French Toast : An American in Paris Celebrates the Maddening Mysteries of the French

by Harriet Welty Rochefort

Release Date: 15 November, 1998

Edition: Hardcover

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Hilarious and On Target

This is a book I wish I had written. As a long-time Paris denizen -- now a dual-national with US and French citizenship -- I can attest that French Toast is on the mark when it comes to understanding a certain French world (there are as many, perhaps more, worlds here as there are in America). It's also funny and a delight to read. Harriet's humor and insight bubble up in every sentence, and I love the tidbits provided by her husband, Philippe. On sexiness: Give a French woman perfume, an American woman a bar of soap. This is classic stuff. I look forward to reading her next book on France! Encore, encore!...

A Wonderful Cultural Translation!

Last year I spent a week in wonderful Paris. I truly identify with the writer, also being a midwesterner trying to understand the somewhat aloof French personna. The book is easy to read and I found myself laughing out loud often. Some of the most fun is reading Harriet's brief interviews at the end of each chapter with her very Parisian husband Philippe. Example-Harriet "Have you noticed any difference in your eating habits since you married me?/" Philippe "Yes, I'm cooking alot more"

I have a new found appreciation and understanding for the French from this great read. When I return to France this year, I'll remember that the French aren't just aloof to Americans, they're that way with everyone!