Customer Reviews

Pardon My French: Unleash Your Inner Gaul

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a fun and interesting read if you are curious about the uniqueness of the French and their culture. The entries are organized by subjects such a food, getting about, education, and many others. It is not meant to be a deep analysis of the origins of these behaviors but it does at times appear to be a bit superficial. I have spent a lot of time in France and, overall, I found the vignettes and topics to be pretty accurate. The writer's style is straight forward, humorous, and presented in good context. Anyone planning to be in France for some extended time should find the book enjoyable and helpful.

I read this book before spending a year in France. After spending several years learning about French culture and language, as well as a few tours in France, I found this book very informative. It was entertaining, affirmed some of my previous knowledge, and provided me with a plethora of new information. During my year in Paris, France, I found the information provided by Charles Timoney to be dead-on accurate. My French boyfriend even decided to read it and found it true and funny. Of all of the books on French culture, this is by far the most informative, accurate, and entertaining.

This is a highly entertaining book about the various nuances of French language and culture, written by an Englishman who has spent a long time in France. Worth it if you have an interest in French language and culture. Pretty informal study, but very funny.

Since I've lived in France, I already know quite a bit about the French and France, but the author of this one taught me a few things and certainly made me want to unleash my inner Gaul! I loved every chapter of this book. I read every book like this I can get my hands on and if you harbor a fantasy of living in France, you should definitely read this.

I received this book as a gift before I embarked on a year abroad in France. I started to read it on the plane and finished by the time I arrived in Paris with the initial thought of "okay so the French culture is definitely different..." It wasn't until I reread the book about 3 months into my stay that I truly appreciated and started to completely understand what Mr. Timoney was telling me. His real-life anecdotes empathize with others who are coping with the impossibility of understanding the French! I must say that I did feel a little bit better knowing that I wasn't the only one who struggled with the endless amount of paperwork and complicated vocabulary that you don't learn in school! I thought perhaps it was just the American in me that couldn't understand the French ways, so it's good to know that Mr. Timoney is British and still took years to grasp the complexities.

Even if you are merely traveling through France for a week or simply curious about their culture, I highly recommend bringing this book along as your personal guide...so when you start to wonder..."Why are things never possible?" You simply have to flip through the pages and consult Mr. Timoney!

I really enjoyed this book. Having been to France on several occasions and having the pleasure of living in Paris for a few months I found a lot of the comments and descriptions spot on and quite humorous in a yes that happened to me manner. I will admit that a lot of his description and events are stereotypical and are more of generalizations of the French, but if you've had the chance of spending time in this wonderful nation you'll be giggling and smirking at the author's description of his experiences as they most likely will have mirrored an event in your own life.
What if your just going to France for the first time? Well, if your going to France for the first time I would recommend that you do not take this book at face value, but more as a tongue in cheek description of the French, as again many of the describe situations are once in a life events and situations. I still recommend the book as it is funny and does have a good layer of practical information about what you might expect in and around Paris and France.

Very lucidly written, insightful & very readable. I would highly recommend it for those interested in more than just the mechanics of the French language.

I am a French teacher in the United States and even I learned a lot about the nuances of life in France (and especially of life in an office environment in France) from this book. Each word is followed by a short explanation and usually a humorous anecdote or two, and I had a lot of fun reading this book. There are plenty of things in here for beginners and advanced learners alike.

I couldn't finish reading this. I had been reading a number of great travel books and, by comparison, I found this boring. Maybe if I go to France, I can use this and maybe then I could appreciate it.

Funny, informative and a book you can read again and again. Highly recommended for anyone studying French.