Joie de vivre!

Title: Bonjour, Happiness! (Secrets to finding your joie de vivre)

Author: Jamie Cat Callan

Published: April 2011, U.S.A.

My Review: The author was inspired by her grandmother, a french lady who took joy in simple every day life. To gain knowledge about the French's way of life she traveled through France and came to know the differences of American women with French women. in her book, she wrote details of how French women enjoy their food without gaining weight, do a household chores and still look glamorous, and flirt a la francaise! The book showed a lot of things that we women nowadays neglect and forget that could bring us happiness. It lets us find our own mystery and and balance in our lives. I recommend this to women particularly who are suffering from feeling of self worthlessness. Chapter four of the book even have common French recipes that you might want to try and get a taste of the cuisine that these wonderful women enjoy, no need to go to Paris. Reading this book might even trigger you to take French lessons, which to me sounds very sexy.

Here are some excerpts I really like:

"Joie de vivre is about trusting that nothing will happen without a reason, and everything can turn out positive in the future. It is about accepting what's in your life in the moment and feeling contented inside."

"Truth be told, happiness is like the artist's muse. She is very whimsical and loves to play little tricks on us. If we search too hard, happiness will slip away. And then, when we are not really concentrating on capturing her, she will suddenly appear in our peripheral vision wearing a green silk gown winking at us."

"French women do no take anything for granted..........They have lost many of their young men to wars........... they have learned to survive on their own..............They appreciate what they have in their lives, no matter how much or how little."