My Life in France - Book +

I have just finished reading My Life in France by Julia Child (with Alex Prud’homme). What a delight! It is truly an example of “Remembrences of Things Past,” being an account of her life in France (and Germany, Norway, and the U.S. too, at least for a bit). A wonderful and engaging account of how this 6’ 2” young American woman from Pasadena arrived in Paris, speaking no French, and not knowing how to cook, and went on to become the greatest representative of French cooking in the United States, published a best-selling cookbook, and also pioneered cooking shows on television. It speaks to her love of France and the French, as well as their famous cuisine, her happy and productive fifty year marriage to her artist husband, and the unbelievable labor of love that went into her famous cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking. And there are descriptions of the fabulous meals she cooked and was served, as well as the fine wines they drank, and the friendships they formed over the years with a wide variety of people, mostly well-known chefs and gourmands. A genuine liberal Democrat, she was unfortunately at odds with her ultra-conservative father all her life, especially over the McCarthy witch hunts. The book is well-written, honest and direct, and true to Julia Child, not in the least bit pompous or patronizing. If you have any interest in Julia Child, French cooking, and/or Paris and France in the 1940’s and 50’s, you should certainly read this fine book.

While I would not characterize the book itself as nostalgic, one cannot come away from it without a great deal of nostalgia. It is impossible to believe that her experiences in France, or the France of that time itself, could ever be replicated. What is past is past and can never be the same, however much we might wish it to be. One other observation (this is not meant to be a criticism) has to do with liberals in general. My experience over the years has led me to believe that as liberals wish to identify with those less fortunate than themselves they often understate the means at their disposal. In this case, I find it hard to believe that Julia and her husband could have eaten and drank, and in general done what they did, with the limited means she sometimes claims they had. This does not in the least distract from the charms of the book.

I guess we won’t have to keep grasping at straws much longer. After the inauguration we will begin to get a much better picture of what to expect out of the Obama administration. At the moment all we get are hints that things might actually change. For example, reading between the lines one might have the impression that Obama is not going to continue to pursue the Bush line with respect to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Hillary today actually mentioned “the suffering Palestinians,” and Obama himself in the past has expressed similar sentiments. Does this mean the Palestinians might actually begin to get fair treatment from the U.S.? Also, although it is impossible to tell whether Obama will actually investigate and pursue the crimes of Bush/Cheney, there are subtle hints that he might. He has said he will definitely close Guantanamo, but it is hard to tell how soon this will be completed. Even our ridiculous relationship with Cuba may change for the better. There is also a suggestion that our hopelessly silly and lost “war on drugs” may change for the better. Now there are also hints that he may be going to change our strategy in Afghanistan. While it appears that he still plans on sending more troops there, it is now being reported this is to be a temporary move while we rethink out plans for that troubled land. So here we are, desperately grasping at the smallest straws, left wondering what will really happen after next Tuesday, and hoping desperately for the changes we have been led to expect. But I guess after waiting these long, terrible, miserable, disgusting eight years, we can wait another week for our hoped for deliverance.

I guess we also got more than a hint of how cooperative the Republicans are going to be today. Obama has requested the 350 billion dollars remaining in the bailout money and the Republicans are going to vote against it. So Bush/Cheney were allowed to throw a 350 billion dollar bone to the Financial Industry, with no accountability, but Obama is supposed to turn the economy around with no funds. I wonder how long it will be before it dawns on Obama that trying to cooperate with Republicans is no more effective than baying at the moon.

LKBIQ:
“Ike was just not inspiring: I got nothing but a hollow feeling from his utterances, as if Pluto the dog were suddenly making human noises.”
Julia Child

TILT:
In 1440 Johannes Gutenberg perfected his method of printing using moveable metal type, thus making possible the mass production of books. Bi Sheng, in China, had invented moveable clay type in 1041.