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Class with the Countess: How to Live with Elegance and Flair [Paperback]

Countess LuAnn de Lesseps
2.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (86 customer reviews)

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Book Description

December 29, 2009
The glamorous star of Bravo's hit show The Real Housewives of New York City makes it easy to be elegant, with contemporary etiquette tips and a complete course in the art of sophisticated living

Countess LuAnn de Lesseps knows firsthand that class is a state of mind, not a birthright. Raised in small-town Connecticut-half French Canadian, half Native American-she worked as a registered nurse before she started modeling. On her first trip to Europe, she was awed by the lifestyle of the Italians and stayed, eventually becoming a TV personality. Before long, she began a fairy-tale romance with Alexandre Count de Lesseps, of the Suez Canal dynasty, and married into a world of aristocrats.

She learned during her time in Europe that panache comes from within- not from an antiquated manual. Now she shares her savvy advice and her inspiring story in Class with the Countess, including:

?Elegance can most certainly be acquired.

?All of life is a seduction.

?You don't have to be rich and famous to have an unforgettable presence.

?Being interested is what makes you interesting.

?An alluring woman makes everyone want to be near her.

The twenty-first century's answer to Emily Post, the Countess gives a new generation of women an exuberant and incomparable guide to modern social graces.


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Class with the Countess: How to Live with Elegance and Flair + Simply Divine: A Guide to Easy, Elegant, and Affordable Entertaining
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Editorial Reviews

Review



Review

"Being an extremely low-born and gauche person, I rely heavily on the Countess for tips on good manners and etiquette. She has also taught me how to be more sassy and alluring."
-Simon Doonan, creative director of Barney's New York, author of Eccentric Glamour

"Forget what you think you know from television: this lady walks the walk and talks the talk. She's a real doll, comfortable in her own skin and real, and if you're thinking about buying this book, it's one you will keep for yourself and send to friends who - like you - didn't know they needed it."
-Whoopi Goldberg

"My collections are about giving opportunities to women to express their feminine side. LuAnn understands the importance of femininity and shares her savoir-faire with you in this book."
-Catherine Malandrino, fashion designer --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 272 pages
  • Publisher: Gotham; 1 edition (December 29, 2009)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1592405207
  • ISBN-13: 978-1592405206
  • Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.2 x 0.8 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 2.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (86 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #779,741 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

So one may wonder why I watch the show if I think most of these yentas are such morons. political idiot  |  8 reviewers made a similar statement
Fortunately I did not buy the book. Arabella Lafitte  |  8 reviewers made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
209 of 222 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 stars The Declasse Countess March 6, 2010
By Medhbh
Format:Paperback
My problem with Ms. de Lesseps is that she uses etiquette as a weapon. Etiquette has the still-relevant function of making others feel comfortable. Misanthropes such as Ms. de Lesseps are making manners seem to be outdated and pretentious. A good ettiquette book should teach you the opposite. Ms. de Lesseps missed a golden opportunity to make the television-watching public aware of ways to improve their interactions with others. She may be interesting to watch through the declasse lens of a reality television camera, but class she will never possess.
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139 of 146 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 stars Yikes! January 7, 2010
By ABM
Format:Hardcover
This book was pretty bad. I cringed (and yawned) while I read it. If you want to know how fabulous "The Countess" thinks she is and how marvelous she thinks her life is, then this is the book for you. Emily Post she is not. I was actually a little embarrassed for her.
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181 of 193 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 stars The nerve March 18, 2010
Format:Paperback
Usually I'm very picky about Amazon reviews being on the actual product and nothing else. However, as the Real Housewives of NYC star that she is, I feel Luann's reputation from the show can be fairly included in my review of this book.

So I just have to say, what gave her the nerve to write and have published a book on etiquette, of all things? Watching the Real Housewives is a guilty pleasure of mine, I love to see how ridiculous these women act. It never ceases to amuse me how these women all run around pretending to be classy & ladies when their behavior is atrocious. These girls hardly act like well bred ladies of society. Please.

Luann, while not the worst offender on the show (I'm talking to you, Ramona & Kelly), lacks class and decorum needed to be taken seriously when selling a book such as this. Her regal facade slips quite often. Just today I watched her give a lunch lesson to her daughter's friends (how lucky for them, right?) on etiquette and she chastised a girl for having her elbow on the table. I kid you not, the very next episode Luann has lunch with Bethanny and had her elbow on the table practically the whole time. This book, and her personality, is preachy and condescending. She talks the talk, but she doesn't walk the walk.

