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mimipolston's review against another edition
5.0
I wish this book was out four years ago when I moved to France! A must-read for 'les anglo-saxons' living in this country.
niniane's review against another edition
4.0
This book explains French culture from the perspective of 2 journalists who lived there in 1999 and again in 2013.
The French really value conversational skill. Children are taught to converse and debate.
You must say bonjour and allow time for a reply. Otherwise it is rude. Even if you are getting on a bus with 100 passengers, you must say bonjour to the bus driver.
There is a culture of avoiding blame. People do not like to admit that they don’t know something.
It is good to strike up a conversation about art and culture, tge French language, food, regions of France, complain about what's wrong in France.
It is taboo to strike up a conversation by asking the other person's name, work, or family.
There was emphasis on assimilation and resistance to a census-like measurement of racial groups or mentioning race in discussions. This taboo made it harder to solve issues facing immigrants because it was difficult to discuss the issues.
France has traditionally been very focused on Paris, and the other States and regions can feel neglected.
The French really value conversational skill. Children are taught to converse and debate.
You must say bonjour and allow time for a reply. Otherwise it is rude. Even if you are getting on a bus with 100 passengers, you must say bonjour to the bus driver.
There is a culture of avoiding blame. People do not like to admit that they don’t know something.
It is good to strike up a conversation about art and culture, tge French language, food, regions of France, complain about what's wrong in France.
It is taboo to strike up a conversation by asking the other person's name, work, or family.
There was emphasis on assimilation and resistance to a census-like measurement of racial groups or mentioning race in discussions. This taboo made it harder to solve issues facing immigrants because it was difficult to discuss the issues.
France has traditionally been very focused on Paris, and the other States and regions can feel neglected.
bokil's review against another edition
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Lots of fascinating anecdotes, having lived in France for some time now, it does open new interpretations of interactions I've had.
clellman's review against another edition
3.0
i liked the first part about form more than the second part about content (because it was like the authors saying "ok now we can talk about anything french-related that we want to!) some good anecdotes and some subtleties i learned about, and also sometimes i felt like i had an anecdote or subtlety to add, which made me feel good
dansoper's review against another edition
4.0
Good guide to French conversation. Would recommend to all Francophiles.
jessicagatimu's review against another edition
4.0
Really fascinating book about French conversation. Between my study abroad time in college and my job working with French speakers, I find a lot of this book to be dead on. The authors did a lot of research, both hands on and through other references. They are very well informed and if you love anything French as I do, this is a definite recommendation for this book.
aspenpastore's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
4.75
This was a lovely book to accompany my time in Paris. The authors are thoughtful, informative, and relatable. Their analysis from the outside of french culture helped me so much during my time in Paris.