at the onset of her and Robert Mondavi's vision of wine and food for America. This book is a revelation of the insights Julia saw about capturing and preserving the ways of growing and preparing exquisite cuisine. As I gazed yesterday at the abundance at Napa's Oxbow Market and this afternoon at Bouchon Bakery's pastries and perfect baguettes, I smiled with pleasure and gratitude for the gift of Julia Child. She truly was instrumental in making both food and wine a wonderful lifestyle and career path for me as well as elevating this American life for oh so many of us.

An absolutely delightful read. Each chapter is filled with events that illuminate her awakening to the realization of food as experience rather than sustenance. If the few pages that describe her first meal with Paul in France (pp 22-26 in the "freview") don't charm you into submission . . . nothing will. Thank you, Julia.