Posted by Shagatha’s Personal Assistant
Recently, two of Shagatha’s favourite bloggers, Jo Stockton and the inimitable Aggie, posted rave reviews about the book, My Life in France by Julia Child. Shagatha loves France and food and especially French food and was quite excited to read this memoir about someone’s life in France and someone who was quite the French food foodie.
Aggie and Jo loved this book, so naturally, Shagatha was utterly prepared to love it as well. Unfortunately, she did not. Shagatha would very much like to understand what Jo and Aggie found so lovable and inspiring about Ms. Child. Shagatha found the book quite repulsive. Shagatha noticed very little about France or the French people in this book, so the title is a bit misleading. This book is about Julia Child and her single-minded obsession with bringing her version of French food to America.
Shagatha supposes this, in itself could be viewed as inspiring – how Ms Child overcomes so many obstacles in pursuit of her vision, including friends, partners, family, publishers, etc… All of these people seem to only exist in Julia Child’s life/memoirs insofar as they help or hinder her progress. One gets no feeling of her love or affection for any of them. She leaves her dying father to be cared for by her siblings because she’s just too busy testing recipes for her next book and feels only “relief” when he finally dies.
Ms Child also seems to pack her husband off to a nursing home as soon as he becomes infirm because she’s busy with TV appearances to look after him? This is not really explained. Shagatha wonders whatever became of poor Paul, who just slithers around the periphery of the book like a one-dimensional shadow to Julia’s overwhelming light until he is of no more use and then just vanishes from the memoir.
Shagatha found a disquieting parallel between Ms Child’s greedy devouring of people and pretty much every other living creature she encounters. Shagatha has a fairly sophisticated palate, but eating larks is quite beyond her, as is the thought of enjoying rabbit that has been marinating in its own blood for 24 hours. Ms Child’s detailed descriptions of ducks being put through a duck press or critters sliced up whilst still alive were quite revolting, particularly in light of Ms Child’s voracious anticipation of seeing them on her plate.
Yes, Julia Child is an American icon. Yes, she accomplished a great deal. Overall, though, Shagatha is perplexed about the love and inspiration apparently generated by this book. Is Shagatha missing or not understanding something vital? She would welcome Aggie and/or Jo’s perception and/or the views of anyone else who has read this book.
February 5, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Gruesome photo, Shagatha, but apt. This book left kind of a bad taste in my mouth, too. I wasn’t quite sure why, but I think you’ve nailed it.
I’ve been completely obsessed lately with reading memoirs about France ever since I read “French Women Don’t Get Fat”. There are so many far more warm-hearted and foodelightful options: A Year in Provence, (and Toujour Provence and Encore Provence – anything by Peter Mayle) A Moveable Feast, The Olive Farm, Words in a French Life, etc., etc.
February 5, 2008 at 4:40 pm
It was exactly this American, grab-the-turbot-by-the-tale attitude that inspired me. She didn’t get all sentimental about things; she just got the job done. As for the husband in the nursing home, he was an older man. Men who marry young things should be prepared to be dropped off at the nursing home. Julia had things to do.
February 5, 2008 at 4:40 pm
tail not tale
February 6, 2008 at 5:42 am
Posted by Shagatha’s Personal Assistant
Shagatha understands Aggie’s fascination with the book now, but still feels it should have been named “Julia Eats the World” or something. Bringing France into the title implies a tale of soul, romance and passion and never has Shagatha seen an artist so devoid of both — technically, Ms Child’s work may be perfection, but alas, she has missed 3 of the key ingredients. Also, Shagatha doubts that the gigantic Julia Child could ever have been considered a young “thing”.
February 6, 2008 at 9:27 am
“Men who marry young things should be prepared to be dropped off at the nursing home. Julia had things to do.”
I love that line!
December 16, 2009 at 6:29 am
What………did you know he was only an acceptable 10 years older then she…young thing not hardly
February 6, 2008 at 6:35 pm
GASP!
Hey, Aggie! Are you part elf, by any chance?
I’m just, um, curious.
I haven’t read the book, but I agree with whatever Aggie says.
February 22, 2008 at 4:29 am
great book review!
and I agree with Zoom. best line I’ve heard in ages
December 4, 2009 at 6:14 am
i agree with Shagatha. and Aggie, one shud nt forget that how that old thing helped us out to stand firm. we shud take special care for the people who r so close to us who helped us getting things together.
December 4, 2009 at 6:18 am
cuz, after all, we human r social animals we r doing it to get attention of another human. so, why to abondon the human who was so close to us after we ripped his backbone out? specially when one married him and spent a good time in this cruel world of dishonesty.