Bonjour amour
January 28th, 2007 Emily - Lakeview
In preparing to study abroad a few years ago, I was reading every book about the French that I could get my hands on. Although I came across much of the same information (”They’re only snobs if you don’t make an effort!”), I was delighted to find a memoir that was both informative about the country and a good story in Australian Sarah Turnbull’s Almost French: A Love and a New Life In Paris.
In this memoir, the author falls in love with a Parisian journalist and agrees to move to the city of love with him for a while when she takes a year off from her job. Well, a few months turn out to be much longer and Turnbull has to find a job and make a life in a city where she barely speaks the language, is made fun of by her baker and can’t quite seem to figure out how things are run. Her adventures with making herself learn the French language and the customs and making her dog look French are heart warming and enjoyable. The cultural struggles she faces are interesting and the romance between the author and her French boyfriend is very cute. Overall, this book is a good read for both people who like love stories and travelers.
Entry Filed under: Memoir & Biography
4 Comments Add your own
1. Anonymous | January 29th, 2007 at 12:13 pm
This was a great book and it gives us an insight into the lives of the people we see on the street when we are traveling and can only imagine what their lives are like. I would be willing to bet that if I saw Sarah on the street with her dog, I would never know that she is not “all French”
And I think her book is also useful for tourists because it gives a good description of the culture from the outsiders point of view.
2. Emily - Lakeview | January 29th, 2007 at 4:17 pm
Glad to hear that you enjoyed it also.
3. Sarah | February 2nd, 2007 at 8:41 am
Okay, I’ve got to try this one. People keep trying to tell me Paris is the best city in the world, but since I’ve seen New York I’m a bit skeptical. This one sounds like a great read, though.
4. Emily - Lakeview | February 2nd, 2007 at 11:40 am
Paris is pretty great, if you love NY, you’d definitely like it there.
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