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"The definitive biography of Julia Child-with access to Julia's diaries and letters-written by the author of the bestselling and critically acclaimed The Beatles and timed to Julia's 100th birthday. From Pasadena to Cambridge to New York, Washington, D.C., India, Ceylon, Paris, Marseilles, Santa Barbara, and Maine, Bob Spitz re-creates an extraordinary life. He takes us beyond the image of Julia as the tall, eccentric woman with a funny voice who taught America how to cook, to establish her as a genuine rebel and beloved icon, a woman who redefined herself in middle age, helped to change the role of women in America, set the standard for how to create a public personality in the modern media world, and altered the way America eats and thinks of food. There might not be a Food Network or even a PBS if Julia had not blazed the trail. Spitz chronicles Julia's friendships, her struggles, her heartwarming romance with Paul, and, of course, the story of the publication of Mastering the Art of French Cooking and her triumphant TV career. A thorough, surprising, affectionate and extraordinarily entertaining account of a truly remarkable life."

"BOB SPITZ is the award-winning author of The Beatles, a New York Times bestseller, as well as seven other nonfiction books and a screenplay. He has represented the careers of Bruce Springsteen and Elton John in several capacities. His articles appear regularly in magazines and newspapers, including The New York Times Magazine, The Washington Post, Rolling Stone, and O, The Oprah Magazine, among others."

"A biography perfectly suited to its subject -- as lively, fascinating, and singular as Julia Child herself." Daniel Okrent, author of Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition It s a revelation. Lev Grossman, Time Magazine Spitz captures another side of [Julia s] complex personality: her fierce diligence in mastering the science as well as the art of cooking through detailed experimentation and her concern to translate the preparation of complex French recipes for readers in America . . . An engrossing biography of a woman worthy of iconic status. Kirkus Review (starred) A rollicking biography that captures the vision, pluck and contagious exuberance that were the essence of Julia Child People Magazine In this affectionate and entertaining tribute to the witty, down-to-earth, bumptious, and passionate host of The French Chef, Spitz (The Beatles) exhaustively chronicles Child s life and career from her childhood in California through her social butterfly flitting at Smith and her work for a Pasadena department store to her stint in government service, her marriage to Paul Child, and her rise to become America s food darling with the publication of Mastering the Art of French Cooking and her many television shows. . . Released to coincide with Child s centenary, Spitz s delightful biography succeeds in being as big as its subject. Publishers Weekly (starred) The most engaging celebrity biography we ve read in years . . . Spitz manages to convey the vigor, curiosity, confidence and booming voice of a truly remarkable woman as if she is sitting at the kitchen table with you. . . Spitz is a fantastic writer. LA Weekly A much-appreciated, well timed gift to us all . . . Julia has never been more alive in the hearts and minds of those who grew up with her and drank her dreams. The Huffington Post In what is by far the most substantial new book on Child, Bob Spitz draws a lively, affectionately detailed portrait . . . [with] the kind of language, slangy and salty, that Child would have enjoyed and might have used herself. Wall Street Journal "Spitz gives us plenty of the wacky one-liners that endeared Child to her television audience, and a warm, nuanced portrait. But his bigger achievement is in setting her career against the most significant movements of the 20th century, from McCarthyism to the sexual revolution to the greening of America. He reveals how she helped redefine domesticity in the media age, transforming the way we cook, eat and think about food. . . A consideration not only of her life but of her place in 20th century American history, the book makes a strong case for Child as a 'cultural guerrilla' on par with Andy Warhol, Bob Dylan and Helen Gurley Brown." Newsday After wiping your drool off the page, you might wonder where Spitz uncovered such narrative gold . . . Author and subject almost become one, as Spitz channels the spirit of Child in his own words. . . His detailed research into mid-century American cooking helps us understand why exactly Child was such a big deal Becky Krystal, Washington Post" "" "A biography perfectly suited to its subject -- as lively, fascinating, and singular as Julia Child herself." Daniel Okrent, author of "Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition" It s a revelation. Lev Grossman, "Time Magazine" Spitz captures another side of [Julia s] complex personality: her fierce diligence in mastering the science as well as the art of cooking through detailed experimentation and her concern to translate the preparation of complex French recipes for readers in America . . . An engrossing biography of a woman worthy of iconic status. "Kirkus Review" (starred) A rollicking biography that captures the vision, pluck and contagious exuberance that were the essence of Julia Child "People Magazine" In this affectionate and entertaining