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Julia Child Rules: Lessons on Savoring Life
by Karen Karbo
Published: 2013-10-01
Hardcover : 240 pages
Hardcover : 240 pages
2 members reading this now
5 clubs reading this now
1 member has read this book
5 clubs reading this now
1 member has read this book
Many of us have dog-eared copies of Mastering the Art of French Cooking in our kitchens or fondly remember watching episodes of The French Chef, but what was behind the enormous appeal of this ungainly, unlikely woman, who became a superstar in midlife and changed our approach to food and ...
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Introduction
Many of us have dog-eared copies of Mastering the Art of French Cooking in our kitchens or fondly remember watching episodes of The French Chef, but what was behind the enormous appeal of this ungainly, unlikely woman, who became a superstar in midlife and changed our approach to food and cooking forever?
In the spirit of The Gospel According to Coco Chanel and How Georgia Became O'Keeffe, Julia Child Rules dissects the life of the sunny, unpretentious chef, author, cooking show star, and bon vivant, with an eye towards learning how we, too, can savor life.
With her characteristic wit and flair, Karen Karbo takes us for a spin through Julia's life: from her idyllic childhood in California to her confusing young adulthood in New York; her years working for the OSS in Sri Lanka; her world class love affairs with Paris and Paul Child; and her decades as America's beloved French chef. Karbo weaves in her own personal experiences and stops for important life lessons along the way: how to live by your whims, make the world your oyster, live happily married, work hard, and enjoy a life of full immersion. It celebrates Julia's indomitable spirit and irrepressible joy, giving readers a taste of what it means to master the art of living.
Discussion Questions
a) Throughout her life, Julia Child credited her great success to having met and married Paul Child. To what degree does she "owe it all" to Paul? To what else did she owe her fame and good fortune?b) Julia Child revolutionized the way Americans think about cooking. How does her influence continue today? How does it factor in your own approach to cooking?
c) "The French Chef" wasn't the first television cooking show, but when it premiered in 1963 it was far and away the most successful. What was it about Julia and the show that captivated viewers?
d) Julia was a self-described rule breaker and believed in living with abandon. And yet, she embraced and practiced the strict, exacting discipline of French cooking. How did these contradictions in her character contribute to her game-changing success?
e) Julia grew up in affluent Pasadena, California. Her mother never taught her to cook, and her parents, who enjoyed a good time, had no high expectations for her. How did her upbringing factor into the woman Julia eventually became?
Notes From the Author to the Bookclub
"In Julia Rules, Karen Karbo has written that rare bird of a book: one that manages on every page to be as enlightening as it is entertaining, as smart as it is funny. In prose as clean and sharp as your best kitchen knife, Karbo gives us a portrait of the incomparable Julia Child that’s intimate, inspiring, and unlike anything I’ve ever read about Child before. I want to make wallpaper out of this original and beautiful book just so I can have Karbo’s unparalleled wit and wisdom always on hand." -Cheryl Strayed, author of WildBook Club Recommendations
Recommended to book clubs by 3 of 4 members.
Food to serve
by bgibney (see profile) 04/06/14Participating in a cooking lesson, serving goldfish crackers for fun, watching Julia and Julie
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