Cathy Yandell explores and shares her 'discovery and rediscovery' of joie de vivre, by returning often to France - as a student, a mother, and a teacher.

She continues to work on defining Frenchness through the book, while sharing her own experiences in so many different aspects of French life.

She ends by telling us that many of her life discoveries have come from living in France and that 'the French are still inventing new ways of living well.' I encourage you to read this book before traveling there, as well as to bring back joyful memories of past journeys.

Having gone to France several years ago, I missed it and was excited to read this book. I liked the little stories, but I did start to lose interest partway through. I got a little bored. I did like that she translated the French words. It made me remember my trip and I found myself relating to some of it and being an outsider in the French world.

I couldn’t finish this book. It was such a bore to read unfortunately. And I am one that is eager to learn as much as I can about living in France and the culture.

I’m unable to put my finger on it but it was just very dry and had little joie de vivre, ironically.

Spurned by the influx of books of French parenting and "How French Women Don't Get Fat," this title does well during the first third of the book where there are details of how the author is able to live amongst the French. I did not finish the novel as at half-way the narrative shifted from the practicality of French living to thoughts about the French way of life.

This book came at just the right time for me. I needed more Joi De Vivre in my life and the tips scattered throughout this book helped bring a little more into my life. The focus of French people is not on do, do, do more like in America, but on enjoying the everyday. Reading this made me think about a trip back to France. Thank you to the author and publisher for the copy.

DNF. I have been trying to finish this book for 9 months. I have not been able to do it. I simply did not find this book exciting at all. It was really boring and a challenge to read. It felt more like an autobiography than anything. The title of this book lead me to believe that this would be more about how the French find joy in their lives. A giant bore!

I enjoyed reading this book which is very informative regarding French culture. As a French teacher, I know my students would enjoy reading and learning about France from this book.

I feel like with many “I’ve lived in France” memoirs, there’s a fine line between being arrogant and boastful, and contagiously happy and informative. This falls into the first category for me. The overuse of italicized French words was also a little much. Not all bad, but would recommend other books that better accomplish what this one set out to do.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Immersive and engaging. A recommended purchase for collections where memoirs and travel titles are popular.

This book takes readers on a tour of France. It covers all the essential French qualities, including film, literature, history, food, sex, relationships, work, and community. I enjoyed the tour.
But the book is also annoying. The author is not a native Frenchwoman. However, she did live in France for several years as a student, professor and mother. And she admits at least once that the book contains plenty of generalizations. As I read, I wondered, "Do all French folks feel this way? I doubt it."
Fortunately, this book offers a unique perspective on the French way of life. It would probably be more relatable for people who are already familiar with and interested in the culture and language.

What is it that makes the art of French living distinct and unique? In this book we are taken into the everyday French world to understand the joie de vivre that is so intrinsically French. The author has lived in France at various stages of her life. Her story and anecdotes give us a firsthand and humorous look at what it’s like to live amongst the French, but never quite being one of them. I found the first one third/half part of the book the most interesting and engaging - as a student, connecting with people, attempting to figure out how to operate in a French world, etc. I found the parts where the book delved inordinately too deeply into French art, literature, philosophy, etc. a bit much and long winded - sounded more like a lecture. It bogged the book down and didn’t seem to match the flow of the first half of the book. Still, overall the book was an interesting read with a firsthand glimpse and experience into French culture and living. I wish I had enjoyed the second half of the book as much the first. Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This is a lovely commentary on how the French enjoy and savor life. From how to enjoy a meal to how to live in the moment, the French have mastered the art of living well. Cathey Yandell details her first experience in France and her continued experiences as a resident and occasional visits. It was a lovely unofficial guide to all the pleasures one can experience in France.

The French Art of Living Well had a strong beginning and end but it lost me a bit in the middle. As a lifelong Francophile, I was impressed with the amount of tidbits and information that was new to me and found many things to dive into deeper. The middle of the book, I felt, went into too much detail on a few topics, and I would have preferred to let the reader look into those things more if they so chose. I think this is a great choice for those who are Francophiles or interested in French culture. 3/5 Stars

I was given a copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed The French Art of Living Well. Author Cathy Yandell covered many aspects of French life including art, music, fashion, perfume and of course food. I love any book about France and this one offered so much more information than my usual book choices about french food and wine.

The French Art of Living Well is an insightful look at the French attitude toward life that places a priority on joy and seizing the moment. Told through the author's experience in Paris, this book reads easily. We walk through politics, literature, history, and sights, with an eye toward the French attitude and what we non-french might be shocked by. As someone who has spent a lot of time in France myself, I found much of the book echoed my own personal experience. In some ways, this book is an antidote to the pessimism about the rudeness of Parisian by framing the difference between their outlook and ours in a more kind light. This book is a light read, and not necessarily a book to write home about, but it has its place on my shelf, to be lent out when I have a friend with a particular interest in France or who is heading there for an extended period.

This book wasn't for me and I didn't finish. I think I expected this to be a French version of the Little Book of Hygge, but this definitely isn't similar. This truly is on how the French live and their culture, but that wasn't what I wanted from this book. The cover is cute though!

This book was slow. But intentional and beautiful. And I believe the author intended for it to be that way (though I didn’t realize it until near the end of the book where she juxtaposes the different French and American concepts of time and well-being).

I felt like a magical window was opened for me, as Cathy Yandell provided a glimpse into the French way of being through American eyes. This book was simply delightful, but not meant to be consumed quickly. Each section of each long chapter was meant to be savored slowly, alongside the peppering of personal anecdotes, history, and language throughout.

The book is meant to be enjoyed with leisure—the way the French approach life. And that approach is so stunning to me. Joie de vivre is a beautiful idea that the author seeks to unfold in a charming way. I really loved this book.

Also, this woman used the word “palimpsest” conversationally in her writing, and I guess I have a new goal.

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The French Art of Living Well - Finding Joie de Vivre in the Everyday World by Cathy Yandell was a very unique book packed with french culture, history, food and language facts. The author is clearly very passionate about France and it shines through in the reading. I had a hard time identifying the Joie de Vivre aspect of the book but did find the facts on France very interesting!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the digital advanced readers copy!

I don’t know what I thought this would be but I think I wanted more of a day-to-day retelling of what it’s like to slowly assimilate into another culture and eventually learn to love it. This was more of a “and another thing..,” where thoughts about different things are spread out through the book and there’s no rhyme or reason as to where they go and why. There are some interesting observations made but it was difficult for me to follow because it jumped around and I found myself tuning a lot of it out. Informative and enjoyable enough but not for me.

I love Memoirs! My favorite ones are by Americans who experience living in other countries. Their stories are often amusing because of the differences between how we live as Americans and those from other places.

Having said that, one of my favorite things about this book is that the author not only shares her own personal experiences, but she also adds some interesting facts.