tribute to the witty, down-to-earth, bumptious, and passionate host of The French Chef, Spitz (The Beatles) exhaustively chronicles Child s life and career from her childhood in California through her social butterfly flitting at Smith and her work for a Pasadena department store to her stint in government service, her marriage to Paul Child, and her rise to become America s food darling with the publication of Mastering the Art of French Cooking and her many television shows. . . Released to coincide with Child s centenary, Spitz s delightful biography succeeds in being as big as its subject. "Publishers Weekly" (starred) The most engaging celebrity biography we ve read in years . . . Spitz manages to convey the vigor, curiosity, confidence and booming voice of a truly "remarkable" woman as if she is sitting at the kitchen table with you. . . Spitz is a fantastic writer. "LA Weekly " A much-appreciated, well timed gift to us all . . . Julia has never been more alive in the hearts and minds of those who grew up with her and drank her dreams. "The Huffington Post " In what is by far the most substantial new book on Child, Bob Spitz draws a lively, affectionately detailed portrait . . . [with] the kind of language, slangy and salty, that Child would have enjoyed and might have used herself. "Wall Street Journal ""Spitz gives us plenty of the wacky one-liners that endeared Child to her television audience, and a warm, nuanced portrait. But his bigger achievement is in setting her career against the most significant movements of the 20th century, from McCarthyism to the sexual revolution to the greening of America. He reveals how she helped redefine domesticity in the media age, transforming the way we cook, eat and think about food. . . A consideration not only of her life but of her place in 20th century American history, the book makes a strong case for Child as a 'cultural guerrilla' on par with Andy Warhol, Bob Dylan and Helen Gurley Brown." "Newsday " After wiping your drool off the page, you might wonder where Spitz uncovered such narrative gold . . . Author and subject almost become one, as Spitz channels the spirit of Child in his own words. . . His detailed research into mid-century American cooking helps us understand why exactly Child was such a big deal Becky Krystal, "Washington Post"" " " "A biography perfectly suited to its subject -- as lively, fascinating, and singular as Julia Child herself." -Daniel Okrent, author of "Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition" "It's a revelation." - Lev Grossman, "Time Magazine" "Spitz captures another side of [Julia's] complex personality: her fierce diligence in mastering the science as well as the art of cooking through detailed experimentation and her concern to translate the preparation of complex French recipes for readers in America . . . An engrossing biography of a woman worthy of iconic status." - "Kirkus Review" (starred) "A rollicking biography that captures the vision, pluck and contagious exuberance that were the essence of Julia Child" - "People Magazine " "In this affectionate and entertaining tribute to the witty, down-to-earth, bumptious, and passionate host of The French Chef, Spitz (The Beatles) exhaustively chronicles Child's life and career from her childhood in California through her social butterfly flitting at Smith and her work for a Pasadena department store to her stint in government service, her marriage to Paul Child, and her rise to become America's food darling with the publication of Mastering the Art of French Cooking and her many television shows. . . Released to coincide with Child's centenary, Spitz's delightful biography succeeds in being as big as its subject." - "Publishers Weekly" (starred) "The most engaging celebrity biography we've read in years . . . Spitz manages to convey the vigor, curiosity, confidence and booming voice of a truly "remarkable" woman as if she is sitting at the kitchen table with you. . . Spitz is a fantastic writer." - "LA Weekly " "A much-appreciated, well timed gift to us all . . . Julia has never been more alive in the hearts and minds of those who grew up with her and drank her dreams." - "The Huffington Post " "In what is by far the most substantial new book on Child, Bob Spitz draws a lively, affectionately detailed portrait . . . [with] the kind of language, slangy and salty, that Child would have enjoyed and might have used herself." - "Wall Street Journal ""Spitz gives us plenty of the wacky one-liners that endeared Child to her television audience, and a warm, nuanced portrait. But his bigger achievement is in setting her career against the most significant movements of the 20th century, from McCarthyism to the sexual revolution to the greening of America. He reveals how she helped redefine domesticity in the media age, transforming the way we cook, eat and think about food. . . A consideration not only of her life but of her place in 20th century American history, the book makes a strong case for Child as a 'cultural guerrilla' on par with Andy Warhol, Bob Dylan and Helen Gurley Brown." - "Newsday ""After wiping your drool off the page, you might wonder where Spitz uncovered such narrative gold . . . Author and subject almost become one, as Spitz channels the spirit of Child in his own words. . . His detailed research into mid-century American cooking helps us understand why exactly Child was such a big deal" - Becky Krystal, "Washington Post"