Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

When I visited Paris with my high school French class--this was back in 1976--I was very shy, and afraid of making a pronunciation mistake. It took all my courage to address the proprietress of our hostel (who, like Madame DeFarge, was constantly knitting), and recite a phrase I had practiced all day. In my very best French, I said, "That's a beautiful scarf." She glared at me coldly, before saying, in perfect English, "I do not speak English." I blushed furiously and rushed to the room I shared with my friends. I did not speak French for the remainder of the trip. The lesson was not that I should have worked harder on my conversational skills, or that the French are as rude as stereotypes would have us believe--though both of those statements contain a kernel of truth. The lesson is that, in total ignorance, I committed a horrible faux pas, I did not first greet Madame with a sincere, "Bonjour," and I did not give her the chance to reciprocate with her own , "Bonjour." This funny and well-written book is not about the French language as much as it is about the culture of French language. There are certain topics you would never discuss in polite company, and there are certain key phrases that will open all kinds of doors. "Bonjour" is a case in point: every social transaction, no matter how brief, should start with this word. If you know that, you can use your high school French to actually talk to people. If you don't know that, you will be treated like a pariah. There is much more to the book: the educational system, navigating bureaucracy, making friends (as opposed to acquaintances), etc. It is a must-read for anyone planning to visit the country, and it should be required reading in every high school French curriculum. It's fascinating, and I can't put the book down. It makes me want to visit Paris again. And stay at the same hostel, where Madame is probably still knitting. I would march up to her desk and say, with utter confidence, and in fairly good French, "Bonjour." And then when she replies with "Bonjour, " I would follow with, "Those are hideous colors for a scarf."