I really shouldn't add this to the read shelf, for I've only browsed parts of this book. However, it is due back at the library, and I may not get back to it.
This may be a cookbook that is better read than cooked from, at least for me. As other reviewers have commented, this book has a heavy French emphasis that is not really aligned with how I normally cook at home. However, this is a gorgeous and interesting book, worth reading if you never make a single recipe. The recipes have lovely introductions that weave stories from his personal life with tips on preparations. What emerges is a picture of how cooking and eating well are at the very heart of life and of one's loving relationships.
I also appreciated the stand-alone essays, particularly the one "Home Cooking Versus Restaurant Cooking." He delineates the different purposes, ingredients, and equipment of the home cook and the restaurant chef, and explains which sorts of dishes are best homemade and which are best in restaurants. A home chef has to be centered in providing comfort, and doesn't have a staff for fancy decoration, for example. Deep-frying, grilling, and the use of expensive ingredients make more sense in the hands of restaurant chefs, while slow-cooking meals that require much attention are better at home.
This is a book I will check out again to savor Pepin's gracious view on life, as well as to peruse the lovely pictures. I might even try a recipe or two.