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112 reviews for:
Almost French: The Story of an Australian Woman's Impetuous Heart and Finding Love in a Magical City
Sarah Turnbull
3.49 AVERAGE
112 reviews for:
Almost French: The Story of an Australian Woman's Impetuous Heart and Finding Love in a Magical City
Sarah Turnbull
3.49 AVERAGE
Now, I've never been to France, let alone lived there, but there were bits in this that I recognised and sympathised with, because I have lived abroad for a few years, so I think there's some common experiences for being in a country that you've not grown up in. The language problems, the feelings of isolation, the problems with burocracy and a system that doesn't want to be particularly helpful, and in the end, a feeling that you don't truely belong in either your home country, or where you are living now. Although I've been back in the UK for a few years now, so that's worn off. But there was a lot I recognised. And I had experiences she didn't, because she moves straight in with her boyfriend - I was on my own to begin with so I had to deal with a lot more on my own two feet. Anyway, that has nothing to do with this book!!!
These memoirs cover a 6 year period at the start of Australian Sarah Turnbull's move to France. Even that is mad; she meets a French guy in Romania at a couple of group dinners; he invites her to visit, she goes to France, and pretty much decides she's going to live with him. She's then got to brush up her language skills, get used to French culture and life and get working. Interesting that she only ever aimed for the area of work she'd come from, and even when she wasn't getting any work at all, she never tried anything else. And so you see her changing as she adapts to different aspects of French life - fashion, Paris chic, her little pet dog, food, bad manners and attitude problems etc etc. The parts about attitudes to women are interesting as well - France was so late in allowing women to have autonomy over their own lives! Although she is reasonably objective, and certainly doesn't see everything as perfect, this does really feel like a love story to her new adventurous life in Paris.
These memoirs cover a 6 year period at the start of Australian Sarah Turnbull's move to France. Even that is mad; she meets a French guy in Romania at a couple of group dinners; he invites her to visit, she goes to France, and pretty much decides she's going to live with him. She's then got to brush up her language skills, get used to French culture and life and get working. Interesting that she only ever aimed for the area of work she'd come from, and even when she wasn't getting any work at all, she never tried anything else. And so you see her changing as she adapts to different aspects of French life - fashion, Paris chic, her little pet dog, food, bad manners and attitude problems etc etc. The parts about attitudes to women are interesting as well - France was so late in allowing women to have autonomy over their own lives! Although she is reasonably objective, and certainly doesn't see everything as perfect, this does really feel like a love story to her new adventurous life in Paris.
This is one of the best accounts of culture shock I've come across. Turnbull accurately portrays the fumbling, faux-pas, and other pratfalls a visitor to a foreign country encounters, particularly during a long-term stay or relocation. And it's a touching love story, too.
I've spent three whole days in Paris, so I'm in no way qualified to say if I think this book accurately portrays Parisians or the French. I do think that it's possible that others who've lived and worked in France may have had radically different experiences than the author; I don't doubt that she experienced what she did, but this book is the reflection of a single person.
That being said, this book was interesting enough to make me look forward to reading it again each time I set it down, and while the writing style wasn't anything spectacular, it did provide a pleasantly readable window into French society and culture. For me the missing aspect was the omission of any details about what brought the author to France in the first place: her relationship with Frédéric. Sarah moved to a new country after having known this man for a fairly brief period of time, but their relationship is barely addressed. There is one instance of them holding hands, and near the end they describe their wedding, but other than that the two of them could be platonic roommates. The author making such a drastic life change and not getting into the growth of their relationship at least to some extent made for a big disconnect as I was reading.
That being said, this book was interesting enough to make me look forward to reading it again each time I set it down, and while the writing style wasn't anything spectacular, it did provide a pleasantly readable window into French society and culture. For me the missing aspect was the omission of any details about what brought the author to France in the first place: her relationship with Frédéric. Sarah moved to a new country after having known this man for a fairly brief period of time, but their relationship is barely addressed. There is one instance of them holding hands, and near the end they describe their wedding, but other than that the two of them could be platonic roommates. The author making such a drastic life change and not getting into the growth of their relationship at least to some extent made for a big disconnect as I was reading.
An Australian journalist taking a year sabbatical to travel through Europe, meets her future Parisian husband in Eastern Europe and two weeks later moves in with him in Paris. She writes about the difficulty of finding work, the cultural adjustments of a new language and of finding her way socially. She mostly leaves the reader with an unfavorable view of Parisians and cold, unfriendly and snobbish.
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
fast-paced
Got this book from Cindy. So far, I like her sense of humor on living in a place where she doesn't understand the language or people.
Her writing is so clever and succinct and witty without being cold. I felt like I was along for the journey but without feeling like I had escaped myself, but rather been inspired to live my own adventures too. She is a new favorite.
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.
I liked this much more than I thought. Not as funny as Bill Bryson, this look at another culture is insightful, but doesn't try to accomplish anything (it doesn't try to make you like or dislike the French - for which I think the author should be applauded).
Ms.Turnbull is definitely insightful, and her observations about the French and Paris and even how this country deals with its food and its government are spot on. Recounting the tale of how she came to visit Paris, fell in love, and became a citizen if fraught with a few stories that will make you uncomfortable, but a few that are fascinating and tell you so much about the mindset of the French it's astounding. (The story of how her boyfriend checked into a hotel, then began rearranging the room to align with his French sensibilities is so indicative of their sense of aesthetics I am still recounting it to people).
All in all, a great read for anyone with a fascination of things French.
Ms.Turnbull is definitely insightful, and her observations about the French and Paris and even how this country deals with its food and its government are spot on. Recounting the tale of how she came to visit Paris, fell in love, and became a citizen if fraught with a few stories that will make you uncomfortable, but a few that are fascinating and tell you so much about the mindset of the French it's astounding. (The story of how her boyfriend checked into a hotel, then began rearranging the room to align with his French sensibilities is so indicative of their sense of aesthetics I am still recounting it to people).
All in all, a great read for anyone with a fascination of things French.
I am a masochist. I force myself to read books about anglos living in France...and then get really riled up and wonder what country they were REALLY living in. I can see the France's imperfections, I can even list them. It would take me a couple of hours---but in the end, there are imperfections and then there are generalizations.
This book was different. She presented the country, warts and all....and even looked into her motivation in living in France. Her insight and comments were on par and a reminder as to why I love this country so much (and hate it on the same page).
This book was different. She presented the country, warts and all....and even looked into her motivation in living in France. Her insight and comments were on par and a reminder as to why I love this country so much (and hate it on the same page).