As Always, Julia

A Friendship Born from Knives: This extraordinary friendship began in 1952 when Julia Child, living in Paris, sent a 70-cent carbon steel paring knife to historian Bernard DeVoto after reading his Harper's article complaining about dull American stainless steel knives. His wife Avis answered the letter, and a legendary friendship was born.

Over 200 Letters Revealed: The book contains more than 200 letters exchanged between Julia and Avis from 1952 to 1961, chronicling nearly a decade of intimate correspondence that had never been published before. These weren't just recipe exchanges but deeply personal conversations between two brilliant women.

The Letters Were Sealed: Julia's letters to Avis were housed in the Avis DeVoto papers at Harvard's Schlesinger Library with the stipulation they remain closed for 30 years. This treasure trove of correspondence finally became available for Joan Reardon's research, giving us unprecedented access to Julia's private thoughts.

Avis Was Julia's Literary Godmother: Avis DeVoto served as Julia's unofficial literary agent and was instrumental in getting Mastering the Art of French Cooking published, first steering it to Houghton Mifflin in 1954, then later helping push it to its eventual home at Alfred A. Knopf after the initial rejection.

They Met Two Years Later: Despite their intense correspondence beginning in 1952, Julia and Avis didn't meet in person until 1954, when Julia arrived at the DeVoto home in Cambridge with a station wagon loaded to the roof with pots and pans, took over the kitchen, and cooked for their cocktail party guests.

Frank Talk About Everything: These letters are described as bawdy, funny, and exuberant, covering topics far beyond cooking including McCarthyism, sexual mores, politics, aging, marriage frustrations, and the lack of good wine in 1950s America. The women held nothing back in their correspondence.

Julia's Political Fire Surprises: The letters reveal a politically passionate Julia Child that most people never knew from her television persona. She was deeply engaged with the volatile politics of the 1950s and wasn't shy about expressing strong opinions on McCarthyism and government affairs.

The Recipe Testing Was Staggering: Julia and her co-author Simone Beck tested and re-tested 524 recipes for Mastering the Art of French Cooking. At one point, they were working on 100 chicken recipes alone, and the original version of volume one was over 700 pages dedicated just to chicken and sauces.

Julia Had Deep Self-Doubt: Contrary to the supremely confident television personality we know, these letters reveal Julia experienced significant self-doubt and pessimism, especially when her revised manuscript was rejected. Avis served as her constant cheerleader and sounding board through the difficult publishing journey.

Avis Was an Ingredient Detective: Living in Cambridge while Julia was in Europe, Avis provided crucial feedback about what ingredients were actually available to American housewives in the 1950s. She'd tell Julia things like "Nobody knows about shallots!" helping ensure the cookbook would work for its intended audience.

Julia Called It "Cookery-Bookery": Julia coined the adorable term "cookery-bookery" to describe their cookbook discussions, though their conversations quickly expanded far beyond recipes to encompass their entire lives, families, and the changing world around them.

The Book Shows America Transforming: These letters capture America on the verge of massive political, social, and gastronomic transformation during the 1950s, offering a fascinating window into domestic life, the role of housewives, and how two intellectually curious women navigated that era while dreaming of better food for everyone.