The French Art of Living Well
Finding Joie de Vivre in the Everyday World
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4.0 • 2 Ratings
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- $13.99
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
In the tradition of Bringing up Bebe and French Toast, Cathy Yandell's The French Art of Living Well is a delightful look at French culture, from literature to cuisine to humor and more, showing how the French have captured that magic elixir known as joie de vivre.
What is joie de vivre, and why is it a fundamentally French concept?
In search of those ineffable qualities that make up the joy of living, this lively book takes readers on a voyage to France through forays into literature, history, and culture. How does art contribute to daily life? Why is cuisine such a central part of French existence? Why are the French more physical than many other cultures? How do French attitudes toward time speak volumes about their sense of pleasure and celebration? And finally, to what extent is this zest for life exportable? These and other questions give way to a dynamic sketch of French life today.
Peppered with anecdotes and humor, this book uncovers some of the secrets of the celebrated French art of living well. Drawing from her years of living in France as a student, professor, and mother, Yandell crafts an honest and profound appraisal of French culture and how la joie de vivre can be developed in anyone’s life.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this enjoyable travelogue, Yandell (Carpe Corpus), a French professor at Carleton College, reflects on finding la joie de vivre (the joy of living) in France. Recounting episodes from her time in the country, first as a college student studying abroad and later as the director of a study abroad program, she shares what she's learned from French people about delighting in everyday life. "Celebrations and gastronomy are inseparable in France," she posits, telling how she was surprised by the elaborate series of dinner courses at the first French wedding she attended, where she realized that the "real point is to spend hours" conversing with others. She surveys the French passion for soccer while recalling watching the 2018 World Cup championship game at a Paris bar and credits the country's win with uniting people in celebration. Elsewhere, the author serves up broad overviews of French intellectualism via the country's literary canon and of the linguistic differences between English and French, which she suggests betray the latter's slower pace ("In English, we ‘spend' and ‘invest' time," but "in French, one simply ‘passes,' ‘devotes,' or ‘consecrates'" it). Yandell's personal accounts offer fun glimpses into French life, and her commentary on national character and culture is well observed. Francophiles, take note.
Customer Reviews
Highly Recommend!
This author writes not only about her experiences living in France, but also highlights the cultural and social differences. This author explains how joie de vivre (joy of living) is in every aspect of French life! A fun read that will transport you to France, give you some insight into French life and history, and will even give you a good laugh!
For me, this book was very relatable as I have experienced French life, having had the opportunity to live in France for 6 years! The author is right, you can never become French no matter how long you live there, but you can certainly embrace joie de vivre in French life! A great book for those who have lived in France, have vacationed or who are inspired to visit France one day!