Joe says: 
 Full-disclosure: I did not like Julie & Julia the book. I found Julie Powell to be winy and self-absorbed. I enjoyed going back to the recipes in the original cookbook, but really didn't like the book. That said, this book is fantastic! Not originally written as a blog, this book is an honest look at Julie Powell's life after "Julie & Julia". And it is not all pleasant. She starts a torrid love affair with an old college friend, and talks frankly of the deep sexual longing for D. And she is still married to Eric, her sainted husband, who's saint's robes are also a little tarnished. And she heads upstate to learn the magical art of butchery. Julie's prose is wonderful: her descriptions of meat cutting, sex, and separation are not only well-written, they are thoughtful and interesting. Toward the final third of the book, she leaves the States altogether to learn meat-cutting traditions in other countries. It is a fascinating tour, and the book heads toward what I found to be a satisfying finish. I came from this book with more respect for the writer and person who is Julie Powell.