Rating: 
Summary: Bravo!
Review: I am French,and I have been living here for 15 years, going back and forth. This book is wonderful.. at the end I really felt so French...so Harriet must be accurate in her description .. I thought the book was a delight to read and gave it to friends always so puzzled by the French. This book summarized the many conversations we constantly have as a family , I have 4 children in their 20's, about the differences the pros the cons of both societies. Bravo Harriet !
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing...
Review: I bought this book because I've always wanted to go to France. I am an avid reader and usually breeze through books, but this one was different. It took me a long time to actually finish this book (and it's not that long!). This overpriced book is not something I'd give anyone interested in France. The odd "interviews" with her husband at the end of each chapter didn't fit at all. She follows constant negative statements with "but I love the French, afterall I married one" statements so many times it made me crazy! Just becaue the culture isn't "American" doesn't make it bad. I would think someone who chose to live in another country would have a more open mind to the culture. I did not find Mrs. Rochefort's writing at all interesting. The book does not flow and seems rather forced and repetitive. The only redeeming parts of this book were the few funny anecdotes she manages to include without completely putting down the French. My advice, read French or Foe. It's a much better book for your money! Or at least try another book on French culture. I wish I had.
Rating:
Summary: to the point
Review: I find Mrs.Rochefort's book to be accurate (with a few exaggerations here and there). I think the author has "nailed" successfully the analysis of the main perceptions Americans have towards the French and vice versa. It is wonderfully refreshing to see the observations of the life overseas to be objective and to the point. I have read numerous attempts to portray life in France ("From Paris to the Moon" is one of them) and this one, even though short, comes out as a winner. By the way, my French friends and family always have thought that Americans could improve their savoir-faire& vivre and so it happens the author diplomatically explains where that change should take place (like for example eating pizza with a fork and knife-after all, Italians do it!). So if anything else, one could learn about a proper etiquette from this book (if one needs to learn that is). I should add the book is overpriced, however. For barely 120 pages almost $20. I returned it.
Rating:
Summary: to the point
Review: I find Mrs.Rochefort's book to be accurate (with a few exaggerations here and there). I think the author has "nailed" successfully the analysis of the main perceptions Americans have towards the French and vice versa. It is wonderfully refreshing to see the observations of the life overseas to be objective and to the point. I have read numerous attempts to portray life in France ("From Paris to the Moon" is one of them) and this one, even though short, comes out as a winner. By the way, my French friends and family always have thought that Americans could improve their savoir-faire& vivre and so it happens the author diplomatically explains where that change should take place (like for example eating pizza with a fork and knife-after all, Italians do it!). So if anything else, one could learn about a proper etiquette from this book (if one needs to learn that is). I should add the book is overpriced, however. For barely 120 pages almost $20. I returned it.
Rating:
Summary: French Fried
Review: I found this to be a totally delightful book. After traveling to France and now reading this book, it brought back some wonderful moments for me. The French have a wonderful attitude about food that we Americans should consider adopting. Food is our friend , not the enemy! The recipes were most easily to understand. Ruth has a way of transporting you to where she is at that moment. Excellent book!
Rating: 
Summary: I do not recommend this book
Review: I got this book in anticipation of my first trip to Paris and was very disappointed by it. It's not amusing, insightful, or well-written. Though some reviewers here seem to think that the author is criticizing French people, it was apparent to me that she is actually criticizing Americans. In doing so, she clings to stereotypes. Here's an excerpt from the book, as an example, "In some ways, Frenchwomen are much less on their guard around men than we Americans are. They do delicious things, such as laugh at off-color jokes, and don't yell sexual harassment when complimented on their hairdo. They can disagree with a man--and keep their cool. So refreshing."Ugh! I couldn't even finish it.
Rating: 
Summary: Charming!
Review: I loved this little book! My only complaint would be it is too short! The author shares her experiences as an American who becomes a French housewife. How she feels admidst her very chic French inlaws. What its like to cook full meals several times a day. How the French approach shopping differently. Why the French women are so slim when they eat what they want. How the French men treat the French women. How and why the women treat the men the way they do. And more! A wonderful glimpse by an American living the lifestyle. Refreshing, informative and entertaining!
Rating:
Summary: clever and witty
Review: I thought this book was terrific. Harriet Welty Rochefort tells of Parisians and their idiosyncrasies with a sharp eye and a lively wit. I laughed all the way through. After reading a few of the other reviews, I wonder if some readeres just don't get Mrs. Rochefort's sense of humor. One or two people claimed the book was terribly negative, and I don't think it was negative at all. Mrs. Rochefort, for the most part, clearly loves Paris and Parisians. It's just that she also makes fun of them. Mrs. Rochefort also makes fun of herself in a most amusing way, implying she's a loud, ill-mannered, Iowa bumpkin compared to the French. Apparently, some readers took this literally, judging from a review that calls her "narrowminded." Once again, I think it's her playful sense of humor exaggerating for effect. My only criticism is that I don't believe Mrs. Rochefort's explanation for French merchants' rudeness to their customers. She suggest that it's a byproduct of the French attitude toward money. I think it's more likely a byproduct of the negative attitude toward the world outside of the family, combined with a system that makes it difficult to fire people.
