Rating: 
Summary: Warm and enticing; Mayes with Mayle's attitude
Review: "On Rue Tatin" will seem like a hybrid of Frances Mayes and Peter Mayle to those familiar with "Under the Tuscan Sun" and "A Year in Provence". It depicts a similar acquisition of a European home and its reconstruction akin to Mayes, albeit with a far more positive attitude, with an embracing of French culture reminiscent of Peter Mayle. This is a lovely, uplifting book. Loomis describes what seems to be a charmed life does so in a positive, admirable sense. The author does write in a sort of breathless, gushing style that occasionally makes your teeth hurt, and at times describes what sounds like a Martha Stewart type lifestyle. She does not congratulate herself, however, and seems to only want to share her joy over her good fortune. You finish the book both envying and admiring her. This is another book which will prompt you to forage through the kitchen looking for cheese and a glass of wine and which will make you want to visit France, if not to relocate there.
Rating:
Summary: Warm and enticing; Mayes with Mayle's attitude
Review: "On Rue Tatin" will seem like a hybrid of Frances Mayes and Peter Mayle to those familiar with "Under the Tuscan Sun" and "A Year in Provence". It depicts a similar acquisition of a European home and its reconstruction akin to Mayes, albeit with a far more positive attitude, with an embracing of French culture reminiscent of Peter Mayle. This is a lovely, uplifting book. Loomis describes what seems to be a charmed life does so in a positive, admirable sense. The author does write in a sort of breathless, gushing style that occasionally makes your teeth hurt, and at times describes what sounds like a Martha Stewart type lifestyle. She does not congratulate herself, however, and seems to only want to share her joy over her good fortune. You finish the book both envying and admiring her. This is another book which will prompt you to forage through the kitchen looking for cheese and a glass of wine and which will make you want to visit France, if not to relocate there.
Rating: 
Summary: This book may not be what you are expecting...
Review: A few important words of disclosure about this book: From the title, you might expect that this is the story of someone who worked in a french restaurant. It isn't. The author isn't actually a chef--she is an American housewife who writes cookbooks. Also, the author is (or was) a vegitarian and organic food nut who grows her own lettuce so don't expect many stories about duck confit, truffle studded chicken, etc. in the tradition of Peter Mayle.
In fact, this book probably owes its existence to Peter Mayle's success. Unlike Mayle, however, Hermann Loomis seems more interested in writing about herself and her child than France.
The book is not particularly well written (or edited) and almost seems like notes for a book. And I was hoping for a French "Kitchen Confidential". That said, it is pleasant light reading that offers a few insights into life in France. And I'll probably try to one of the dessert recipies.
Rating: 
Summary: A Trip to France On Your Lunchtime
Review: A wonderful book! It transports you to Louviers, France in an instant. I would highly recommend it for all who love cooking and travel. Thank you Susan for sharing your story!
Rating:
Summary: On Rue Tatin: Living and Cooking in a French Town
Review: A wonderful read about the lives of two Americans and their children creating their lives in Normandy with good food, good friends, and an extraordinary "home improvement" project. The book is complete with tasty recipes and the histories of the recipes.
Rating:
Summary: Delicieux
Review: Being a Francophile of the highest order I devoured Susan Herrmann Loomis' book avariciously. She captures the joys and pitfalls of living and working in Normandy with charm, wit and delicious recipes. Susan - please write some more; as a writer Ms Loomis encapsulates all that I aspire to food and travel - is there more to life?
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful, warm read!
Review: Captivated by Peter Mayles descriptive works on Provence, I was eager for more. Susan Loomis's book did not disappoint. It is a wonderful read that captures the richness of her life in France. The book begins with Susan arriving in Paris with little money. She begins an apprenticeship at a cooking school. As the book progresses Susan shares her immersion into the French culture and cuisine. Eventually she marries,and she and her husband purchase a rundown house in Normandy with charming potential. Step by step you walk with Susan as she recounts her experiences making the home a haven for her family. You experience Susan's delight in her friends and the joy she has relishing the French cuisine. The love and pride Susan has for her husband and small son emanates from the pages. When she gave birth to her second child, I was touched by the outpouring of love from her freinds and felt tears of joy for her! Throughout the book the pleasures of life in Normandy captivate. And Susan intersperses the text with special recipes such as Braised Chicken in White Wine and Mustard, Tarte Tatin, and Swiss Chard Frittata. On Rue Tatin is a wonderful book to curl up with!
Rating:
Summary: you critics are really too much..........
Review: for Susan's recipes and her enthusiasm for the art of cooking is what is at the heart of her books. NOT the prose! (oops, not a sentence!) Jeez! we all know you need a life out there! Susan has a life, and for that you must be a little envious? Read the cookbooks and her others for what they really are.
Marti
in
Saint Louis
who uses a LOT of her recipes!
Rating: 
Summary: Enjoyed living in France
Review: I enjoyed reading this book and livng in France vicariously through this book. The writing isn't that great, but the experiences were entertaining.
Rating:
Summary: Cozy Read, Yet Bewildering
Review: I found this to be a warm, cozy, enviable read, yet there are way too many nagging questions unanswered. If a writer allows the reader into their life, they have an obligation to at least have the situations make some sense. I too am a culinary graduate and I know what chicken-feed salaries the food and food writing industry pays. For the life of me, I can't reconcile that knowledge with their lifestyle. Is her husband's sole occupation fixing the house for scores of years? She never mentioned a job. Are the really trust fund yuppies? I know that the author is a writer for Epicurious and a research assistant for Patricia Wells (fancy title for recipie tester). These jobs are usually given to 25-year-olds fresh out to cooking school and don't pay well. She has written two quite good cook books. Were they so successful that they are living off the residuals.Doubtful. Surely that could not have been supporting them all these years. It must have cost a fortune to fix up an old abbey. Are the now French citizens? It is practically impossible to obtain French citizenship. No wonder their lives seemed so cozy and ideal. Both did not seem to never work, they shopped, planted, ate and entertained, like the landed gentry. L The last couple of chapters felt like a tack-on, a request from the editor, who, by the way, could have done a much better job at cleaning up the over-wrought prose. Yet, that all said, it has its charms and some servicable recipes. And they do seem like nice people.
| 
