I already put stuff about Gigi and Julie de Carneilhan; i don't know what happened to it. The third story, "Chance Aquaintances, was the most enjoyable of the three. Colette is set to go sublet a crappy chateau close to some French watering hole. When she finds out how crappy it is, she goes to stay in a hotel, where her Chance Aquaintances, a couple, are her neighbors across the balcony. The husband is a real pendejo, and I thoroughly enjoyed Colette's treatment of him, as such. ( )

Colette is both not a feminist—she wants her feminine mystique, and very carefully avoids any expansion beyond it, almost to the point of rudeness—and a very defensive/reactive woman who thinks that tom cats aren’t as cool as she-cats, etc etc: it’s all a little tiresome and absurd to someone who thinks like a thinker, honestly. She has the odd moment of interest, like when she wonders if frivolity can create a sort of ersatz courage (not her exact words), and she isn’t usually the rosy sort of liar, despite her drinking the glass to its dregs, so…. Well, in a sense I don’t know the value in a way of this book.

In a way, because she is still a French woman—Austen does not write in the same way, and I didn’t like Austen upon first exposure (to simplify a rather complex relationship), and I have less exposure to the French than to the British—and a woman of another time, when being a woman and trying to decide whether to play by the rules or not—indeed, deciding *whether* to make a consistent decision to conform or rebel—was not easy, and in quite the same way I was never presented with that same choice, so…. Well, in a sense I don’t know if I can judge in a way this book.

…. After-word: Of course, now I don’t think that thinking in the think-y style is the only way to live, although because Collette is so insular femme-mystique and thinks that France and Germany are countries of the race of Men, tribes of the Man-Nation, and women belong to the mysterious race of Women, which has no important dealings with Man-Tribes, you know, since only a real-woman knows what good fun frills are, and men go to war because they’re men and because they have no important business in Woman-Nation, you know.

So, because of that, I don’t think I’ll read it again…. But yes, sometimes when you read writers who are women, and French, perhaps, and women of decades gone by, you do get less of the think-think style of thinking, than you would even with a male comic, or even English Jane, you know. And maybe //some// of those books //are// worth reading, even if this was a little exaggerated…. You know, like…. I can’t just buy a home decorating guide or go to a store for that, I’ve really got to do those things while being a //real woman//, you know.

Doctor Who: Am I really that much of a brute?

Well, maybe Doctor Who is, but….

A great collection, the 3 stories in this collection each deserve an individual review:

Gigi - A well-known story (and fun movie starring Leslie Caron), it is written so succinctly & perfectly, that it is well worth reading whether you are familiar with the story or not. My favorite of the selection.

Julie de Carneillhan - The story of an aging beauty, her abusive relationship with her second husband, and her pure relationship with her brother & the country. A little meandering, but enjoyable to read, nonetheless.

Chance Acquaintances - A non-fiction narrative regarding the author's stay at a bathing area, due to agreeing to help a friend, and the friends she makes in that area. Very enjoyable. ( )

Wow, what a collection. First you have the sparkling Gigi, the story of a young flower of the demimonde who surpasses her mother's tutoring and expectations for social success. Next is the unforgettable Julie De Carnielha, the story of un femme d'un certaine age who finally reaches the end of her resources and must retreat from Paris back to the rotting provincial estate. Chance Acquaintances takes us to the end of the line where a rich elderly couple meets up with a struggling young woman at a fashionable spa.

Gimlet eyed observations of French society. ( )