All You Need to Be Impossibly French: A Witty Investigation into the Lives, Lusts, and Little Secrets of French Women

I really liked this book! I read it in a day and found it to be very funny and enlightening. I have known quite a few french women/girls in my life and recognized them through the women the author interviewed. Overall, an entertaining, light read that delves into the culture and character of the stylish and cool french woman.

"All You Need To Be Impossibly French," takes a sharp turn and slips into a diatribe of the author's personal opinions. These opinions have nothing to do with the packaging and marketing, seemingly aimed at the concept of being "Impossibly French." In short, it starts out with a bang, then the dear reader gets pummeled with the author's personal views on unrelated, unexpected topics. Not only did it leave me crying, "False advertising!" I questioned the credentials of a regular contrubutor to the London Sunday Times, who provides statistics, then immediately disregards them in favor of her personal assessment, facts be damned! Buyer be cautious.

This book is fun to read, especially if you have had some exposure to the French people and culture. The author's description of French women's style and attitude is very consistent with my observation. I married a French man after dating him in the U.S. for about a year. I then visited France on three trips for 2 to 3 weeks each. My MIL also came to visit us twice for 4 to 5 weeks each time. I was surprised by the way she conducted herself (being close to 60 but dressed like 20), but was glad that she seemed friendly initially. However, things turned horribly wrong when she came to visit in 2005. To keep a long story short, my MIL became extremely hostile to me when she was trying to get our landlord's attention. The zealous and determination she's shown in her pursuit of male attention is extraordinary. Before she became hostile, she used to tell me stories of her life, about how all men desire her, how all women (everyone except her mom and daughter) are jealous of her, how her second marriage was ended because of jealousy and etc. I can write a book about my bitter experience but it won't be fun to read.

I'm glad the author took the time to report her personal experience and interview with many French women. I have encountered only a few in my husband's immediate family, but the author's description is quite accurate. I like French women's sense of style and healthy diets, but I will never put so much emphasis on beauty and seduction.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. If you like to read about different countries and their lifestyles, then you will enjoy this one.

This book has been written by a bitter English woman. I just spent 2 weeks in France with local people and I met foreigners there, living in France as well, and I haven't found an ounce of accuracy in that book...nor have my friends...
For instance, page 125 : "how many students in the UK dream of becoming civil servants. The problem with France is people are not encouraged to become entrepreneurs". well, it seems she forgot the word "entrepreneurs" is a French word to describe the spirit of being "entrepreneur". Yeah, UK civil servants are way better...I could speak endlessly about the health, education and transportation systems in UK, I am sure the Brits have a lot to learn from the French to be even remotely efficient...Before lecturing the French, maybe the Brits should look at themselves.