7 Comments so far

1. Kim on June 18, 2007 2:39

   Hi!

   I stumbled on your site while looking for more things to read to prepare to study in France for a year. I’m an American and I’ve been studying French for about eight years yet I haven’t really learned much about culture and how to meet the demands of uni level work.

   I recently read SIXTY MILLION FRENCHMEN CAN’T BE WRONG as my boyfriend suggested it for me (He’s a French-American and grew up in Lille and will be studying in Rennes next semester). I thought it was really well-written and although sometimes repeative, keeps the reader’s attention well enough.

   Do you have any more suggestions?

   Your blog is also quite interesting and well-written!

2. Michael on June 18, 2007 20:15

   Hi Kim, thanks for your kind comments. Activity has been rather dead around here lately and I’m happy to receive your comment.

   I have 4 books rotating on the page. My favorite is “French or Foe” but I find it a bit outdated and not entirely accurate, but the majority of it is very good.

   Another that I like, which is a bit academic but very good is “Au Contraire”. You’ll find links to both on this page (just hit refresh if you don’t see it, it’s random).

3. Caroline in Rome on June 19, 2007 15:02

   I loved:

   Almost French, by Sarah Turnbull
   A Year in the Merde, by Stephen Clarke

   I did not like 60 Million Frenchman Can’t be Wrong. Found their explanations of things like dogshit everywhere to be implausible.

4. Gem on July 20, 2007 16:58

   My favorite of all is Cultural Misunderstandings: The French American Experience by Raymonde Carroll. I love how it encourages you to make your OWN observations instead of telling you exactly how it is.

5. Andree on September 5, 2007 18:47

   I don’t know if this thread is out of date, but one nice book (which you/your blog reminds me of) is “Paris to the Moon” by Adam Gopnick.

   Being American and living in France, I often find the observations about the French, made by “others” (Americans, Brits, etc.) so right on the mark. I think to myself (usually laughing out loud as my husband wonders WHAT kind of site I am looking at) ” Now isn’t that the way they are”! Bravo!

6. Michael on September 5, 2007 18:58

   Hi Andree, it’s never too late to post a comment. Lots of folks stumble upon these older entries with help from Google.

   I’m not familiar with your book but I’m going to try it out. I started “Almost French” and got a little bored with it, I hope to pick it back up soon.