Food Editors & Cookbook Reviews
Julia Child, the cookbook author who became a television personality and a household name, knew that for her publication to be a success it had to be well reviewed. Her first cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, was embraced by American newspaper food editors. Yet, before that success, she worked for years to get her book published with several stops and starts along the way.
In 1954, she received a letter with the following advice on getting good press for her book: “Want big splash on household page of either Herald Trib. or Times. Trib. as you know is that dame Paddleford, knows a lot, ghastly (for me) style, but the big noise in the newspaper food world. Dorothy or I must sound her out very carefully. Don’t know if she ever writes about cookbooks. Have a hunch if she knew about it ahead of time she wouldn’t be beyond wiping credits and ideas. Know less about the dames at the Times – Nickerson or Casa-Emellos. But we must walk carefully and find out which is the best pitch for absolutely the right publicity for the book.”
The above quote is from the collection of letters between Julia Child and Avis Devoto, As Always, Julia.
Newspaper food editors held great power in their ability to praise or pan a cookbook. Here is a link to Clementine Paddleford’s papers and finding guide.
