After successfully starting up their own mini cooking school, Julia Child, and her friends Simca and Louisette began working on a cookbook of their very own. Simca and Louisette had looked in to the cookbook idea in the past, and had even found a potential publisher named Ives Washburn, who had already published a (very unsuccessful) mini book called What's Cooking in France. Washburn "...had gone into publishing as a hobby; he knew little about cooking, did little advertising for his book, and was said to keep slipshod accounts" (149). When the three women had finished a chapter of their book (sauces), they sent it to him, along with a letter of explanation. Child says "He did not reply to my letter. Nor did he respond to our chapter on sauces, which I sent him by diplomatic pouch" (150). With no word from Washburn, the three had to make a decision, whether to look for a new publisher, or remain with Washburn. Through her correspondence with the wife of magazine writer Bernard de Voto, Julia Child found another publisher named Houghton Mifflin, who was very well respected in the United States. But when Child suggested this idea to Simca and Louisette "...Louisette balked: she felt that we had an obligation to keep working with Ives Washburn. I disagreed, saying that, in light of no advance, no contact, and, lately, no communication with him whatsoever, we had no obligation to the publisher" (152). After much debate, the three did finally switch publishers, but Louisette stopped working directly on the book, only giving advice when asked by Simca or Julia Child.
The three chefs must make an ethical choice, whether or not to remain with Ives Washburn. The differing opinion about whether or not they had an obligation to Washburn was the heart of their disagreement. I do not think that they had an obligation to Washburn. If a publisher is really interested in someone's writing, then they should stay in contact and read and reply to letters and excerpts sent to them. It isn't like Washburn was extremely busy, if he only published as a hobby. If you want clients, you should treat them well.
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2 comments:
I defiantly agree with their decision to switch publishers. When someone is trying to accomplish a life dream they need people who are truly willing to help them along the way.
In my opinion, The decision that an individual makes should always be up to what that individual believes. If, as it is in this case, a publisher values or enjoys the writing of another person, then the publisher should do what they need to do in order to fulfill their want for enjoyment which would be achieved through, as you said, staying in contact. Besides, an obligation to do something is meaningless unless one can be forced to do something
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