I bought the book to read because it's about an American family that went to live in France -- specifically in Montpellier -- for a year in 1950. I'm also an American and I came to live in Europe, except that I didn't come for a year, I came to stay. Still, I'm always curious how others deal with their lives abroad and this book held a special interest because my father had studied at the University of Montpellier back in about 1930, and I've been to the city a couple of times to see where he had spent those years so I thought it would be fun to read about the city from the viewpoint of someone who lived there.

It wasn't. Mainly, the book is not particularly well written. It has the feel of writing done by a high school student. Its very basic, pedestrian writing is peppered with things that are supposed to make you laugh, but I didn't laugh, except at one story where Mary got very drunk. Many paragraphs, too many paragraphs, end with a gratuitous sentence that could well have been left out. S'il vous plait.

For the most part, Mary seemed to me to be an ignoramus who not only didn't so much as make a list of a few pertinent French words to take with her when she went out on her errands, she clearly had no interest in learning the language at all. Nor was she interested in learning anything about French food or how to cook. She was determined to buy canned goods and was able to do so because she found a local shop that stocked some cans and since no one else was buying them, she had the whole stock to herself. When she went to visit Marseilles, her attitude to trying bouillabaisse was one of fear, not interest. At the end of their year, when her husband was offered a very well paid job in Paris, her only thought was to return home, to America, land of white bread where she could speak English in peace and have her American groceries delivered. And at the end of it all, neither she nor her husband ever encouraged their two boys, both of whom had become fluent in French, to practice that language (her husband did speak French), throwing away that golden opportunity for the two boys to remain bilingual.

Zut! ( )

http://thenovelworld.com/2011/07/22/french-impressions-john-littel-review-paris-... ( )

Set in 1950, this is the true story of an American family living abroad in France for a year. Although the setting is different, the struggles of this family trying to live in a foreign land feel so familiar!! Who knew 1950's France had so much in common with present-day China? Crazy drivers, waste-not-want-not attitude, kids and men peeing wherever they happen to be and people pointing and staring at the crazy Americans. Wendi, thank you SO much for sending me this book. I've thoroughly enjoyed it. I want everyone to read this book, if for no other reason than the pure fun of it! I keep trying to decide who to send it to next? My mom? Gwen? Mariannette? You'd all love it!! ( )

Set in 1950, this is the true story of an American family living abroad in France for a year. Although the setting is different, the struggles of this family trying to live in a foreign land feel so familiar!! Who knew 1950's France had so much in common with present-day China? Crazy drivers, waste-not-want-not attitude, kids and men peeing wherever they happen to be and people pointing and staring at the crazy Americans. Wendi, thank you SO much for sending me this book. I've thoroughly enjoyed it. I want everyone to read this book, if for no other reason than the pure fun of it! I keep trying to decide who to send it to next? My mom? Gwen? Mariannette? You'd all love it!! ( )

I was hoping for clever, witty, and charming. Instead I got self-involved and flat. ( )