Rating:
Summary: awful
Review: I thought this book would give me an glimpse of what to expect when I visit Paris, but as soon as I'd gone through a few chapters, I was mad enough to throw it out the window. Apparently the writer doesn't like ANYTHING about the Parisians, and after reading this book, I'm not so sure I'd put up with them either. According to her, the women in France go through rigorous schooling, learning philosophy, chemistry, history and various languages so that eventually they can become pretty little doormats who never speak up about ANY of these topics. They must always take the back seat to their men in all matters, NEVER discussing their opinions or anything of any importance for fear of boring the men. Don't laugh too hard! Don't serve yourself wine! Avoid direct arguments! Pack your husband's suitcases! Wash his clothes! Clean his house! Don't make friends with other women! Every chapter contains at least one infuriating anecdote about such unfunny topics as whether or not a woman can be raped without her consent (this subject was launched at the author during a dinner party, and all the women just sat back and let the man go without saying a word in opposition), shopkeepers who who would cheat a child out of his change because he looks like his family is rich enough to take the loss (no kidding - this was the argument the shopkeeper used when the child demanded his change), and husbands who go to great lengths to make sure that their wives never have any money of their own. This doesn't sound like Paris! This sounds like Afghanistan! The author comes off as the biggest doormat of them all, and the interviews with her husband at the end of each chapter are a little more insightful than intended, each one delivered with a disdainful sneer at Americans in general and his wife in particular. A few gems from the mouth of this "Gentleman": "Equality of sex in the States means the that women should be as stupid as the men." "Frenchwomen will leave you alone when they see that you are tired. You, on the other hand, would interview me on my deathbed." "Only American women marry four times, kill off four husbands, and then go off to Europe to have fun." "Sex and soap don't match. To excite an American woman, you have her smell a bar of soap." (On watching her devour a potato, skin and all) "Only hogs eat potato skins." Her father in law is just as bad. After years of cooking and serving five course meals twice a day for this man, his wife tried to introduce him to the concept of a sandwich. Once he discovered you eat it with your hands, he sniffed "Why don't we all just get down on the floor and throw bones over our shoulders while we're at it?" Every once in a while the author will throw in a comment such as "It sounds like I don't like the Parisians, but I really do! No, Really!" but she never backs it up with anything. On the other hand, the book is filled with lessons on how inhumanly rude, petty and ignorant the Parisians really are. No THANKS. I would give this book no stars if I could. It's that bad. I just wish I'd read a few more reviews and heeded their warnings
before I'd wasted my money on it. Consider yourself warned.
Rating:
Summary: Are you KIDDING me?
Review: I thought this book would give me an glimpse of what to expect when I visit Paris, but as soon as I'd gone through a few chapters, I was mad enough to throw it out the window. Apparently the writer doesn't like ANYTHING about the Parisians, and after reading this book, I'm not so sure I'd put up with them either. According to her, the women in France go through rigorous schooling, learning philosophy, chemistry, history and various languages so that eventually they can become pretty little doormats who never speak up about ANY of these topics. They must always take the back seat to their men in all matters, NEVER discussing their opinions or anything of any importance for fear of boring the men. Don't laugh too hard! Don't serve yourself wine! Avoid direct arguments! Pack your husband's suitcases! Wash his clothes! Clean his house! Don't make friends with other women! Every chapter contains at least one infuriating anecdote about such unfunny topics as whether or not a woman can be raped without her consent (this subject was launched at the author during a dinner party, and all the women just sat back and let the man go without saying a word in opposition), shopkeepers who who would cheat a child out of his change because he looks like his family is rich enough to take the loss (no kidding - this was the argument the shopkeeper used when the child demanded his change), and husbands who go to great lengths to make sure that their wives never have any money of their own. This doesn't sound like Paris! This sounds like Afghanistan! The author comes off as the biggest doormat of them all, and the interviews with her husband at the end of each chapter are a little more insightful than intended, each one delivered with a disdainful sneer at Americans in general and his wife in particular. A few gems from the mouth of this "Gentleman": "Equality of sex in the States means the that women should be as stupid as the men." "Frenchwomen will leave you alone when they see that you are tired. You, on the other hand, would interview me on my deathbed." "Only American women marry four times, kill off four husbands, and then go off to Europe to have fun." "Sex and soap don't match. To excite an American woman, you have her smell a bar of soap." (On watching her devour a potato, skin and all) "Only hogs eat potato skins." Her father in law is just as bad. After years of cooking and serving five course meals twice a day for this man, his wife tried to introduce him to the concept of a sandwich. Once he discovered you eat it with your hands, he sniffed "Why don't we all just get down on the floor and throw bones over our shoulders while we're at it?" Every once in a while the author will throw in a comment such as "It sounds like I don't like the Parisians, but I really do! No, Really!" but she never backs it up with anything. On the other hand, the book is filled with lessons on how inhumanly rude, petty and ignorant the Parisians really are. No THANKS. I would give this book no stars if I could. It's that bad. I just wish I'd read a few more reviews and heeded their warnings
before I'd wasted my money on it. Consider yourself warned.
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