TOW #4 IRB Post 1

Though still in the beginning, I am thoroughly enjoying My Life in France by Julia Child. Julia Child wrote this book with help from her grandnephew, who is a writer. Though written close to, and completed after her death, the book chronicles the happiest time in Julia's life. So far, I have read about how she moved to France with her husband, who had a job improving French and American relations after the war with visual art. She knew almost no French, and had never really been one for adventurous cooking and eating, however she discovered a love for fine French cuisine, that blossomed into a passion.
Julia Child expresses this passion through her descriptive tone. One of my favorite passages is when she has her very first meal in France, an eyeopener for her. She writes, "Then came the salade verte laced with a lightly acidic vinaigrette. And I tasted my first real baguette-- a crisp brown crust giving way to a slightly chewy, rather loosely textured interior, with a faint reminder of wheat and yeast in the odor and taste. Yum!" (19) My mouth starts to water! All of Child's descriptions of food are very vivid, like imagery for the taste buds (is there a name for such a rhetorical device). Not only does it convey her passion, but it also appeals to ethos. Julia Child is a renowned chef, and it is very evident through her delicious descriptors.
Also in her descriptions Child infuses French words and phrases. Like in the description above salade verte. Though she could have easily just said "green salad" using the French term provides a more authenticity to her writing. She uses French terms not only in descriptions of food but also of her everyday life. I think that sometimes parts of meaning of words can get lost in translation. Using French terms helps convey some of the French culture that Julia Child loves so much. I also really enjoy this because I love learning about French language and culture.
This book is perfect for me because it combines two of my loves: French and food. I can't wait to read on and discover more of Julia Child's Life in France.