A SEASON FOR THAT by Steve Hoffman was, frankly, a bit disappointing. I had expected a fun and diverting travelogue due to the subtitle "Lost and Found in the Other Southern France." However, the tone felt rather pompous, and this was not the adventure tale for which I had hoped. Glad others liked it, but 2.5 to 3 stars for me.

Great book that I really enjoyed. It was well written and funny. I loved that the author brought us along on his journey of growth and discovery.

This was a wonderful reading experience. The author, a lifelong Francophile from Minnesota, takes his family of four on an adventure of a lifetime. They decide to spend a semester in France. Send their kids to school (French, no English!), cook classic French dishes, live like the natives. The author always wanted to be a Parisian, but they pick a place that is far from the glitter of Paris or glamor of Riviera. It's a small village near the border with Spain. What can go wrong? Lots at first, but I don't want to give away the entire story here. This book is about parenting, marriage, middle age, finding pleasure, making friends, looking and really seeing. And of course, it is about food and wine, learning, making and understanding what it is all about. It could seem like a typical 'American in France' tale, but it is not. The writing is humorous but also moving. Great for fans of MFK Fisher, Peter Mayle, Ruth Reichl or Margaret Renkl. Read this book if you want to escape to France and come back with something meaningful.