Backlog Part Two (of Three)

Julia Child by Laura Shapiro

This book is part of the Penguin Lives series of short and excellent biographies. I like them partly because they remind me of the first books I really loved- a series of dramatic historical fiction biographies. There's no fiction here, but they're succinct, and that's a selling point to me. Sometimes I don't want to know every little thing about someone's life: I'd prefer a good overview with some choice details. This book delivers on that premise. I learned things about Julia I never knew (she eschewed the local/organic food movement in the 70s; she had several plastic surgeries) and the author also gave a good sense of how passionate Julia was about food and France. I especially liked this excerpt:
"Today there appear to be two kinds of good cooks: those who want to impress people and those who want to feed people. The meal may be delicious in either case, but you can always tell the difference, in part because it's written across the face of the cook when he or she presents the platter. "Admire me," some of their expressions seem to say. "Here, this is for you, let's eat!" say the others." Julia definitely fell into the latter camp.

ps. This book is a nice companion piece to My Life in France by Julia Child and Julie and Julia by Julie Powell (an account of the author's effort to make all of the recipes in Mastering the Art of French Cooking)

pps I also recommend the Penguin Lives Elvis Presley biography by Bobbie Ann Mason.



Crossing California by Adam Langer

I loved this book. It was one that I didn't want to end, but I was also continually curious to see what the author would do. The characters are outstanding-- the book centers around three families in 1979 in Chicago. We get chapters from the various kids' perspectives, and from the adult ones. I was hugely impressed by Langer's ability to make each character so well formed. He also does a magnificent job in weaving together all of these narratives. I thought the book was hilarious and sad and intricate and hopeful and altogether wonderful.