on my night stand – Julie & Julia by Julie Powell

I read Julie and Julia with mixed feelings. Her self-imposed projects, deadlines, and demands were inspiring. Especially because we know that the end of the story is a career in writing and a popular movie. I could relate to the author’s frustrations with setting a target date to get something done and then enduring all the things that get into the way.

I also really loved the “glimpses” she gives of Julia Child’s life. While she admits that these asides come directly from her own imagination they captured the personality of Childs and make the book a joy to read. 

On the other hand the author’s melancholy attitude and inability to get it all together – even just a little bit was exhausting.

For example she writes, “Doesn’t he get it? Doesn’t he understand that if I don’t get through the whole book in a year then this whole thing will have been a waste that I’m going to spiral into mediocrity and despair and probably wind up on the street trading blow jobs for crack or something? He hates me, anyway. Look at him, curled over on his side of the bed like he doesn’t want to so much as touch me. It’s because I’ve got the stink of failure on me. I’m doomed…”

This constant self-loathing and pessimism were never successfully justified in the author’s writing. Nothing all that troublesome happened to her in her life before the project – she was, as far as I can tell – just in a funk. That’s fine, but at some point it would have been far more interesting if the task, her success, or at least the fun she was having lead her to an epiphany of self-appreciation and an improved attitude.

Her political ramblings relating to her job were a distraction especially in the shadow of the current political debate between self-reliance and whiney hand-out seeking dependence.  Perhaps, however, my interest in having her turn off the pity party and do something with the opportunity is only ingrained in my own belief system.

In the end, I’ll assent that the book is fun to read. The cooking, shopping, and entertaining stories are worth putting up with the author’s grumpy attitude.  Tim and I watched the move after I finished the book and we thought Meryl Streep’s portrayal of Julia Childs was splendid. In my opinion the book is worth 3 stars and the movie 4 stars.

Let me know what you think – happy reading!