French Women Don't Get Fat

The author was raised in France, spent a year here in the US - where her new American eating habits caused weight gain - and went back to France where she learned how to manage her weight. She now divides her time between New York and Paris.

This gives her a unique perspective on how the French lifestyle works well for French women and also how the American lifestyle don't work so well for many American women. The book is not a prescriptive diet type of book, more a lifestyle guide with many new ways to think about food and enjoying life.

She firmly believes in enjoying one's food and not banning any foods from your diet, just enjoying all of them in moderation. Portion control is emphasized.

The recipes in the book, while not the main focus, are quite interesting and varied; none are particularly difficult, although the croissants do take a couple of days. Many would seem not to fit into a healthy lifestyle, but when eaten in reasonable quantities and combined with lots of vegetables and fruits to complete the meal, they fit right in. Some of them include: Celery Root Remoulade, Baked Apples, Espresso Faux Souffles, Grilled Peaches with Lemon Thyme, Zucchini Flower Omelet, Ratatouille, Magical Leek Soup (Broth), and Homemade Yogurt.

The index is quite comprehensive, but since the recipes are scattered throughout the text of the book, I would have liked it very much if she had included a separate recipe index for quick reference.

I was annoyed by her very frequent use (at least once in most paragraphs) of French phrases. In many cases, they were used to make a point about whatever she was discussing and were appropriate. But I feel they were used to excess and about half the time did not have English translations so anyone not understanding French would be left wondering what she was saying.

Overall, I have to say I enjoyed the chatty tone of this book with all her anecdotes of living and growing up in France. Her advice is nothing new to anyone who has struggled with their weight, but she puts it all together in a non-threatening way that seems very doable.

The recipe instructions are poorly written however with no detail given on what to expect or how to do each step. If you do have some cooking mastery though, her recipes are interesting and look delicious. I just don't think they are explained well enough for a true beginning cook (for whom the book appears to be written).