Description
Product Description
Jean-Benoît Nadeau and Julie Barlow spent a decade traveling back and forth to Paris as well as living there. Yet one important lesson never seemed to sink in: how to communicate comfortably with the French, even when you speak their language. In
The Bonjour Effect Jean-Benoît and Julie chronicle the lessons they learned after they returned to France to live, for a year, with their twin daughters. They offer up all the lessons they learned and explain, in a book as fizzy as a bottle of the finest French champagne, the most important aspect of all: the French don't communicate, they
converse. To understand and speak French well, one must understand that French conversation runs on a set of rules that go to the heart of French culture. Why do the French like talking about "the decline of France"? Why does broaching a subject like money end all discussion? Why do the French become so aroused debating the merits and qualities of their own language? Through encounters with school principals, city hall civil servants, gas company employees, old friends and business acquaintances, Julie and Jean-Benoît explain
why, culturally and historically, conversation with the French is not about communicating or being nice. It's about being
interesting. After reading
The Bonjour Effect, even readers with a modicum of French language ability will be able to hold their own the next time they step into a bistro on the Left Bank.
Review
Praise for The Bonjour Effect:"The authors clearly had a ball researching the book, and their glee is infectious. The writing is as light as it is substantive, and if that sounds like a contradiction, I would refer you to a soufflé"– New York Times Book Review"Whether you're an expat in France, or simply dream of living there one day, The Bonjour Effect is a helpful resource to cracking the arcane cultural code. Engaging and often funny, filled with examples drawn from the authors' experiences, this is a guide to the most essential of French arts: conversation." – Ann Mah, author of Mastering the Art of French Eating“Whether “bonjour” is the beginning or the end of your French vocabulary, you’ll find something fascinating, surprising, or just plain fou on nearly every page. Before reading this invaluable codebook to French language and culture, I feared that I’d somehow insulted every French waiter, shopkeeper, and clerk between Paris and Nice. Now I know I did, but at least I know why!”― William Alexander, author of Flirting with French“I love this book!” ― Michael Patrick Shiels, Michigan’s Big Show“Very funny.” ― Rudy Maxa’s World with the Careys“There’s a lot more than irregular verbs in conversing with the French.” ― Sonali Karnick, All In a Weekend, CBC Montreal“Packed with fascinating insights.” ― 49th Shelf“A lively and informative description of the country’s cultural habits and social codes. First-time travellers to France will find useful tips, and for most North Americans this is a good introduction to the long history and complex culture of the country.” ― Lysiane Gagnon, The Globe and MailPraise for The Story of French:“A well-told, highly accessible history of the French language that leads to a spirited discussion of the prospects for French in an increasingly English-dominated world.” ―William Grimes, The New York Times“Exceptionally told, a celebration of the lasting influence of la langue francaise.” ―Kirkus Reviews (starred review)“Excellent...An engaging and well-conceived book. Highly recommended.” ―Library Journal “Francophiles will be well-served by the care and detail with which the authors handle their subject, while English speakers will find an illuminating portrait of Gallic sensibility.” ―Publishers WeeklyPraise for Sixty Million Frenchmen Can't Be Wrong:“Learning to love the French as they are.” ― The New York Times“…finally there is a book which explains in non-romantic, lucid terms, better than anything else I have read, why the French are as they are…Sixty
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