West Branch Book Club

The Secret War of Julia Child by Diana R. Chambers

We read a variety of contemporary fiction and nonfiction and meet once a month in person and virtually via Zoom for discussion. May's book: The Secret War of Julia Child by Diana R. Chambers

The West Branch Book Discussion Group reads a variety of contemporary fiction and nonfiction and meets the last Thursday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at the West Branch or on Zoom. Books are available for checkout at the West Branch. For more information, contact discussion facilitator Becky Clark at rclark@aurorapubliclibrary.org or call 630-264-4262.

Join us in person or virtually via Zoom.

Book description: The Secret War of Julia Child by Diana R. Chambers

Before she was Julia Child, the enigmatic chef that stole hearts, she was Julia McWilliams. Thirty years old and directionless, Julia took a job working for America’s first espionage agency, years before cooking or Paris entered the picture. The Secret War of Julia Child traces Julia’s transformation from ambitious Pasadena blue blood to Washington, DC file clerk, to head of General “Wild Bill” Donovan’s secret File Registry as part of the Office of Strategic Services. The wartime journey takes her to the Far East, to Asia’s remote frontlines of then-Ceylon, India, and China, where she finds purpose, adventure, self-knowledge – and love with mapmaker Paul Child. Not only do we see Julia’s origin story, but we see the "Forgotten War" of WWII in Asia, where themes of empire and colonialism enrich the story, and deepen Julia’s perceptions of international culture. The spotlight has rarely shone on this fascinating period of time in the life of ("I'm not a spy") Julia Child, and this lyrical story allows us to explore the unlikely world of a woman in World War II spy station who has no idea of the impact she'll eventually impart.

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