Who Wrote Joy of Cooking, Its History, and Which Edition to Buy
Irma S. Rombauer wrote Joy of Cooking and self-published it in 1931. Her daughter Marion Rombauer Becker, her grandson Ethan Becker and her great-grandson John Becker with Megan Scott later revised it. For most new cooks the 2019 ninth edition is the best one to buy.
The book has sold more than 20 million copies.
| Edition | Notes |
|---|---|
| 1931 | Self-published by Irma Rombauer |
| 1936 | First commercial edition, Bobbs-Merrill |
| 1951 | Marion Rombauer Becker credited as co-author |
| 1975 | Marion's last revision, with Ethan Becker |
| 1997 and 2006 | Ethan Becker era; the 1997 edition is widely criticized |
| 2019 | Ninth edition by John Becker and Megan Scott |
How did it start?
In 1931, two years into the Great Depression, Irma Rombauer, a recently widowed St. Louis homemaker, spent about $3,000 to have 3,000 copies printed. The book was titled The Joy of Cooking: A Compilation of Reliable Recipes with a Casual Culinary Chat. Her daughter Marion illustrated it, and they sold copies themselves. Bobbs-Merrill issued the first commercial edition in 1936.
↑ Back to the topWho revised it over time?
Marion helped revise every edition from 1936 to 1951, and was credited as co-author from 1951. A revised edition appeared in 1962, the year Irma died, and became controversial. Marion's 1975 edition, prepared with her son Ethan, is considered a classic and a collector's item.
After Marion's death in 1976 the book went unrevised until 1997, when the publisher brought in a new editor under Ethan's oversight. That edition and the 2006 75th anniversary edition were long scorned by many readers, though 2006 restored much of the original voice and held about 4,500 recipes.
↑ Back to the topWhat is new in the ninth edition?
John Becker and Megan Scott spent years testing recipes. They started from the 1975 text and updated techniques and ingredients, including newer appliances. The 2019 edition runs about 1,156 pages.
↑ Back to the topWhich edition should I buy?
For everyday cooking, the 2019 edition suits most new cooks, because its recipes were freshly tested and updated for modern techniques. If you like the older, more narrative style, a used copy of the 1975 edition is the one many cooks prize. The 1997 edition is the one most often passed over, and the 2006 edition falls in between.
↑ Back to the topMore about Joy of Cooking
Edition histories vary slightly between sources. Check the copyright page of any edition you buy.