Media Center: 'Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child' by Bob Spitz

WHO: Julia Child

WHAT: DEARIE,
a biography by Bob Spitz

WHEN: Published by Knopf
August 15, 2012, which would have been Julia’s 100th birthday

WHERE: Author tour to Boston,
Chicago, Connecticut, Milwaukee,
New York, Pasadena, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Washington DC

WHY:
“An engrossing biography of a woman worthy of iconic status.
“In the author’s view, the 1961 publication of Mastering the Art of French Cooking came at just the right time. Americans were tired of the preceding ‘era of dreary button-down conformity,’ and they were ready for a gastronomic revolution. Frustrated housewives reading Betty Friedan’s groundbreaking The Feminine Mystique welcomed the larger-than-life personality and showmanship of this tall, outspoken woman as she demonstrated the intricacies of French recipes with what appeared to be blithe disregard when things went wrong.
“Julia Child (Aug. 15, 1912–Aug. 13, 2004) reveled in her celebrity status, but this was only one aspect of her complex personality. Like most women of her generation born in traditional upper-middle-class homes, she was not expected to have an independent career. A wartime stint in the OSS was liberating. Not only did she hold a highly responsible job, but she met and married career diplomat Paul Child, moving with him to France.
“Popular accounts of Childs’ life describe her enchantment with French haute cuisine and her determination to master the skills of a top chef. Spitz captures another side of her complex personality: her fierce diligence in mastering the science as well as the art of cooking through detailed experimentation and her concern to translate the preparation of complex French recipes for readers in America—an attention to detail that carried over to her TV programs.” —KIRKUS in a starred review

“An affectionate, entertaining tribute to the witty, bumptious, and passionate host of The French Chef.”
—PUBLISHERS WEEKLY in a starred review

Media Resources:
About the book | Author bio | Read an excerpt | Download the jacket or the author photo | Listen to the RH Audiobook

Publicity:
Sara Eagle | 212-572-2195 | seagle@randomhouse.com