Julia's Cats: Julia Child's Life in the Company of Cats

by Patricia Barey, Therese Burson

The world knows Julia Child as the charismatic woman who brought French cuisine to America and became a TV sensation, but there’s one aspect of her life that’s not so familiar. Soon after the Childs arrived in Paris in 1948, a French cat appeared on their doorstep, and Julia recalled, “Our domestic circle was completed.” Minette captured Julia’s heart, igniting a lifelong passion for cats equaled only by her love of food and her husband, Paul. All the cherished feline companions who shared Julia’s life—in Paris, Provence, and finally California—reminded her of that magical time in Paris when her life changed forever.

From Julia’s and Paul’s letters and original interviews with those who knew her best, Patricia Barey and Therese Burson have gathered fresh stories and images that offer a delightfully intimate view of a beloved icon.

Genres: Nonfiction, Cats, Biography, Animals, Food, France, Biography Memoir

144 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 1, 2012

Reviews

[Jess the Shelf-Declared Bibliophile · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awww, I loved reading and learning about Julia Child's fascinating and enriched life. She really lived the dream: a spouse who adored her, a warm heart, the ability to nurture her passion, and the means to travel the world.

[Gerhard · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Her secret to the good life was simple: Find something you love and do it every day.'

Review to follow.

[Jean-Luke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having recently finished Warming Up Julia Child: The Remarkable Figures Who Shaped a Legend, I staunchly declared that I do not need to read another book on Julia Child. Sigh. Well, here we are. This is exactly the sort of book I normally shy away from--it has the appearance of a gimmicky gift book with cat lovers clearly being the target audience, and while it is slightly cutesy, it was largely a source of pure delight. I am a cat-lover myself, but don't tell anyone. It also served as an excellent brief biography--my favorite variety.

A perfect companion piece to the down-to-business Warming Up Julia Child, it really bookended the time period covered in that one, with plenty of photographs I didn't know I needed in my life. Is it possible to love this woman any more? Julia in her old age was especially touching, and her relationship with her husband, Paul, who died in 1994, is what we all wish our own could be. Time to go and pen Minette: a Biography in Imitation of Virginia Woolf's Flush.

[Mary Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was just plain fun-an easy, breezy overnight read and a respite from some heavy reading. Julia Childs has been one of my idols since I was twenty, and cats (poussiquattes in Juliaspeak) have owned me my entire life. There were even a few anecdotes that were new to me, and the photographs, mostly taken by Paul Childs, are delightful.

[Glitterbomb · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a delightful and charming little book. A must read if your a fan of cooking, cats and good company.

[CatReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Julia's Cats is a brief (137 page, including tons of photos) biography of the late American chef Julia Child (1912-2004) in relation to cats. Child acquired her first cat in her mid-30s in Paris, after moving there as a newlywed after her wartime service and amidst discovering French cuisine. A gaggle of lucky cats followed her for the duration of her life, whose diets (her custom creations and table scraps) were probably much tastier that the prescription kibble and room-temperature cans of wet food my cats are served. Overall, I found the photos charming and the narrative sugary, but the substance and continuity lacking, hence the brevity of the book.

My statistics:
Book 191 for 2024
Book 1794 cumulatively

[Rebecca Huston · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun little jewel of a book, chronicling the life of Julia Child and her cats. The authors use photographs, letters and stories to create a humourous read that is perfect for cheering you up on a rainy day, preferably with a cat or two in your lap. Great fun to read, my only regret is that it is much too short. And there is a great little surprise at the end as well. Four stars overall, recommended.

For the longer review, please go here:
http://www.epinions.com/review/Patric...

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love Paris and all things French, cooking a la francaise, and les poussiequettes, you will fall in love with this book.

[Kelly (kellyreadingbooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this on a display at my local library titled “Check Me-OWT” 😂 as soon as I saw this one I knew I needed to read it the very same day because I didn’t know one of my favorite people to watch growing up was so fond of cats! This was full of photos and the authors gave a brief biography of Julia mixed with anecdotes about her cats. It was a short read and a fun crossover for a cat lover.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enchanting and sweet, with an unexpected recipe for Cat's Tongue Cookies at the very end! (I will try to make these, but I'm no Julia Child and can ruin even spaghetti)

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a delightful little amuse bouche-sized biography of Julia Child, focused specifically on her joyful relationships with a series of special, much-pampered and richly fed cats. If you know Julia Child mostly through her television program or her cookbooks, this book sheds light on how that same bubbly charisma translated into her personal life with Paul and their many poussiquettes.

