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268 reviews for:
The Sweet Life in Paris: Delicious Adventures in the World's Most Glorious---And Perplexing---City
David Lebovitz
3.68 AVERAGE
268 reviews for:
The Sweet Life in Paris: Delicious Adventures in the World's Most Glorious---And Perplexing---City
David Lebovitz
3.68 AVERAGE
This was one of the funniest books I've read in a long time and found myself laughing out loud on several occasions, beginning with the book's introduction. I don't quite understand the low Goodreads reviews; what happened to everyone's sense of humor? I felt as if I was reading a letter from a good friend when I was reading this.
At times this book is funny but Lebovitz belabors his jokes and claims a space of "I'm right and everyone else is wrong" too often. Also, I'd say he conflates "the French" with "Parisians" in a way that feels sloppy. I did laugh at times, but overall the tone of the memoir was just not light enough for the subject matter. I did not appreciate the transphobic comment about Adam's apples, and honestly, cis gay men need to do better.
funny
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
This is an ent staining book chronicling the author’s life as an American in Paris. The funniest parts relate to the clash in cultures related to customer service i markets or other stores. A good over view of what a Viator or newcomer to Paris could expect to find
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
A perplexing, frustrating read... I suppose that mirrors my own feelings regarding Lebovitz's subject matter—the city of Paris itself. My return visit recently caused such feelings of ambivalence within me—there were things I really loved about the city, but things that drove me bonkers as well—and I found those feelings echoed within this book. It's not that I disliked Lebovitz's writing (though sometimes I found his attempts at being cheeky/coy a bit grating), but maybe it's that the things he relayed were just a bit too close to home. The things that Lebovitz recounts as initially being frustrating/baffling were indeed things that I noticed during my visit and that annoyed/confounded me as well... so, it's certainly an accurate depiction of the city. But also a bit frustrating because clearly Lebovitz now considers himself one of "them" and so the things that are true about Paris and its denizens but not necessarily cute or appealing, he so readily dismisses or brushes aside, and that annoyed me. Probably because I was feeling peeved with Paris myself, but I suppose I wanted someone to dig a bit deeper into not just the things that would make life in Paris grand (which he does quite well), but the things that would really alienate and enrage as well. The arrogant, rude attitude of Parisians isn't charming or alluring—it's annoying and rude, and I suppose having Lebovitz talk about the ways that he has worked to model himself after these people wasn't affirming and positive for me.
Obviously my feelings about this book are not so easily separated from my own feelings for Paris. If I loved the city, as Lebovitz clearly does, I'd probably do so with a bit of that unconditional attitude that he's adopted; it's not that he doesn't acknowledge that pitfalls of the city, but he diminishes/mitigates them, perhaps more than he should (or at least, more than I could). I did enjoy reading about the weird little quirks about Paris, though I do wish there was a bit more heft to the points Lebovitz raises, perhaps were he to talk to locals to provide depth to his observations rather than simply leaving it at "French people don't drink water with their meals and are very stingy about imbibing it afterwards." It's true, but I want to know WHY that is...
Also, I kind of found Lebovitz a bit show-offy (the name dropping of famous friends/acquaintances was tiresome) and suck-uppy (the constant reference to how he would essentially bribe people in Paris to like him with baked goods, as though this is something the average expat to Paris should/would do) were grating after a bit. We get it—you're a big wig pastry chef who has a respectable amount of clout. Obviously the food aspect of the memoir didn't bother me one bit—I loved reading about food—but I would imagine more people are interested in the ins & outs of life in Paris as an expat than they are the ins & outs of David Lebovitz's life that happens to be in Paris. I suppose what I'm trying to say is that I could have done with more insight into Paris and less insight into Lebovitz's psyche.
So, a complicated read for me. I enjoyed the act of reading it and felt it was an easy book to get lost in, but it wasn't 100% satisfying. I suppose that, like the chocolate Lebovitz loves so much, I would have preferred the book to have a bit more of the bitter to balance out the sweet, rather than an unrepentantly saccharine of his awesome life in Paris. Maybe I'm just jealous that I can't love the city the way he does... or maybe he just needs to send me a tray of his infamous "brownies americaines" and all will be forgiven.
