Why I Can't Wait for "Julie & Julia"

For the past year, I've been anxiously awaiting the movie "Julie & Julia," which will be released August 7.  Most of us aren't thinking about new movies until we see a trailer (unless, of course, the movie has the word "star" in it, as in "Wars" or "Trek.") But I've had my eye on this one long before we were hearing Meryl Streep shout "Bon Appetit!" at every commercial break.

It started in June 08 as I was searching for something different to read. I'm a fussy reader, especially in the summer, looking for that magical combination of lazy fun and good brain stimulation that can keep me parked on the deck for hours at a time. Not asking for much, huh? One steamy Saturday, I was browsing the shelves at my public library and stumbled across Julia Child's autobiography, "My Life in France." 

I knew a little about the TV legend, but didn't know much about the life she lived, so I dove in. Along the way, I discovered a funny, creative, pioneering woman who was living proof that you don't have to be perfect to have a perfect life. Her voice came across the pages as genuine,  funny, and a little bit naughty--not what you might expect from the grande dame of French cuisine.

I won't tell you all of the interesting bits--go read the book!--but this amazing woman didn't even start in the profession she's famous for until she was well into her 40s and 50s. She didn't stop and say "oh, I'm too old," or "it's too late." She followed her interests and her fun, and created a life she wanted to lead. (The movie trailer has a great line that sums this up, stating "Julia Child wasn't always Julia Child.")

My good read over, I went on a search for more. Child's biography, "Appetite for Life" written by nephew Noel Riley Fitch, was good but a little dry without Julia's witty banter. It did, however, shed more light on Julia's wartime work overseas, including her experiences as a six-foot tall, athletic woman working for the government in Asia in the 40s. While some might paint that scene as a fish out of water, Julia's story shows the amazing fortitude she used then that she'd show off more in the future. (They say the movie isn't based on Fitch's work; that's probably okay for now, but note to Hollywood--there are a couple other movies there to be made.)

Finally, searching for more words for my hungry eyes, I looked for "Julie & Julia." How my brain remembered this 2005 book, I don't know. With the help of my wonderful local librarian, we tracked it down. It was filed in the cookbook section, which made me laugh. While cooking plays a central role, the book is about a contemporary Julie Powell, a struggling New Yorker who found inspiration from the steady and daily act of cooking the recipes of Julia Child--and blogging about them on the Internet. (Remember, this was pre-Twitter and Facebook--if those tools had been around then, who knows? Julie may have just tweeted her way through the 524 recipes in Child's classic "Mastering the Art of French Cooking." It might have been quicker, but not quite as much fun.)

Now that the movie's just around the corner--and being generously and hopefully appropriately hyped by our friends at Sony Pictures--I'm reminded that the books on which the movie is based--and the women who inspired them--contributed to a host of changes I made in my own life. Little did I know that after reading them, I'd venture further into my own new world as a creative entrepreneur. Now, I love my life coaching and mentoring people to become better leaders and create amazing businesses and lives. Hopefully someday, I can be as visionary as Julia was, and as determined as Julie is.

See you at the movies!

Comments

[Sabrina]

You've just helped me decide what books to take to the beach in a few weeks, so thank you! :) Considering I was recently researching culinary schools, their stories are indeed inspiring.

[Laura West]

Thanks for a wonderful post Darcy! I just finished reading Julie & Julia. Really a great read...way more detail about cooking than I ever imagined and yet she made her interactions with these various foods, Julia and the recipes seem so fascinating.
I shouldn't have been surprised though I was a bit...when at the end she sums of the meaning of life....and it's all about ...joy. That popped my eyes open at 1am when I was finishing the last few pages ....I should have known! ;)