The French Art of Living Well: Finding Joie de Vivre in the Everyday World by Cathy Yandell

While not French herself, the author has a good idea of French life and what makes it special. Beginning at age 19, Cathy Yandell has made so many visits to France, mainly to Paris, that she’s lost count. Her two daughters attended school in Paris during three different years, and she’s accompanied many student groups to Paris, as well as doing research in France. Yandell is a professor of French language, literature, and culture at Carleton College in Minnesota. Also, not mentioned in this book, she’s been knighted by the French government.

Yandell shares many observations about how the French have a unique perspective on life. Her friends and acquaintances, many of them from French-speaking African countries, seem to take more time to savor life, from meals, coffee, walks, visiting museums and parks. Sometimes it’s about enjoying the moment with others, even strangers. During the pandemic, the French government greatly increased funding of arts and culture, resulting in numerous outdoor concerts and other entertainment in the summer of 2021, when Yandell was staying in Paris. She shares the experience of a special afternoon in a Paris park, listening to an actor read fiction aloud.

Lengthy Christmas and wedding feasts are described, although this is not a foodie memoir of France. Time at a traditional hammam, relaxing in the waters with a couple of women friends, is another happy memory. World Cup soccer, watched on TV in a bar, helped unite people. French literature, art, and philosophy are discussed, as well as the challenges of parenting a toddler in Paris. Yandell doesn’t strive to be French, but clearly loves the extended time she has spent there, adding up to several years over the past couple of decades. This is a pleasurable, leisurely read. Readalikes include The Good Life series by British expat Janine Marsh, especially My Four Seasons in France, and the novel Lucy Checks In by Dee Ernst.

Brenda