We admire the French for that certain je ne sais quoi, but how can we emulate their laissez-faire attitude? Philospher Ollivier Pourriol describes the French mindset as "a mixture of noble arrogance and popular insolence, seriousness in things lighthearted and lightness at moments of great seriousness; in short, a desire for effortlessness synonymous with both elegance and pleasure." In this amusing and thought-provoking book, Pourriol examines the French tendency to put in the effort to look effortless. Citing French artists, athletes, philosophers, and even a tightrope walker to explain how to be efficient á la française, The French Art of Not Trying Too Hard is an excellent teacher on perseverance, when to take a pause, and on how sometimes "the key to action is getting down to it."