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sewfrench's review against another edition
4.0
Reminiscent of Peter Mayle's A Year in Provence, Almost French: Love and a New Life in Paris by Sarah Turnbull was an enjoyable read.
When asked how she came up with the book's provocative title, she said - "It's tongue-in-cheek. It sums up the main theme... expatriates' struggle with identity and their sense of belonging. On the one hand, after eight years in France, I've adopted some French customs and I've been very influenced by French ways of thinking. Yet I don't feel French at all and I know I never will. If anything, as each year passes I feel more Australian. This permanent state of only ever being ‘almost' French - never ‘entirely' or ‘completely' - is really the essence of my book."
Makes me want to return, but for a much longer time, next time.
When asked how she came up with the book's provocative title, she said - "It's tongue-in-cheek. It sums up the main theme... expatriates' struggle with identity and their sense of belonging. On the one hand, after eight years in France, I've adopted some French customs and I've been very influenced by French ways of thinking. Yet I don't feel French at all and I know I never will. If anything, as each year passes I feel more Australian. This permanent state of only ever being ‘almost' French - never ‘entirely' or ‘completely' - is really the essence of my book."
Makes me want to return, but for a much longer time, next time.
jessicagatimu's review against another edition
4.0
After studying abroad in France, I really enjoyed reading an Australian establishing herself in a new culture. Reading about her time in France reminded me of my time there. It was fun reading about how she gets settled in a new place and a new life.
disastergen_'s review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
3.0
Interesting but not what I expected. Written well and didn't get bored.
anexcitedsortofbeetle's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
3.0
robin_go's review against another edition
4.0
A revealing insight. All the more refreshing for not being in the 'Year in Provence' mould. Don't fall under the illusion that this is anecdotes of "we woke up and there were goats in the veg patch"! Rather, this is a memoir of adjusting to French manners, mores and etiquette in mid-90s Paris. And how differences in culture do genuinely affect relationships and personal well-being.
If I'm making it sound scholarly, well, it's not - it is written with a light-touch - but these aren't anecdotes set in 'tourist Paris' but rather in dinner-party Paris, grocery-shopping Paris, administrative Paris. Too many books about adapting to a new culture focus on wilder extremes - "Brooklyn Woman moves to Turkmenistan" - that sort of premise. But this is reassuringly and realistically more subtle and I think, all the better for it.
It's likely that French culture has softened or changed in the decades since (this book predates social-media) and, if "un cocktail" operates along different lines now, well, so be it. This is a snapshot of how society ticked back then and it still makes for an absorbing read.
If I'm making it sound scholarly, well, it's not - it is written with a light-touch - but these aren't anecdotes set in 'tourist Paris' but rather in dinner-party Paris, grocery-shopping Paris, administrative Paris. Too many books about adapting to a new culture focus on wilder extremes - "Brooklyn Woman moves to Turkmenistan" - that sort of premise. But this is reassuringly and realistically more subtle and I think, all the better for it.
It's likely that French culture has softened or changed in the decades since (this book predates social-media) and, if "un cocktail" operates along different lines now, well, so be it. This is a snapshot of how society ticked back then and it still makes for an absorbing read.
miramanga's review against another edition
2.0
I enjoyed seeing Paris through the eyes of an outsider trying to infiltrate. Very enlightening although now this book is over ten years old I'd love to read an updated version...
louisecalder's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
informative
relaxing
medium-paced
3.75