Rating: 
Summary: Rudeness by any other name.
Review: On my previous trips to France, I, too, had encountered the legendary French rudeness. However, I inevitably assumed it was my fault for trangressing some unwritten cultural norm of which I, despite my best efforts, was boorishly unaware. Sally Adamson Taylor has finally put my mind at ease. The French, it seems, ARE rude to everyone simply as a matter of course. This is useful information and fine as far as it goes. However, Ms. Adamson attempts to justify some of the most obnoxious behavior on the planet by claiming it is some sort of celebration of individuality. The book even seems to put forward the bizzare proposition that the worse the French treat you, the more they like and respect you. Somewhere in Paris there is a waiter (who, among other things, served me soup in which he had immersed his thumb up to the second joint) who will, no doubt, be naming me as Godfather to his children. Ms. Adamson's efforts to glorify French rudeness as a noble expression of individuality severely damages what would otherwise be an extremely useful book. Inevitably, one is left to speculate on what other little cultural pecadillos might have been revealed by a more objective, and less gallophillic, observer. Maybe French rudeness is a by-product of a profound and complex culture and maybe our American tendency to smile and be civil to strangers is shallow and insipid. On the whole, however, I'd rather be in Philadelphia.
Rating: 
Summary: Completely impractical
Review: As a teacher of French, I picked up this book recently because I thought it might provide some cultural insights or funny annecdotes for my students, many of whom go on to study in France. Not only is the book blatantly wrong about the way many things are done in that country, it is also completely useless for someone who bought it in hopes of picking up a few cultural notes before a trip to France. The book is essentially a poor man's psychoanalysis of French behavior (a very faulty one at that) and offers few, if any, concrete suggestions for travelers. Any good guidebook (Frommer's, Rick Steves', Fodor's) would provide more cultural insights and useful suggestions on how to avoid culture shock/ clash.
Rating: 
Summary: An excellent guide to living and enjoying life while in Fran
Review: Culture shock series gives an excellent description of culture/business/life in France. It is must for anybody staying in France and wants to enjoy rich lifestyle of France without getting Culture Shock
Rating:
Summary: Not a bad book, but not a great book, either
Review: Doesn't really tell you anything you don't already know, francophiles will already be aware of everything this book has to offer. But for the completely naive, it could be somewhat valuable.
Rating: 
Summary: France, yes, but....
Review: Full disclosure: I myself haven't been to France. I speak French and have close French friends, though, and have invested a good deal of reading and discussion in comprehending French ways of thought and action. This said, what I really liked about this book was that it cut to the heart of some of the areas where my own people (United States) and the French often don't communicate well. Taylor, who has lived a long time in France, explains quite credibly why it is some people find the French to be rude. How shocking to find out that they consider *us* rude. In any event, what makes this book attractive is that it offers sound behavioural tips and suggestions to break these boundaries and have a good time, always bearing in mind that in any place some people will be rude no matter what you do. A simple example, without spoiling the book for you. In my homeland, the American West, a limp handshake with no eye contact (especially between males) often causes distrust or gives actual offense. In France, we are told (and I have verified), to fail to greet the shopkeeper, waiter or whomever ranks at the same level: a slap in the face. This is what I mean about the book: having read it, you would enter the little knickknack shop and politely say 'bonjour, madame' to the proprietrix, and give her the time of day, avoiding a pitfall you'd otherwise maybe not have known existed. I think this book should be read with an open mind. Everything in it that I could test on French people tested accurately. I think it would be a significant help for anyone who plans travel to France or who regularly interacts with French people.
Rating:
Summary: helped me better understand my French friends
Review: Full disclosure: I myself haven't been to France. I speak French and have close French friends, though, and have invested a good deal of reading and discussion in comprehending French ways of thought and action. This said, what I really liked about this book was that it cut to the heart of some of the areas where my own people (United States) and the French often don't communicate well. Taylor, who has lived a long time in France, explains quite credibly why it is some people find the French to be rude. How shocking to find out that they consider *us* rude. In any event, what makes this book attractive is that it offers sound behavioural tips and suggestions to break these boundaries and have a good time, always bearing in mind that in any place some people will be rude no matter what you do. A simple example, without spoiling the book for you. In my homeland, the American West, a limp handshake with no eye contact (especially between males) often causes distrust or gives actual offense. In France, we are told (and I have verified), to fail to greet the shopkeeper, waiter or whomever ranks at the same level: a slap in the face. This is what I mean about the book: having read it, you would enter the little knickknack shop and politely say 'bonjour, madame' to the proprietrix, and give her the time of day, avoiding a pitfall you'd otherwise maybe not have known existed. I think this book should be read with an open mind. Everything in it that I could test on French people tested accurately. I think it would be a significant help for anyone who plans travel to France or who regularly interacts with French people.
