Biography: Recipes for Life: My Memories by Linda Evans

I hadn’t thought about Linda Evans in a long time. Maybe a lot of people haven’t. According to IMdB, aside from a couple of forgettable television movies in the mid-to-late 1990s, she really hasn’t done very much in a while. Which gets you to thinking: maybe there’s more to life than what you read on IMdB.

The record gets set entirely straight in Recipes for Life: My Memories (Vanguard) a surprisingly candid -- not to mention surprisingly delicious -- collection of both Evans’ memories and her recipes. And who would have thought that when she used the word “recipe” in the title, she actually meant it?

It turns out, that among other things, Evans is a foodie. From her Big Valley days, where she debuted as Audra, to her most famous stint on the 1980s primetime soap Dynasty, and her relationships with producer/director John Derek, musician Yanni and other men.

Throughout, Linda’s voice is bright and engaging, including where she cheerfully recounts early rivalries with Derek’s other wives: Pati Behrs, Ursula Andress and Bo Derek.

And though she dishes on her life, the recipes in Evans’ biography are surprisingly abundant, including John Wayne’s Favorite Chili and Cheese Casserole; Leslie and Tony Curtis’ Lemon Souffle with Raspberry Sauce; Dani and David Janssen’s Caesar Salad and many other even more personal dishes. Fans of Evans and/or Dynasty won’t want to miss this one. ◊

Monica Stark is a contributing editor to January Magazine. She currently makes her home on a liveaboard boat somewhere in the North Pacific.