As mentioned earlier, French is significantly used as a diplomatic language. You are bound to find speakers almost everywhere in the world. In addition to societal reasons, there exist dozens of famous French novels and nonfiction works in a variety of subjects. Because much can be lost in translation, the best way to go about reading these works is in the native language.
Advice on Studying French
French tends to have a bad reputation amongst English speakers as hard to learn. While it is true that it poses certain difficulties to native English-speakers, it may be noted that English is also considered to be 'difficult', and yet we learnt it without the benefit of already knowing a language. In fact, the French language can be learned in only ten months.
Learning any new language requires some commitment, generally long-term. Remember that, like any skill, it requires a certain amount of effort. And if you do not practice your French regularly, it is highly likely that you will begin to forget it. Try to make it a part of your schedule; even if it's not daily, at least make it regular.
Remember that you are learning a new skill. Try to master the simple stuff before moving on to the more complex. We all have to add and subtract before we can do calculus.
French is a complete language. While this course can teach you to read and write in French, this is only half of the skills that make up fluency. A written document cannot teach much about listening to and speaking French. You must train all of these skills, and they will reinforce one another. For listening and speaking, finding a native speaker to help you once you have some skill will help you with these skills.
The very best way to learn French is to get amnesia in France or another French-speaking country. This allows you to start with a clean slate, as babies do. However, most of us are unwilling to take that step. The next best thing is immersion. If you are serious about learning French, a period of immersion (where you go to live in a Francophone culture) is a good idea once you are moderately studied. Most countries are in the relative vicinity of a French-speaking country.
If you can't travel to a French-speaking country, then try listening to French-language programs on the radio, TV, or the Internet. Rent or buy French-language movies. Pay attention to pronunciation. Grab a French speaker you meet and talk to him or her in French. Listen, speak, and practice.
Read French newspapers and magazines. Again, an excellent source is Google's news page, which links to French-language news stories, which will enrich your vocabulary.