Because Julia and Paul were both prolific letter-writers to their family and friends, the authors had a treasure trove of Julia-isms and cat anecdotes to choose from as they compiled this little narrative. One of my favorites involves Julia's first cat, Minette, who had quite the varied diet as Julia was teaching herself the basics of French cuisine in her Parisian kitchen. Julia was learning to make tartelettes and had put the baked mini pie crusts into the dumbwaiter to cool while she made the chicken in cream sauce filling. When Paul returned home for his lunch break to sample the results, they discovered that Minette had been napping in the dumbwaiter when the crusts were placed there, so had "thoroughly tasted" them all. "Paul got quite an earful of Julia's growing vocabulary of colorful French expletives" but the filling turned out to be quite tasty by itself and Julia ruefully agreed to always carefully check the contents of the dumbwaiter before putting tasty morsels in to cool or set, since Minette was always hungry and alert for opportunities. Julia was never truly upset by any of her cats' antics around food, as they always demonstrated a deep appreciation for her cooking skills -- a sure way into the heart of any dedicated cook.

The book is sprinkled with photos of Julia's daily life, always accompanied by a cat, either posing with her or sitting somewhere in the frame. Due to her many relocations, she was often leaving a cat behind with friends and writing for updates. ("How is our Minimouche? Is she getting very big? I hope so, as I adore great big poussiquettes.") Sometimes, when having a cat at some temporary home was impractical, she made up for it with helping strays and going to cat shows, always looking forward to a time when she could return to her more permanent home bases and cuddle and spoil her own cats again. The authors claim one of her mantras was "Une maison sans chat, c'est la vie sans soleil" (a house without a cat is like a life without sunshine). If that rings true to you, you might just find this book as delightful as I did.

[Angie Boyter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book delivered just what it sounded like it would: a wonderful diversion telling about Julia Child's life with food and cats...or is it cats and food. It is full of clever phrases using the French influence. I picked up a delightful new word: poussiquette, and I loved the passage about the cat who looks "about to contribute a bon meow or two to the conversation." My cats are like that, and Rikki does, indeed, converse.
It bothered me that Julia let her cats roam outside, and it bothered me a bit that we never heard the fate of her cats over the years, although that could have made for some sad reading.
If I had a quibble with the book, it is not one that would probably bother most people. It could have used just a little bit of editing in the writing and with the transitions.
Nonetheless I loved it!

[Snap · Rating 3 out of 5]

Charming little book about Julia Child and the cats in her life. Nice stories from Paris and to her final days in California. The theme of this small book can be summed up in this quote from JULIA'S CATS: " For Julia the recipe for a perfect dinner party had just been greatly enhanced: food, plentiful wine, sparkling conversation, and a cat who came to dinner." I think it was also her idea of a perfect life.

[Phil · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first of four cat-themed books I recently brought home from the Goodwill. I like cats and I like food so I didn't see how this one could disappointed. It made me yearn for Parisian food and scenery. While I may not get to live the daring life of a world traveler, at least I have the cat part down. I would have liked to hear more details about Julia's life, but for an overview of Julia's life and loves, peppered with many feline friends, it's a cheery, simple read.

