As Always, Julia

After weeks I finally finished reading "As Always, Julia", the letters of Julia Child and Avis DeVoto, edited by Joan Reardon. This book of letters really has opened my eyes to the previous generation. These women started their friendship as being pen pals in 1952 and ended up being best friends until Avis' death in 1989.

Everything that is on our minds today was discussed openly and freely even in 1952. Who knew that Julia Child's private life was so interesting? We all know about Julia, her cookbook, and her TV show, but I had no idea who Avis DeVoto was. She had Julia's back from the first letter they exchanged. After reading these letters I do not think I know of another friendship so loyal and so loving.

There are many passages in these letters that I could quote, but I only will share two and both were written by Avis. "You know it is funny. By the time we develop real taste in food, and begin to learn how to prepare it, digestive disorders set in and weight piles up. When I think what I could have done in my youth, when I ate like a horse with no bad results at all, with the knowledge I'm getting now, I could cry.", Avis' letter to Julia, February 27, 1954. In her letter to Julia, April 30, 1961, she writes about the Cuban Missile Crisis "I cannot discuss Cuba. It is too dreary, too awful, too depressing. I only know the world limps on, and occasionally I get a bit of a laugh."

I hope you get a chance to read this fascinating book. Every letter was filled with political news, family life, descriptions of world travel, frustrations of the publishing world, and of course, food. I have learned from them that I have a very inadequate knowledge of politics, world events, and political leaders. I also learned that in order to have such a friendship as these two, I need to give more. "The world limps on, and occasionally I get a bit of a laugh."