Appetite for Life - The Biography of Julia Child - Noel Riley Fitch

This was an stellar biography of Julia Child, giving an excellent picture of her family background, the influences that made her the person who could excel in the rough and tumble world of government intelligence during the chaotic World War II era and then translate her organizational skills and joie de vive to a career in entertaining, cuisine and finally broadcast media. When you  think about it, all the areas of her life's work were tied to being a socially adaptable creature. What I found a joy was that she found a true love in Paul Child who, though somewhat of an intellectual snob (IMHO) and order driven soul,  never lorded it over Julia.

That being said, my love for Julia Child's persona was fed to overflowing with this book. What a woman! A live wire with a fun streak that kept her family and friends on their toes, it seems that everyone genuinely liked Julia. I enjoyed reading of her exploits in childhood running willy nilly with her neighborhood friends, slowly gaining intellectual structure through her boarding school experiences, but always keeping a rowdy sense of humor and down-to-Earth practicality about herself.

Making her way from the entitled life at Smith College into the world of business and then government work seemed a wake-up call for Julia. I loved that she was honest about her shortcomings when she applied for her first government job. I think it must have been one of the reasons that she landed the job in OSS - honesty and forthright, hard-working and perseverant, easy-going and able to adapt ... she seemed the right woman for the climate and conditions of OSS work in WWII Asia. It was in Asia that she met and fell in love with Paul Child. Becoming friends first and then seeing the chemistry develop was a slow process that became a no-looking back adventure when the two returned state-side after the war. Marriage and the move to France cemented Julia's shift from safe track government employee to enthusiastic expatriate. Rattling around post-war Paris was bound to make her crazy for a new routine, especially since Paul Child was fitting into a post-war niche in Information/Arts/and Media Communications for the US government, as it established a presence in Euro politics.

Aren't we all glad that she found the Cordon Bleu and made history in a foodie career? I know I am, but I think she would shake her head at my practices in the kitchen. I consider myself a pretty good cook, but her level of knowledge and exposure astounds me. Reading about the dishes that she mastered, the wines that she and her husband and friends sipped, the places that they traveled, and the people that she mixed with boggles my mind. Some people have such interesting lives!

Interestingly, I read somewhere that this particular biography is the only one that Julia openly appreciated and cooperated with in full. Noel Riley Fitch has written other studies of famous American expatriates in France. Her understanding of the country and the culture shows in her handling of Julia's biography. Though I found some of her chapters repetitious, it all fell into place and served to form a complete picture of the woman that Julia Child became. Like I said, this was a good read.

Bonhoeffer - Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy - Eric Metaxas

The story of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and his brave and relentless effort to keep Christian ethics and Christian life alive and well in Nazi Germany is an inspiring one. Bonhoeffer, a bright and intelligent man with strong intellectual and religious family roots, worked tirelessly to be a voice for the German people to hear when the National Socialist party of Adolf Hitler dominated the airwaves, political platforms, social scene, and German Evangelical churches of the 30's and 40's. His great concern that Hitler was becoming, for the people of Germany, a dangerous and evil idol caused him to cast aside concerns for his own safety. He began to work frenetically toward a split with the Nazi sponsored German Evangelical Church that fell to pressure by the Nazis and pledged loyalty and obedience to 'the Furhrer' instead of God. He was horrified by the Nazi state's isolation and persecution of Jewish citizens and knew that the blending of church and Nazism would create a false sense of piety and a dangerous rationalization for what the government proceeded to do to Jews, the disabled, the socially disenfranchised, and any who differed in opinions with Nazi leaders. So ... he spoke out from the pulpit, wrote articles for theological seminars, traveled extensively to communicate his concerns to other religious leaders and politicians, trained new, young German theology students in the ideas and ethics of Christianity and discipleship, and finally joined an ill-fated plot to remove Hitler from power.

His love of Germany and the German people and his family never waned; he was a devoted German. Never let it be said that he turned his back on Germany. He longed, however, for a return of the brightest and best of German ideals- love of God, honorable and hard-working life style, love for and cherishing of the arts and literature, honoring of honorable leaders who are God-fearing and good, and ethical behavior toward all citizens. The lies, evil, and self-serving superiority of the Nazi system was considered an evil to be rooted from German society. Bonhoeffer came to believe that it was imperative that German people must work toward that end. He paid the price for his resistance.

