Julia Child, Recipes Ride Box Office Tide To Number One

The late, great Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking, has been given a cinematic boost, thanks to Julie & Julia. And she’s not alone.

According to Nielsen BookScan, Child’s classic recipe book, published nearly five decades ago, will take the number one slot on the New York Times Book Reviews’ how-to best-seller list. But, alas, the recipes aren’t necessarily making the transition.

As anyone who’s familiar with Child’s cooking knows, the Brit loved butter and other naughty, yet delicious, ingredients. Now that people know the damage fat can cause their bodies, many are altering the recipes with healthy alternatives. As one dilettante who eschewed pork fat remarked, “Julia Child rolled over in her grave when I opened the cream of mushroom soup, I’m pretty sure of that. But you know what? That’s our world.” And what a sad, tasteless world it is…

Child isn’t the only person benefiting from the Nora Ephron-penned script. The film’s based on Julie Powell’s book of the same title, which has been reprinted 13 times this year.

And that, friends, is what we refer to as “movie magic.” It’s the secret ingredient to a successful book. Please do take note.