Short description
First published in 1961, this book is a statement, not of culinary intent, but of aspiration, a commitment to a certain sort of good life, a certain sort of world-view; a votive object implying taste and appetite and a little je ne sais quoi.
Long description
This isn''t just any cookery book. It is Mastering the Art of French Cooking , first published in 1961, and it''s a book that is a statement, not of culinary intent, but of aspiration, a commitment to a certain sort of good life, a certain sort of world-view; a votive object implying taste and appetite and a little je ne sais quoi. Julia Child was like Amelia Earhart, or Eleanor Roosevelt: she was a hero who''d gone out there and made a difference. Her books are a triumph, and also a trophy . (A. A. Gill, The Times ). (Measurements in Imperial)
Review
As close to a divine text as you can get -- Matthew Fort Guardian