Judith Jones was an editor with Knopf publishing house and this beautifully written detail of her life and career points out how far she advanced as a woman in her times.

As a non-cook, I was enthralled with the details of Judith working with chefs to bring their talents to the book world. It made me want to start cooking! I had no idea so much went into prepping to publish a cookbook. But, Judith worked with authors besides the cookbooks (although she was most definitely a pioneer in the cookbook world). She worked with such talents as John Updike, Sylvia Plath, and Anne Tyler - and so many more. Her success has a directly link to her interpersonal skills, her drive for success and her vision.

Judith Jones led quite a full and interesting life and I recommend that everyone read this biography on a genuine pioneer for women working in the publishing field.

Opinions are my own. Book provided by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Sara Franklin’s first-rate biography is a celebration of the “audacious life” of editor Judith Jones, whose career spanned the 1960’s and into the millennium. With little more than instinct, pluck, and will, Jones began her career at Doubleday at age 17 and rose to senior editor and V.P. At Knopf in Paris. After being involved with noted authors like John Updike, Sylvia Plath, John Hersey, and Langston Hughes, and important manuscripts including THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK, she gained her most remarkable success by her association first with cookery guru Julia Child and later with James Beard and Jacques Papin, to become a true “culinary luminary.” This is an exceptional book where even the end-notes make entertaining reading.

Judith Jones was an editor of many literary stars, including Sylvia Plath, John Updike, Anne Tyler and Julia Childs. She worked consistently during a time when many women stayed home. She worked tirelessly for her authors while being underpaid and under appreciated…even when she brought in a lot of money from her acquisitions. This biography was extremely thorough and well-written. The author spent time with Judith at the end of her life and was granted access to her personal papers after her death. The back half of the book is mostly about Judith’s work with Cookbook authors, which is not my area of interest at all. That probably affected my reading of the book, but shouldn’t turn interested readers away. Overall, I thought this a very well done biographical account of a literary trailblazer. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.

My cooking has been transformed by the books Judith Jones edited, so I was delighted to learn about this book. I loved every bit of it and raced through it.