Synopses & Reviews
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.
Review
“In Julia Child 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 the New York Times bestseller Wild
Review
“If you love Julia Child (and who doesn’t?), then you will love Karen Karbo’s smart and entertaining book. Karbo’s take on Ms. Child’s life is like being invited to a lively dinner party where ideas and experiences are related with great verve and wisdom. Read this book and discover why Julia does indeed rule! Bon appétit.” Whitney Otto, author of the New York Times bestseller How to Make an American Quilt
Review
“Karen Karbo gives us a riveting, zingy new perspective on the indomitable, cheery, lovable, hardworking French Chef. Julia Child Rules cracked me up as it inspired and moved me. It made me want to cook with Julia and Karen in a cramped, under-equipped Paris kitchen, bustling about in aprons, swilling wine and whisking and deglazing, then eating with all the gusto in the world.” Kate Christensen, author of Blue Plate Special: An Autobiography of My Appetites
Synopsis
If Julia Child stood for anything, it was the pleasure found in sharing good food with good people, working hard and being content (even when things aren't going your way), and living with joy and abandon. In Karen Karbo's new book, Julia Child Rules, she shares the universal themes we can all learn from the master of French cooking and shows us how to savor life.
About the Author
Karen Karbo is the author of The Gospel According to Coco Chanel, How Georgia Became O'Keeffe, and How to Hepburn. Her three novels were all named New York Times notable books, and The Stuff of Life, her memoir about her father, was a People Magazine Critics Pick and winner of the Oregon Book Award.
Exclusive Essay
Read an exclusive essay by Karen Karbo