Photo: CopyStrandsIf you want to write a book based in a certain place you best live there to get a grasp of what it is really like. That is exactly what Brit Stephen Clarke did before he candidly shared his adventures living in Paris in his book Talk to the Snail.
His observations of the French made me giggle as I could relate. I've not only been to Paris before, I also had a French roomate when I was working in Manhattan at InStyle magazine. "Deb-bore-rah!" as she was always correcting people on the pronunciation of the name "Deborah" was an interesting French woman. She believed even in America people should speak French and while she was in America she refused to speak English to anyone even though she knew how to for her job at the World Trade Center (a year before they fell). Clarke's book illustrates how the French view their language as the only language to a tee. Deborah was always trying to get me to put Nutella on everything. And she was the sloppiest roomate I've ever had. In the end she wasn't paying rent to the sublet place and when I came home one night all her belongings were outside on the sidewalk. Made me sad...but only a little. I was nice to her, however, I always gave her a copy of the newest issue of InStyle days before it hit the news stands.
And I have a secret: I'm traveling to Paris again this summer and found the author's sense of humor about the French enlightening. On my first trip to Paris I found that the French were very nice to me, I think I got lucky. Because Clarke's words about French culture are eye opening and laugh out loud funny.
For my upcoming summer Paris vacation: Accomodations are booked, flight is booked and even a getaway to London on Eurostar is booked. And my lucky husband and my dear friend Jul will be joining me. I can't wait! Now if the calendar of time would just speed up :)
Favorite line in the book about French mentality: "Sometimes, the whole world gets things spectacularly wrong."
4 Love Notes:
How jealous I am of your secret. Le sigh.
How exciting and wonderful! This was a very interesting and "guilty pleasure" quip! You're going to have such a lovely time in Paris ... I miss it there! We're always talking about going back soon... ah, le dolce vita!!
Looking forward to picking up that book. I think Parisians get a bad rap -- or maybe the book will prove me wrong? There's a lot to be said for making an effort with courtesy and language, which I'm sure you did. I've witnessed enough Americans walk into establishments just speaking English -- not even making an attempt at cultural understanding. Those people are probably going to have a very bad time in Paris. :)
I recently read My Life in France and The Sweet Life in Paris. I definitely want to learn French now. Is that so blogger of me?
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