Eric Metaxas has written a deep and thorough exploration of Bonhoeffer's spiritual and ethical voyage, as he grew up and developed into one of the 20th century's most intelligent and respected theologians. It is, at times, very deep with its references to Scripture and philosophical theories. I will admit to having read the book with my Bible, a copy of Bonhoeffer's The Cost of Discipleship , and my computer by my side. Researching his peers, looking back at historical texts, and reading about the history of WWI and WWII helped me to place Bonhoeffer more firmly in his world and aided in my understanding of the issues, the philosophy, and the history of the German Evangelical Church and its roots with the German people. This is a powerful book ... and it seems fitting that I have finished reading it during this Holy Week. Bonhoeffer was a devout man, a devoted patriot, a brave and resolute man - one that comes along once in a very great while who makes such a difference. He loved the Lord and placed himself firmly on the side of the good Christian - he lived his beliefs and for that, he deserves our love and respect and prayers.

Unbroken - Laura Hillenbrand

Since discovering that the secret for audio books and me is to play them in the kitchen while I am cooking or cleaning up, I have constantly had a tape or disc in the kitchen sound system. I have consciously had to stop the 'book de jour' to listen to NPR news, 'Prairie Home Companion' and 'Celtic Sojourn'. Now THAT is saying something when NPR and my fave radio gets pre-empted by an audio book, but I find I love being read to ... a real story, an adventure, or a fantasy!

 My latest adventure is Laura Hillenbrand's account of Louis Zamperini's whirlwind life and his harrowing war experience when he and his crew are lost at sea during WWII's Pacific engagement with the Japanese. Zamperini is a rowdy, smart assed,  young Italian kid from Torrance, California. He leads a rough and tumble life from childhood up through his teen years, a rowdy child who challenges all authority, has light fingers and a daring personality that gets him into all manner of scrapes with his parents, teachers, neighbors, and the law. When it seems that Louis is going to end up in the state juvenile system (or worse!), his older brother takes it upon himself to find a socially acceptable outlet for his younger rogue of a brother. He begins training him on the running track at school. After a few 'false starts', Louis settles in and becomes a track star ( all that running from the law and his parents HAD to come to something!). He progresses through high school track finals and into the college track system in the California state college system. He's fast and strong and because he is such a spirited personality, he gathers a following that supports him and pushes him to greater athletic heights.

Louis ends up qualifying for US Olympic track team and goes to the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, placing respectably for a young up-and-coming track athlete. Returning home triumphantly clutching all sort of pilfered souvenirs of the German Reich and Germanic culture, he becomes a source of pride and chagrin for his followers and family. He's a fun and lovable rake with an incredible athletic talent! With aspirations for the 1940 Olympics (in Tokyo), Zamperini continues to train at USC  ... but alas, Tokyo backs out of hosting and Finland signs on ... and then war breaks out in Europe and the Olympics are cancelled.

The American military begins to ramp up and Louis joins up. Here, his life takes a major twist. Louis becomes part of a crew on a fighter plane that is ordered into the air war in the Pacific. His years of resilience and savvy on the streets of Torrance, dodging bullies and cops will look like child's play compared to what he's in for. A plane crash in the middle of the Pacific, a long fight for survival at sea with wounded crew mates, a stint in one of the notoriously harsh prison camps of the Japanese army, and finally rescue brings back a far more mature and heroic man.

Hillenbrand makes Zamperini seem larger than life, but really, the men of that WWII generation were larger than life. Young and full of promise, thrown into the biggest conflagration the world has known, they performed with a sense of adventure, loyalty to each other, honor for home and country, and humor and self-deprecation that took the horrors they saw in stride. It was the only way to go ... and they went there. And back again.

This is a great read, fast-paced, full of pluck and humor. The audio version is read by Edward Herrmann, a pretty well-known stage and television actor. His voice is perfect - resonant and expressive and his pacing is excellent also. It often feels like I am listening to a reminiscence around the kitchen table. I expect to look up and see a group of old geezers yakking up their times 'back in the day' - geezers now, young bucks then in their prime and willing to take on the world. I plan to share this book with my Dad. He might just like this easy listen. At 90, he was in that generation of soldiers, trained for the Naval Air Corps and knows those big old planes. I'm betting he will enjoy this story of one smart ass guy who made it through the hardest of times and came back to tell the tale.

Virginia Lee Burton - A Life in Art - Barbara Elleman

Some books from childhood remain indelibly imprinted on our hearts and in our brains. We all have our favorites - One Morning in Maine, Blueberries for Sal, The Little House, Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, The Story of Ferdinand, The Courage of Sarah Noble, The Corgiville Fair, King Bidgood's in the Bathtub, Strega Nona. These are some of my favorites.