France - Culture Smart!: a quick guide to customs & etiquette [Paperback]

Barry Tomalin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 5, 2006 | Series: Culture Smart!

Culture Smart! provides essential information on attitudes, beliefs and behavior in different countries, ensuring that you arrive at your destination aware of basic manners, common courtesies, and sensitive issues. These concise guides tell you what to expect, how to behave, and how to establish a rapport with your hosts. This inside knowledge will enable you to steer clear of embarrassing gaffes and mistakes, feel confident in unfamiliar situations, and develop trust, friendships, and successful business relationships.

Culture Smart! offers illuminating insights into the culture and society of a particular country. It will help you to turn your visit-whether on business or for pleasure-into a memorable and enriching experience. Contents include


* customs, values, and traditions
* historical, religious, and political background
* life at home
* leisure, social, and cultural life
* eating and drinking
* do's, don'ts, and taboos
* business practices
* communication, spoken and unspoken


"Culture Smart has come to the rescue of hapless travellers." Sunday Times Travel

"... the perfect introduction to the weird, wonderful and downright odd quirks and customs of various countries." Global Travel

"...full of fascinating-as well as common-sense-tips to help you avoid embarrassing faux pas." Observer

"...as useful as they are entertaining." Easyjet Magazine

"...offer glimpses into the psyche of a faraway world." New York Times

Editorial Reviews

Review

Culture Smart! has come to the rescue of hapless travellers, Sunday Times Travel - ...the perfect introduction to the weird, wonderful and downright odd quirks and customs of various countries, Global Travel - ...full of fascinating, as well as common sense, tips to help you avoid embarrassing faux pas, Observer - ...as useful as they are entertaining, Easy Jet Magazine - ...offer glimpses into the psyche of a faraway world, New York Times.

About the Author

BARRY TOMALIN is an English writer and trainer with a BA in Anthropology and Linguistics from the University of London. He has thirty years’ experience of education and training in France. Fluent in French, he has lived in France, Algeria, and in Francophone Africa, and has trained business students and diplomats. He is currently a module leader on the MA program in Media, Technology, and Culture Studies at the University of Westminster, London.

Product Details

• Paperback: 168 pages
• Publisher: Kuperard; Reprinted edition edition (September 5, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1857333071
• ISBN-13: 978-1857333077
• Product Dimensions: 4.4 x 0.5 x 6.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 1.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #70,106 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #3 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Travel > Europe > France > General
  • #12 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Reference > Etiquette > General
  • #17 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Travel > Reference & Tips > Guidebooks

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Essentially filled with idiotic clichés and gross inaccuracies, April 21, 2011

By 

Fabrice - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: France - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture (Kindle Edition)

I am French, and yet I do not recognise French culture or people in this book.

Even though about 10-20% of the book is accurate, the rest is just a compilation of ridiculous inaccuracies (I am 35 and have never seen any shop closed on good friday in France) or fairly xenophobic clichés (i.e. The French see themselves as a big family, Frenchness and French language are an obsession, they keep on innovating in order to feel good as a country, they do not use deodorant, etc!!!).

The author seems to build on his personal prejudices/frustrations toward the French, without realising that the traits he attributes to the French people in general are usually some types of general criticisms that could apply to any kind of people, including the English or the Americans.

Due to their lack of originality, these criticisms will not teach one much about France, but may comfort one in one's erroneous prejudices. Go for another book about France, sorry...

7 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars The author obviously hates the French people., December 18, 2007

By 

Nicholas Zemstov "Nick" (San Francisco) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: France - Culture Smart!: a quick guide to customs & etiquette (Paperback)

After reading the book, I came to the conclusion that the author just hates the French people. If I had read this book before my first trip to France, I would have cancelled it.