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

The average rating for French Toast: An American in Paris Celebrates the Maddening Mysteries of the French based on 2 reviews is 2.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2016-02-24 00:00:00 Alvaro Alexis I thought this was going to be a quick read but it turned out to be more detailed and absorbing than I expected. I didn't understand some of the references and didn't agree with some of the comparisons she made. Still, I learned a great deal about the French and how they think. If I had known about its existence before I went to France I would have read it before going. They always say don't talk loud, don't smile, make sure you get the correct change, always watch your back, but they don't tell you why. Now I know. I would recommend this book to anyone going to France for the first time or if you just want to learn more about our French friends.

Review # 2 was written on 2007-10-31 00:00:00 Ken Jako I know this is not a sociological work but only a mere personal memoir but I don't find it particularly smart or insightful into French culture. (I don't find it witty either, as the cover suggests or as reviews have raved.) The author's views and interactions of the French seem only with the aristocrats and she never gives middle-class views on anything (which isn't her fault because her experiences deal with a lot of her French family); even so, it seems as if her views are skewed. She was shocked that if you were invited over for dinner at someone else's house, you had to not only ask the host family if it was okay if you bring someone but you had to give them the guest's name too. Isn't that just common courtesy? I RARELY ever complain about a book (I always find good things in almost every book), but it seems that she hates France more than she likes it, even when she claims "I know it seems as if I don't like France, but I do, really!!" Like I said, I know this isn't a sociological book but if you want to read a personal memoir where you actually get something - anything - from it, it's not this book.