I like to cook when I have the time or entertaining gives me the venue for it, but I had never tried many French or French-inspired dishes. A self-professed "foodie", I knew Julia Child was worth having a look at and for $6, it couldn't hurt! So far I have been impressed with the dishes I've made not only in the quality in flavor and taste, but at how EASY they are to make. Americans don't make sauces as much as the Europeans do and I was eager to learn a few - Julia's sauces were delicious, easy and I will certainly be making them more often. The directions are easy to follow and will certainly help the "beginner cook". The reason for my 4-star rating was because it would have been nice to have the glossy pictures common in cookbooks today, but this cookbook is certainly a classic and a good one to have in your collection. Highly recommended!