After quitting her job, Holdforth travels to Paris and spends three weeks seeking out the haunts and houses of some of its most famous women. And Holdforth doesn’t restrict herself to French women. She starts with Nancy Mitford, who left England (and her husband) for Paris.
Throughout the book, Holdforth focuses on women who sought their own pleasure, whether pleasure of the mind or flesh or spirit. She discusses famous courtesans, such as Madame de Pompadour (mistress of Louis XV) and Pamela Harriman (US ambassador to France, although Holdforth argues that she was also a courtesan). There is a chapter devoted to salonnieres, such as Gertrude Stein, Madame du Deffand and Germaine deStael, whose salons expected both men and women to discuss art, literature and politics with “wit and intelligence.” Other women who make an appearance in the book include Coco Chanel, Josephine Bonaparte, Colette, George Sand and Edith Wharton.
Holdforth obviously holds these women in high esteem for acting on their desires. She argues that French women have always been powerful, and very adult. The older French women become, the more they are respected. In fact, she is quite dismissive of American women, whom she calls childlike. While I wasn’t quite sold on some of her arguments (occasionally, it seems as if sexual power is being equated with feminism, although that might just be me), the book is fascinating as it features women who (for the most part) led their lives as they wanted to. Also, these women were smart and accomplished. It was certainly fascinating to read about their accomplishments. Therefore, I’m counting this one towards the Women Unbound Reading Challenge.
I saw this book on Book Bath’s blog, so I owe her a thank you for the introduction!
And if there are any FTC spies out there, I bought the book with my very own money.
Ack! You’ve made me add another book to my very long wish list. This book sounds extremely interesting. It’s a great choice for the Women Unbound Challenge. Every time I go to Paris I always wonder what it is about French women that sets them slightly apart from women of other nationalities. They wear less make up but look more fashionable and glamorous. I guess each country has it’s own traditions and rituals and for me it’s eternally fascinating. But maybe they are just very good at perpetuating the myth.
Sometimes I think it would be wonderful to just act on your own desires, but in the long run, I think it makes for a lonely existence. The book does sound interesting, though.
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I don’t think this is a book for me, but it certainly sounds interesting and a book my friend might like. Christmas is coming up, maybe I’ll get this one for her.
Thank you for your insightful review.
This definitely sounds like a good fit with Women Unbound, and it intrigues me. I may keep my eyes open to find a copy – thanks for bringing it to my attention!
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Darn it! The FTC spies are foiled again.
This book sounds very dangerous for me, as I would love to just drop everything and move to Paris, and don’t need any encouragement to do so.
Question: I’m assuming Holdforth is… American? English? I’m just asking because, as an outsider to a culture, it’s very hard to judge exactly how the dynamics of it work. I can see how English and American women find moving outside their own culture liberating, because then you’re not as tied to the strictures of decorum that you grew up with. But to call French women more powerful and adult than women from other countries is bullhocky, imo. Especially if the basis for said argument is that the older a woman is in France, the more respect she gets–isn’t that the case, like, I don’t know, practically everywhere? I know in my family the oldest woman in the room is the de facto leader, anyway.
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Holdforth is Australian – maybe thus has a more interesting take on French, Americans and English women …
This is new to me, but the people and themes aren’t. This sounds like the perfect fit for Women Unbound. Sexual equality has always been a major issue for women.
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Planning a trip to France in May, so I need to read this book
Great review!
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