A culinary icon, a New York Times bestseller, and celebrated TV personality, Julia Child (1912-2004) was the original celebrity chef, beloved not just by gourmands and foodies, but also by legions of Americans who have trouble boiling an egg. With hearty humor and a breezy "bon appétit," she made making lobster bisque look as easy as making toast, reminding us that mistakes and mishaps were part of the game. As Jacques Pépin said, "She demystified French cuisine in a way that had not been done before, in an appealing, straightforward way." Born in Pasadena, California, Julia Child worked for the OSS during World War II, meeting her husband when they were both stationed in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). Later, while living in Paris, she attended the Cordon Bleu and eventually met fellow chefs Simone Beck and Louisette Bertholle, deciding to collaborate on a cookbook introducing French cuisine to Americans. That cookbook, of course, was the New York Times bestseller and culinary bible Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Other Julia Child books followed-including Julia's Kitchen Wisdom, The Way to Cook, and My Life in France-and her show "The French Chef" soon made her a celebrity chef and nationally recognized TV personality. Today, a Julia Child cookbook remains a staple in most chef's kitchen libraries, and deservedly so. Filled with insight, wisdom, timeless techniques, and (of course) mouthwatering recipes, a Julia Child cookbook has a deep respect for the art-and joy-of cooking that will never go out of style.

It's fun to get together and have something good to eat at least once a day. That's what human life is all about—enjoying things.
-Julia Child

Noncooks think it's silly to invest two hours' work in two minutes' enjoyment; but if cooking is evanescent, so is the ballet.
-Juila Child

"This book, written with her husband's great-nephew, Alex Prud'homme, before Child's death at 91 in August 2004, is really a love story: she loved Paul Child, 10 years her senior; she loved France; she loved French cooking; and she loved life."

The New York Times Book Review
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/28/books/review/28riding.html