The author, Mark Greenside, spends his summers in France. This memoir / travel work tells about the lessons he has learned (or not) whilst living part of the year in France. The chapters are themed: Driving, Shopping, Money, Food, Hosting, Medicine and Language. Having traveled in the not too distant past to France, I could relate to his difficulty with the many roundabouts and unfamiliar street signs. The stories about shopping and food selection and preparation were enjoyable to read. This is a fun book for anyone who wonders what it's like to step into a different culture and try it out for a period of time.

I received an advanced copy of this book via Net Galley.

I absolutely loved this book! Mark Greenside's wry humor was on every page. Everyday events seem to take on new meaning (and new challenges) when you're in France. Going to the supermarket (and trying to wrestle a shopping cart from an old lady) was just one of many laugh-out loud passages. I hope there can be a sequel to this very entertaining look at life in France.

Greenside presents a familiar tale of visiting France, falling in love with it, and purchasing a home there. You know the type, the American who buys a 100+ year old house, and then shortly thereafter writes a book about his experiences. The difference in this book is that he has continued spending his summers there for around twenty five years. The book draws on much deeper details than one of someone who has only been there a year or two.
Greenside has spent enough time there that you think he should practically be a native, but, as he very capably describes, that hasn't happened. He admits the terrible time he has with the French language. The adventures in driving. The surprises he finds when needing medical attention, or dealing with banking. And the best part of all, the food. It seems the author is willing to eat anything! His descriptions make the book worth it by themselves.
Through the years, he has found a core group of friends in France who are willing to help the American. With their help, he survives, maybe even thrives. He is unflinching in his descriptions of his mistakes, as well as the successes.
In what I think makes a book a sucess, is the fact that I really think the author is someone who I could be friends with, who I can relate to, and who I would enjoy exploring with. To me, that is what I really want in a book.

I love books like this! Ex-pat moves to a foreign country... I have collected, and read, quite a few and this one is every bit as entertaining as the others! Only instead of Italy or Spain- it's France. Mr. Greenside is a very brave man! I am very sure I could never move to a foreign country. Seriously, My family moved to the US two years before I was born;. I returned "home" for a visit, and was counting down the days to leave! And I LOVED Germany! I miss my family there, too. But never enough to move there! It was just too difficult to want to tackle as a permanent move and I speak the language, too! I read these stories and am astonished that the ex-pats stay. I'd be running home! But still I do enjoy the tales they tell and I am sure they inspire many to try it out. I finds the one week trips are plenty enough, with a tour group! Fun read!