The American embodiment of the French expression joie de vivre is to be a "swell." Today's girls (ages 18 to 50) need to navigate life with a little swagger and a lot of grace, and "Swell" shows them how to combine style and spirit with the panache of a modern day Holly Golightly from Breakfast at Tiffany's. The accomplished authors are experienced swells, and share their know-how on how to "duke" the maitre d' for the best table in the bistro, be a perfectly imperfect houseguest, finesse a late arrival, run for a bus in stiletto heels, create a signature look, and more. Everything a girl needs to know to get what she wants, have fun, and be at ease in any situation is set forth here with wit, charm, and tongue-in-chic style.
Sure, a swell girl can bring home the bacon and fry it up in a pan, but that's just the beginning. She can also turn a last-minute dinner party into a cabaret, create a push-up bra out of electrical tape, and fix a flat in pumps and a pencil skirt. Move over, Miss Manners, this is advice for the girl on the go.

Billed as a "Girl's Guide to the Good Life," Swell is a lively reference that is both practical and a gas to read. Entries range from hangover cures to transforming junk mail into party invitations to snagging a prime table in a packed restaurant. Need tips on tipping? This book will help you score points with everyone from the shampoo girl to the valet. It will also outline how to hail a cab with a four-finger whistle and gracefully take a seat--in a micromini, no less--without showing more than gams. If that's not enough, the authors even detail how to pack your entire life (or at least the important stuff) into a four-inch lipstick tote.

Cynthia Rowley, a fashion designer, and Ilene Rosenzweig, a style editor for The New York Times, blend imaginative advice with humor and grace without sounding like self-conscious hipsters or society snobs. They couldn't care less where a soup spoon should be placed, but they share exactly what you need to know about wine, gifts, clothing, gambling, and even cigars. They also devote an entire hilarious chapter to the topic of love and its various side effects. Ideal for those on a tight schedule and a shoestring budget, Swell offers proof that living the good life depends more on creativity and attitude than a hefty bankroll. After all, "there are two words that a swell should never utter: 'I'm bored.'" --Shawn Carkonen

Customer Rating:
Summary: kinda stupid
Comment: this book does contain SOME useful advice, like the usefully detailed section on tipping & 'duking' for services received, but most of this "useful" advice is probably already well known to you (who hasn't disguised & dressed up take out or store-bought food for last-minute guests?).
I recommend you buy it used.

---

Customer Rating:
Summary: The book is great, the sellers weren't so great
Comment: Didn't get my money back after they said they didn't have it anymore. Really upset about it. Good thing I ordered it cheap.

---

Customer Rating:
Summary: Swell? Definitely!
Comment: I own this book and it is true that some of these tips of advice are for glamourous "Manhattanians" but it is still all fun in the same. To be truthful I carried out a lot of these things and I have children and live a somewhat surburban life. However, myself and the women around me are not cookie cutter versions of desperate housewives so to say. We all soaked it up and became more fabulous than we were before. So all you non-boring people that want to laugh and willing to take a few risks even in your small town this one is for you. It's fun and it will make you feel fabulous!

---

Customer Rating:
Summary: Enjoy Life But Give It Some Excitement With Zaniness!
Comment: A swell isn't perfect; the main thing is not to be bored. Put a little action in your life. SWELL is a guide to 'navigating the world with a little swagger and a lot of grace.' It doesn't hurt to use a little flash, too, in your own little world. I have a web site, "Welcome to My World." It is for all races, and the pictures are all of young women, so keep your cool and you will learn how to 'be cool.'


A swell can be any age, it's not a state of mind for the young up-and-coming gals. It is also us 'been there' women who're not ready to give up on the 'good life' just yet. When it comes to luck, a swell leaves nothing to chance. Famously lucky people have selective memories; that's what allows you to be upbeat when things are not moving so smoothly. 'This, too, shall pass' is a good motto.

Swellness is 'wellness with an "s" in the front' (that's for the 'sweetness' in life with a lot of 'spirit' and a little 'style') and is as much our fantasy as reality; it's a fun idea of cruising through life in the fast lane, thinking big thoughts. You can do that at any age, also. Swell is the place where spirit and style meet. Dress up, dress down -- there's always a time for each and both, and you can do it with your own style.

This is a cute little book written by a fashion designer and a style designer, Ilene Rosenzweig and Cynthia Rowley, for the young and young-at-heart to get them motivated to enjoy life. They give personal histories of where they fouled up beautifully so that the reader, especially if she is young, won't feel so bad about her silly mistakes. And it helps the older reader to think, "Why, I didn't do anything that stupid!"

What a find in an unexpected place. Those are the most fulfilling, more so that the latest editions I get at the public library. Sometimes, using an offhand message allows the reviewer to inspire others to do the same. It's the enjoyment of doing what is best for you and, hopefully, along the way someone will benefit for your advice and experiences.

---

Customer Rating:
Summary: Eh. Cute -- amusing even but a little light on useful info.
Comment: The book's authors keep their sassy _sex_in_the_city_ tone throughout, but unless you're a denizon on manhatten, I'm not sure how useful this book can actually be. Maybe I'm not glamourous enough for this book. I suppose it did make me strive for more glamour in my life, but when I set the book down and realized my fully suburban existence, the book came up short with truly translatable wisdom. A cute gift for a gal just leaving college. At 28, I was far too aged for this one.

---