Rating:
Summary: Confusing in places
Review: Full disclosure: Though British myself, I live on the outskirts of Paris. I speak French. My wife is French and I have close French friends. I think this gives me an almost unique perspective on the French and their way of life. I am close enough to be able to get an insider's look at them, yet different enough to be super-critical when I feel like it! Now here's the other interesting thing about my situation: I work for an American Company and I have a lot of American friends. Like many Brits, I feel a certain closeness to USA, even if we find you exasperating at times (just like you probably find us)! Let's be positive first and give you the good news about 'Culture Shock: France'. I agree with my fellow reviewer (Seattle 29 June 2000) that it cuts to the heart of some of the areas where Americans and the French often don't communicate well. Sally Adamson Taylor explains why some people find the French to be rude and why the French often find Americans to be rude (Don't look so shocked! Or maybe you've not tried to communicate with a New York cabbie recently!) - and remember that in any place some people will be rude no matter what you do. However, as my fellow reviewer observes, this book offers sound behavioural tips to overcome any cultural differences... like if you're invited to a French person's home, "Don't go sticking your nose into your host's refrigerator" ... hey do you guys REALLY do that?
"Don't open the conversation by telling your host how much you earn."... do you REALLY do that too?
"Try using a knife and fork - it's not as difficult as it looks." ... so what do you normally use - chopsticks?
You see what I mean about cultural differences. But this brings me to the negative side of the book... Sally Adamson Taylor has, quite simply got some things wrong. Whilst she offers a whole host of useful tips and observations, she describes some of them badly. The section, for example, about the handshake as picked up by my fellow reviewer. I can assure you that nearly all the handshakes offered me are firm with plenty of eye contact. Not the limp-wrist specimens that the author suggests. Maybe she mixes with the wrong crowd. The one observation that the author has correctly picked up (from Luigi Barzini in his book "The Europeans") is that 'Foreigners have to remind themselves that they are not dealing with a country that really exists... but with a country that most Frenchmen dream still exists. The gap between the two is a large one, but the French indefatigably try to ignore it or forget it.' That tells you more about France than anything I or Sally Adamson Taylor can say!
Rating:
Summary: A great primer, just be sure to read before you travel!
Review: I had occasion several years ago to visit my sister who was studying abroad in Paris. She lent me this book, but I didn't have a chance to complete reading it until sometime during our travels to Spain. The author does an excellent job of calling to attention some cultural differences one can expect and if you're a traveler, you'll likely to come across more polite at a minimum if you are at least aware of some basic differences in social interaction. I spent a great deal of time chuckling to myself over my restrospective observations of social situations in Paris, how I had fumbled, was cluelessly rude, and my complete mis-conception of other situations and encounters. Hope you have as much fun with this book as I did!
Rating:
Summary: A great primer, just be sure to read before you travel!
Review: I had occasion several years ago to visit my sister who was studying abroad in Paris. She lent me this book, but I didn't have a chance to complete reading it until sometime during our travels to Spain. The author does an excellent job of calling to attention some cultural differences one can expect and if you're a traveler, you'll likely to come across more polite at a minimum if you are at least aware of some basic differences in social interaction. I spent a great deal of time chuckling to myself over my restrospective observations of social situations in Paris, how I had fumbled, was cluelessly rude, and my complete mis-conception of other situations and encounters. Hope you have as much fun with this book as I did!
Rating:
Summary: France, yes, but....
Review: I read this book before going on a yearlong exchange to France, and I certainly took it with me. It was extremely useful. For someone unaware of the culture, something like this is a necessity! It doesn't say too much, however, about French friendships.
I also find that it doesn't adequately reflect the diversity of France: the South-- Marseille, or Aix-en-Provence-- are different from the Northwest-- Vannes-- and Paris is something else althogether. So: good, but I found not everything in the book was altogether true. Keep in mind, people and reigons are still different!
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