We have a love/hate relationship with all things French? We lust for French wine, French lovers and French fashion only to be turned off by French snobbery, French bureaucracy or French arrogance. However, whether we belong to the Francophiles or the Francophobes, we often can’t think of a better place to vacation than Paris, even if it’s from the comfort of our own armchairs
We have a love/hate relationship with all things French? We lust for French wine, French lovers and French fashion only to be turned off by French snobbery, French bureaucracy or French arrogance. However, whether we belong to the Francophiles or the Francophobes, we often can’t think of a better place to vacation than Paris, even if it’s from the comfort of our own armchairs. When it comes to getting to know the French a little better, SCENE IN FRANCE …From A to Z is sure to delight. It’s an insider look at the people who make the French the French, told through stories that the author has encountered in her 30-odd years, living, loving, working and raising a family in France. From the A of Anglais to the Z of Zis or Zat, Meredith Escudier will take you on a tour that no travel guide could match. Her unique and engaging portrait of the French is at once thorough and thoughtful, charming and humorous.
This book is a poignant journey through the meandering paths we share in life, recounting little moments from our everyday worlds. It’s at times funny and touching, warm and affectionate. You can tell the author knows these characters well as she makes them come alive in real and tangible ways. You feel you know them. It’s a rich book because it encompasses a range of human emotions and behaviors while exploring something deeper, the cultural subtext of what it means to be French or to live in France. It calls out idiosyncrasies while educating the reader on the do’s and don’ts of day to day interactions. It’s a playful amalgam of personal vignettes, and the author is having fun as she deconstructs “Frenchness” with a clever peppering of rich descriptions, human emotions and outlooks. Of course, it’s the French Way. To wit, she includes French words and phrases that really bring the subtext to the forefront. You feel like you’re actually there, hearing the words, almost sounding them out. This makes the stories come alive, as though you are really present, in the moment.
For anyone who studies French or is interested in traveling to France, read this book. For anyone who enjoys exploring the idiosyncrasies of human nature, read this book. And for anyone who just enjoys a good read and broadening of horizons? Yup, read this book.-Jay