Let's face the fact that without the show, no one other than her circle in New York would really know who this lady is. No one would buy this book, she's pulling a profit on this book because of the show. So it's very amusing to read this book, and then sit down and watch her behavior on tv. Calling her friend a "lucky b****" for not having a husband. Calling her friends out on their rude behaviors in public (hardly classy). Talking down to her friends and giving unsolicited advice. Berating her friends when they don't introduce her as "COUNTESS" when no one even uses titles anymore. How, Luann, do you expect us to take your book seriously?

And don't even get me started on the chapter based around snagging a man and keeping him. Yeah, very proper to use fishing terminology here because you really snagged a good one didn't you - French aristocrat! But he got away, didn't he? So, again, why do we read your advice?

Get over yourself and stop writing books on topics you clearly know very little about. Luann is bringing the real experts like Emily Post down by adding her "two cents" to the etiquette industry. We have enough etiquette books, Countess, so please keep your pretend rules and pretend class advice to yourself. No one is fooled.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
2.0 out of 5 stars Just a correction...
Ok I haven't read this book and was just checking it out as I also enjoy watching the show as a guilty pleasure however I had to say something when reading these reviews - WOW! Read more
Published 6 months ago by SarahB
1.0 out of 5 stars That This Book Even Exists is Inexplicable
When I found out that this book exists, two questions sprang into my mind. The first one was, "Why would anyone want to read this? Read more
Published 8 months ago by JV
1.0 out of 5 stars Never a countess!
The saddest thing of all is that this woman prides herself on having married well when she hasn't! Alexander de Lesseps belongs to the fausse noblesse- he has no title! Read more
Published 9 months ago by Charles Pooter
1.0 out of 5 stars Conceited boring
Worst book ever. Boring, conceited advise. A coworker was reading it so I read a few pages out of curiosity. Didn't read passed the 2nd page.
Published 10 months ago by Vina Lu
1.0 out of 5 stars Garbage
Absolute garbage written by a tasteless, classless, self-centred, ignorant woman. She really needs to get over her self-importance and drop the "Countess" label.
Published 10 months ago by John Whitley
5.0 out of 5 stars great!
Love the book! Gives great tips, and also explaines luann's life as well! She wrote a great book and I would highly reccommend it! :)
Published 17 months ago by sarsar
1.0 out of 5 stars Classless even in the US ,not only the UK!
I dont care for this woman ,even in the show,she is very pretentious,condescending ,and gossipy. Her title is being used to write the book,to sell it.Save your money.
Published 19 months ago by L. tawney
1.0 out of 5 stars Crass not Class...
Sadly, saw the TV show and noted that this woman cannot even use a knife and fork correctly and has dreadful table manners, never mind her lack of social grace. Read more
Published 20 months ago by AlyH
1.0 out of 5 stars Would not cut the mustard in the UK, very crass
I am a book reviewer here in the UK and stumbled across this guide by accident.

I have an English title; I am an Honourable and also the wife of a Baronet. Read more
Published 20 months ago by LoveReading
4.0 out of 5 stars It's easy to be annoyed by her money or her TV show, but she's got a...
I've never watched the episodes of the Real Housewives of NYC with Countess LuAnn Du Lessops. I gather from all the negative reviews, that like most reality TV stars, she comes off... Read more
Published 21 months ago by Turtle in the City
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Topic From this Discussion
Who thinks Luanne should renounce her title?
i have a feeling if she went to france going 'oh hey you guys, do you know i'm a countess?' they'd just laugh in her face. too bad she's able to hypnotize some americans so quickly with her 'title.'
Oct 26, 2011 by *Caligirl_08* |  See all 4 posts
Nobody in France with noble lineage uses a "title" like Countess
Thank you! Finally! No one uses honorific titles in the U.S., period, except at official State or religious functions. Good grief. But, no doubt, the "Countess" thing was a draw for her participation in the TV show. But the U.S. just doesn't do this. Period. I do like her, but would... Read more
May 16, 2009 by Biographical_Book_Lover |  See all 5 posts
Author's personal behavior deems her unqualified
Well I never claimed to have great grammar.:) I'm not writing a book "Spelling and Grammar with Bettyboy72". I'm sure the Countess would find that unforgivable-the misuse of a word. ;)
Oh and for the record, I find it condescending that Luann refers to everyone as "my love",... Read more
Mar 26, 2009 by Bettyboy72 |  See all 25 posts
Give her some credit
Yes she does indeed show her face, over and over and over again. And nowhere has she demonstrated that she is worthy of credit b/c she doesn't do anything or exemplify anything whatsoever that is graceful, classy, or intelligent. As a matter of fact she comes across as an insecure backbiting,... Read more
May 2, 2010 by Arabella Lafitte |  See all 3 posts
Adoration for the Countess
Uh...okay, Jill. Thanks for commenting.
May 12, 2010 by Susan Thompson Underdahl |  See all 2 posts
Lame lame lame lame omg lame Be the first to reply
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