DEARIE The Remarkable Life of Julia Child

Many of today's master chefs can trace their enchantment with the culinary arts to the iconic Julia Child—and her liberating pronouncement that fresh, wholesome fine dining can and should be crafted at home. Spitz's biography captures the lively spirit and ancestral origins of a woman who transformed kitchen drudgery into enlightened American meals. Kimberly Farr has the sense to stop just short of Julia's distinctive high-pitched warble. Her expressive performance intuitively communicates Spitz's anecdotes about this "culinary messiah's . . . axis of fun," particularly her mischievous nature. Farr delivers reminiscences of those who knew and loved Julia with affection. Under Julia's often hilarious tutelage, food prep and feasting evolved from sustenance to pleasure—ushering in the "upheaval in the cultural paradigm" that is prominent globally today. A.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2012]