[Xyra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE Julia Child! The Food Network and people like Paula Dean and Rachel Ray wouldn't be where they are without her.
Growing up, Saturday afternoons were usually PBS shows and I have fond memories of my mom and I watching The French Chef. She was a joy to watch.
Reading through this book I could hear her voice in the quotes, could picture here walking down the aisles of the open markets and in the kitchen.
This slim, biographic, volume produces a glimpse at Julia's life with a focus on her love of cats and the part they played in her many years. It does not delve deep into all that Julia and Paul went through, but hovers above focusing on the love Julia generously bestowed on those around her.
As I type my review one of my own poussiquettes, Cheri (short for Cherche la Chat), is on my lap purring away. I know Julia would approve.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a lovely read. I never knew that Julia Child and I both shared a love of "poussiequettes"! The book illustrates Julia's delightful charm and personality as it follows her life with Foreign Service husband Paul Child back and forth between the American embassy in Paris and the here at home. Once in Paris, a kitchen mouse problem was easily solved with a local "minou". Julia was thrilled with the little mouser and was never again "sans chat". The book has a number of interesting photos over the years, capturing the many cats who spent time with the couple. They had a very happy marriage and good lives, filled with travel and Julia's love of teaching the art of French cooking. I enjoyed the book very much.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is insane to me that enough information about Julia Childs and her love of cats exists so that a whole book could be written about it. I'm thankful that info does exist because those was a delightfully happy little book.

[Fiona · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a delightful read for anyone who loves cats and cooking. It's gentle and descriptive. The authors have researched widely. Having read the Julie/Julia book and seen the movie several time, this was just another insight into the life of Julia Childs.
A wonderful Christmas gift.

[Tevilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read a lot about Julia Child and this was an unexpected addition.

Charming, easy and lovely. A great was to start off 2021.

[Robyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Discounted | It's hard to know what the intended audience is for this book. If you've read much about Julia, as I have, this is 97% ground being retread, 3% quotes from her letters in which she references a cat. But if you haven't read much about Julia, why would you care enough to want to read about her love of cats? I waffled between two stars and three because this is all so much that's been told before, repeatedly, in many other volumes. In the end I went for three simply because it's a nice bit of fluff and I love cats, too.

[Eden · Rating 5 out of 5]

2022 bk 2. Julia Child and Cats - this book is automatically a winner in my books. The author excerpts letters and journals from Julia and those who knew her best to create this charming look at the variety of cats who entered the life of the Childs and touched their hearts (and their kitchen pantry). Amusing tidbits that may not have been recounted elsewhere are included here. The book is sprinkled with lots of cat pictures - both in words and photographs. A winner.

[Felgona Adhiambo · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading My Life in Paris and watching Meryl Streep in the adaptation of the same, I fell in love with Julia Childs and her husband Paul. And as charming as Julia's Cats was, I did struggle to stay hooked to the story as it kind of felt like the authors wrote it as a pat on the back for reading up and researching Julia's life and then they tied it up by throwing in the odd mentions of the cats she came across. The flow and transitions could have been a lot better, but being a cat lover myself, this book made me adore Julia Childs even more.

Nice, quick read!

[Patricia Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet book. It was a short biography of Julia Child with her love of cats blended in. Like the best kind of cooking has a variety of ingredients, this story showcased all the things that made Julia happy: her husband, Paul; France and French cooking; and cats. And being a cat lover myself, I enjoyed this book a lot. What a lovely woman Julia Child was!

[Maura Paxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was light and fun. If you like Julia Child and you like cats, it'll be a nice brief escape. If you are ambivalent about both or either you should probably just skip it. Used for the biography task in the 2020 Reading Women challenge.

[Juliana Ley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A loving tribute to la joie de vivre avec chats.

[Julia Merriam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Completely and utterly charming 👩🏻‍🍳🐈🐈‍⬛

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a sweet, wholesome book. I loved learning that Julia and Paul signed letters to friends JuPual and that Julia had cat stamps she regularly put in the margins. I still want to learn more about her life, but this was such a sweet glimpse into a small part of it.

[Linda Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an excellent summary of Julia Child’s life and you see how much she lived her cats and all cats. It was a fun read.

[Joanna Taylor Stone · Rating 3 out of 5]

This seemed pretty forced, but I mean it's cats and Julia Child, so I will take it.

[Emily Genest · Rating 3 out of 5]

So my boss purchased this book because she loves all things animals- especially cats (but not in the crazy cat-lady way. She's way too rich for that). Since she was going to be on the road for a week she left it for me to read.

It was cute. It added nice tidbits that might have been left out of My Life in France and other Julia Child biographies. It also wasn't sad, which is nice because I hate books that are full of cute stories about animals and then bam! dead animal-character that you've come to love.

It short and a quick read. If you know someone who loves cats (your mom, grandma, great aunt Sue) it's a good little gift.