MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH COOKING, 1964, INSCRIBED AND SIGNED BY JULIA CHILD AND SIGNED BY PAUL CHILD

CHILD, Julia, BECK, Simone, and BERTHOLLE, Louisette. Mastering the Art of French Cooking. New York: Alfred A Knopf, 1964. Quarto, original patterned white cloth, original dust jacket. $1500.

First edition, later printing, of Julia Child's indispensable first cookbook, inscribed and signed by her in black felt pen on the half title , "For D— D—, Julia Child," signed below in blue ink by Paul Child, in original dust jacket.

Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking remains arguably the most influential work on French food ever published in the United States and Child herself was undoubtedly French cuisine's most enthusiastic and successful ambassador. Child was the girl from Pasadena who revolutionized American cooking with her irrepressible humor, genial expertise, and her signature phrase, "Bon Appétit!" Winner of three Emmys, the Peabody Award, the National Book Award, and the French Légion d'Honneur, she was the first woman ever inducted into the Culinary Institute of America's Hall of Fame and her kitchen has been installed in the Smithsonian. A "self-confessed ham, she became a darling of audiences…. almost from the moment she made her debut in 1963 at the age of 50" (New York Times). First published in 1961: with "Seventh Printing, October 1964" on the copyright page. A second volume of this work was published in 1970; however, this volume is considered complete on its own. Bookseller ticket.

Book fine; light edge-wear, small closed tear to upper rear panel of near-fine price-clipped dust jacket.