
I had been eagerly anticipating the publication of Jennifer Scott’s “Lessons from Madame Chic” for months, so as soon as it became available on Amazon I snatched it up. It arrived in the mail on Tuesday and by Wednesday morning I had tore through it.
Not surprisingly, within a day of its release it hit #2 on the Amazon list! Congratulations Jennifer!
The inspiration for her book stems from a series of posts on her blog, The Daily Connoisseur, about living in Paris as an exchange student. The series was so popular that readers, such as me, clamored for more. In response, Scott wrote this book. It was all I had hoped for and more.
Well, dear readers, the good news is that the lovely and talented Scott has offered to give away a copy of her book to one lucky reader. All you have to do is leave a comment on what chic is to you and I’ll enter you in a random drawing. You have until Dec. 5th to enter.
(PS If you don’t you see your comment posted immediately can you please email me at mammaitaliana23@gmail.com. For some reason I get several hundred spam emails a day and would hate to miss your entry.)
Below is the review I posted on Amazon and a link to purchase this little lovely yourself if you don’t want to wait and see if you have won. I have a huge collection of books on French Chic and this little gem has a prominent spot on my bookshelf among them.
This is the type of book I want to give my daughters on their 16th birthdays – a guide to living with passion. It is a beautifully written how-to manual on squeezing every last drop of pleasure out of life. This little book is chock full of relevant details and advice on the secrets that make Parisian’s so confident, content, and chic.
Every single subject in this book is something I want to teach my daughters.
In a sense, the two Parisian women who most influenced the author were surrogate mothers while the author lived away from home. They taught her — by example and by blunt comments — the secrets of Parisian women, passing down age-old philosophies on living a chic life.
Not only does this book encompass broad lifestyle philosophies, but it also has many hands-on tips that can make our lives more fulfilling. For instance, Jennifer includes simple tips on makeup, skin care, wardrobe, diet, and exercise. What this book does best, aside from captivate and entertain, is instruct the reader o how to bring the magic of a Parisian lifestyle into your world no matter whether you live in Topeka or Miami.
The book, which I read fully within 12 hours of receiving it, made me long for Parisian dinner parties where diners converse on substantial topics, such as film, books, art, and philosophy. At the same time, it reminded me that throwing dinner parties such as these and cultivating friends who also enjoy these types of evenings is achievable no matter where you live.
I also applaud and enjoyed Jennifer’s willingness to show us her vulnerability and efforts in achieving and adhering to the lifestyle principles and philosophies she learned living in Paris. For instance, her initial struggle against that pervasive American tendency to over share in conversation or to talk to fill uncomfortable silences. This habit ultimately dispels any sense of mystery about oneself, and in fact, end up making the speaker seem boring. Jennifer showed how maintaining an aura of mystique is oh, so chic. Ooh la la.
She also effectively captured the excitement of being young, on the brink of life, and learning at such a tender age how to embrace and appreciate the things in life that really matter: family, experiences, and overall, a quality life.
Brava!
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