(I am looking forward to trying out a bunch of his recipes however. An unexpected—and sometimes totally random—addition to the end of each chapter. I wish it were more clear how each recipe/dish linked to the topic of the chapter, but regardless, there are a few dishes & treats I'll be certainly trying my hand at once I have a kitchen of my own again.)
Obviously my feelings about this book are not so easily separated from my own feelings for Paris. If I loved the city, as Lebovitz clearly does, I'd probably do so with a bit of that unconditional attitude that he's adopted; it's not that he doesn't acknowledge that pitfalls of the city, but he diminishes/mitigates them, perhaps more than he should (or at least, more than I could). I did enjoy reading about the weird little quirks about Paris, though I do wish there was a bit more heft to the points Lebovitz raises, perhaps were he to talk to locals to provide depth to his observations rather than simply leaving it at "French people don't drink water with their meals and are very stingy about imbibing it afterwards." It's true, but I want to know WHY that is...
Also, I kind of found Lebovitz a bit show-offy (the name dropping of famous friends/acquaintances was tiresome) and suck-uppy (the constant reference to how he would essentially bribe people in Paris to like him with baked goods, as though this is something the average expat to Paris should/would do) were grating after a bit. We get it—you're a big wig pastry chef who has a respectable amount of clout. Obviously the food aspect of the memoir didn't bother me one bit—I loved reading about food—but I would imagine more people are interested in the ins & outs of life in Paris as an expat than they are the ins & outs of David Lebovitz's life that happens to be in Paris. I suppose what I'm trying to say is that I could have done with more insight into Paris and less insight into Lebovitz's psyche.
So, a complicated read for me. I enjoyed the act of reading it and felt it was an easy book to get lost in, but it wasn't 100% satisfying. I suppose that, like the chocolate Lebovitz loves so much, I would have preferred the book to have a bit more of the bitter to balance out the sweet, rather than an unrepentantly saccharine of his awesome life in Paris. Maybe I'm just jealous that I can't love the city the way he does... or maybe he just needs to send me a tray of his infamous "brownies americaines" and all will be forgiven.
(I am looking forward to trying out a bunch of his recipes however. An unexpected—and sometimes totally random—addition to the end of each chapter. I wish it were more clear how each recipe/dish linked to the topic of the chapter, but regardless, there are a few dishes & treats I'll be certainly trying my hand at once I have a kitchen of my own again.)
funny
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
My first time hearing about David Lebovitz was from another chef who told me I should look up his ice cream recipes. I did and they worked perfectly! So when I saw this book in a second hand shop I knew I'd probably like it.
And I did! A funny, easy book filled with gaffes & observations of Paris from the pov of a famous American pastry chef.
As someone who likes French people and food this was a good read- I laughed out loud at times and there are def some recipes I will be trying out over the next few months. If I ever go to Paris I will remember this book and make it a point to visit some of shops M. Lebovitz mentions.
And I did! A funny, easy book filled with gaffes & observations of Paris from the pov of a famous American pastry chef.
As someone who likes French people and food this was a good read- I laughed out loud at times and there are def some recipes I will be trying out over the next few months. If I ever go to Paris I will remember this book and make it a point to visit some of shops M. Lebovitz mentions.
This book was far too bitchy. Cute and funny in the first few chapters, this complainathon swiftly began to grate on me. Some of the tidbits he offered could be useful when traveling to Paris, sure, but I just couldn't enjoy the memoir of Lebovitz's apparent perma-annoyance with the rest of humanity or his subsequent passive aggressive solutions chapter after chapter. The recipes are fun though!
This is the perfect book for people who like to bake, travel, or both. David's witty account of his move to Paris is spot on. I loved that he did not report with stars in his eyes as so many others, new to Paris, gush at the wonder of it all. Funny, sarcastic, insightful and oh so tasty. A light read for the flight abroad.
adventurous
funny
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced