Learning about the French

So, I haven't written in awhile since I have been traveling abroad. My husband was working in France and I went over to meet him for a week and travel around...we went to Barcelona, Spain then on through France through Carcassonne, Toulouse and then finally Paris. It was fun! Before my husband left he was looking for a book that would help him get in the mood for being in France, OR give him some information to learn about French culture. When he went to Italy last year he found a great book about Italians. So, when I arrived in France, he asked me to read the book; SIXTY MILLION FRENCHMEN CAN'T BE WRONG by Jean Benoit Nadeau and Julie Barlow. I loved it. There were parts of it that drug...so I can't lie, I did some skimming, however there were chapters that I found helpful in interacting with the French. So often the French get a bad rap...as rude or whatever...I did not find that to be true, well, I met one rude Frenchman while I was there...a server at Le Chat Noire Cafe, because I asked for ketchup with my fries (in French I might add) he was very sarcastic when he returned with it...but that was ONE rude Frenchman of several people in France that I interacted with. So...some of the chapters that I found most helpful;

• Part One: Spirit (all 8 chapters were great!)
• Part Two: Structure I only could make it all the way through chapters 9, 10, 11, 12 and parts of the other chapters
• Part Three: Change - this section was a little more difficult that the first part, but I found chapters 20 and 21 to be helpful!

Yes, some of it is a review of French history, some of it is a look into the mind of the French, but most of it is based on the insights of a couple of Canadians...but it was definitely interesting and helpful!