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176 of 194 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
If you want insight into France & the French, get this book!, July 16, 2003
This review is from: Sixty Million Frenchmen Can't Be Wrong: Why We Love France but Not the French (Paperback)
Even though I never bought into the whole "freedom fries" thing, until recently I would've been less than kind in my appraisal of the French. However, after visiting Paris for four days in June of '03, I came away with a whole new appreciation for France and its people. I backpacked through four different countries during my trip, and France ended up being my hands-down favorite. Why the change of heart? Well, first of all Paris has to be seen to be believed. I'm a history buff, and the city is soaked with centuries of it. However, it was the people that really made an impression on me. I was assisted in my wanderings by a number of kind French, including a woman who gave myself and some others an impromptu tour of Notre Dame, and even had three of us over for (free) dinner at her parent's restaurant. And all that just because I asked her for directions! I confess that I fell in love with Paris, and after returning home I began looking for books to learn more about a place that could turn my opinions around so quickly. I almost skipped over this one - the title and goofy cover art made me think it was some sort of satire. But I gave it a shot, and it turned out to be one of the best books I've read this year. It answered many questions I had about France and the French, from the turbulent history that formed the French national identity, to why a Frenchman spent about a minute correcting my pronounciation of "Champs Elysees." Better yet, the authors write in an accessible, entertaining style, even when dissecting the minutia of French government. A great read from start to finish - don't let this one get away. I can't wait to go back to Paris, and if you feel as I do, or just want to know why "60 Million Frenchmen Can't Be Wrong", then by all means get this book!
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48 of 51 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Journalism that reads like fiction, May 12, 2003
This review is from: Sixty Million Frenchmen Can't Be Wrong: Why We Love France but Not the French (Paperback)
This is a rare breed in the world of nonfiction: a factual book you'll actually read through to the end. In a lively style punctuated with anecdote, authors Julie Barlow and Jean-Benoit Nadeau trace how the society and politics of France have evolved over the centuries. The result? We start to understand there is a distinct French character and that the current showdown between France and the English-speaking world is not resistance for its own sake, but the result of the real, historic differences that exist. This book is for anyone who has ever lived in France, visited or tried to do business with the French. It will illuminate some of the mysteries and answer questions you didn't know to ask.
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34 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Enjoyable introduction to mindset of many French people, March 25, 2005
This review is from: Sixty Million Frenchmen Can't Be Wrong: Why We Love France but Not the French (Paperback)
This is a very readable and enjoyable introduction to French "culture." More specifically, the authors want to explain various features of France to North Americans. They are certainly qualified to do this, being fully bilingual journalists; he is Quebecois, she is Ontarian. Though they are Canadian, they are writing for a US audience as much as for a Canadian one, and they regularly compare all three countries.
The book consists of three parts: "Spirit," "Structure," and "Change." The part on Spirit is by far the best. It provides a good entry to diverse aspects of the French mindset, sometimes using the device of "studying the aborigines" in France. These include, for example, the French attitude toward land, their fondness for grandeur, and their notions of private and public space. The section is full of anecdotes and discussions with French people, and these voices come through very well.
The section on "Structure" is much less successful. Perhaps, as a political scientist, I am inclined to be overly critical of those who discuss politics without the analytical apparatus that the discipline uses. Still, I see that other reviewers were also disappointed in this section. I think the problem is that the authors rely too much on "regular people" as sources. This strategy works really well when people are talking about their own views of things, as in the "Spirit" section. It doesn't work so well when people are talking about things outside themselves, especially if those things may require some expertise to understand, such as the economy.
When Nadeau and Barlow make generalizations about France, the US, or Canada, it's important to realize that all three of these are diverse countries. The authors have limited experience in each - - they don't have the same depth of knowledge about (say) Texas, British Columbia, or Marseilles and they do Paris, New York, or Quebec. As a result, the book jacket and other publicity material very much overstates its case. The jacket claims that there are a lot of answers in this book - - read it and you will understand France. Of course, it doesn't work that way. Still, if you read the book you will understand France better than you did before you read the book. You'll also enjoy the journey.
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