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Recommended Books

Pardon my French
This is definitely a Very Useful Book if you're planning to come to France, be it as a new resident or just for a holiday. Moreover it's highly entertaining as well. Don't worry if your spoken French isn't too good, this is not a dry textbook to improve it. Instead the author has compiled a list of words relating to some of the more incongruous, incomprehensible, or downright ennervating aspects of this country and goes on to explain not just what they mean but also what they might imply for the unwary.
The result is not only informative and educational, but also manages to be a very good read at the same time. If France were a desert island this is maybe the one book you'd have to take with you... More information

Speak the Culture
Even as Eurostar relocates to a gloriously refurbished St Pancras station and the journey time between London and Paris is shaved even closer, more and more people on both sides of the Channel are taking advantage of the extra opportunities this highly cherishable link offers us. And for those already in love with France (not to mention the ever-increasing legions of converts), Speak the Culture: France will be an invaluable aid and companion. Actually, no publisher has attempted anything quite like this, and the publishers Thorogood are to be much applauded for their ingenuity and achievement. The subtitle is Be fluent in French Life and Culture, and that facility is just what this remarkable volume offers, cramming an amazing mass of information into its well-designed pages. Everything is here, from French art and literature, architecture, media, sport, fashion and (of course) food and drink. But while not being in the slightest dumbed down, the information here (while often dealing with such weighty subjects as Proust and French existential philosophers) is delivered in a concise and highly accessible style (and aided considerably by the clever graphics which have a nicely self-mocking subtext -- when was that last seen in a book on a foreign country?). More information

Tout Sweet
The book is well written and very witty with strong likeable characters. You cannot help but fall in love with the author's character. She seems like a Bridget Jones let loose in the French countryside, getting into a lot of funny situations with both ex-pat English and French locals like, as she adjusts to a totally different way of life.
It gives hope to anyone who is considering escaping the UK for a better way of life, that no matter what your background is, you can succeed in the face of adversity and have some great fun along the way.
This book will make you laugh out loud, it's such a great read. It was difficult to put down once I had opened the front cover.
Well worth the money! More information

Undiscovered France
Writer and journalist Brigitte Tilleray and photographer Richard Turpin take the reader on a tour of the spectacular hidden France. Brigitte's lively and evocative text and Richard's photography attempt to capture the very essence of French village life: quaint corners of fortified hamlets; enticing vistas from fairytale village perches; and colourful scenes as villagers meet to exchange goods and gossip in the weekly market. More information

Serge Bastarde Ate My Baguette
John Dummer's sharply focused descriptions of the landscape, towns and villages, and the weather of the South West of France form a animated background for a series of adventures with an array of characters from some intimidating and belligerent peasants, only softened by a mutual love of the blues harmonica, to a sad little old man whose only companionship is a collection of antique dolls. The main character is Serge Bastarde, the brocanteur and mentor to the author and instigator of these adventures, and Dummer was not making the name up! This archetypal lovable rogue springs off the pages with great energy and good humour, and made this reviewer wonder what a splendid character for a TV series and who would play him. This book is an engaging and entertaining read with a style both literary and colloquial, very good descriptions merged with references to an alcoholic past as a blues drummer to his finding happiness with his wife and a very unconventional lifestyle in rural France. John Dummer can add storyteller to the list of his accomplishments. More information

Barefoot in Paris
Hearty boeuf Bourguignon served in deep bowls over a garlic-rubbed slice of baguette toast; decadently rich croquet monsieur, eggy and oozing with cheese; gossamer creme brulee, its sweetness offset by a brittle burnt-sugar topping. Whether shared in a cosy French bistro or in your own home, the romance and enduring appeal of French country cooking is irrefutable. Here is the book that helps you bring that spirit, those evocative dishes, into your own home. Ina Garten is known for adding a special twist to familiar dishes, while also streamlining the recipes so you spend less time in the kitchen but still emerge with perfection. And that's exactly what she offers in Barefoot in Paris. Ina's kir royal includes the unique addition of raspberry liqueur - a refreshing alternative to the traditional creme de cassis. Her vichyssoise is brightened with the addition of zucchini, and her chocolate mousse is deeply flavoured with the essence of orange. All of these dishes are true to their Parisian roots, but all offer something special - and are thoroughly delicious, completely accessible, and the perfect fare for friends and family. More information

A Certain Je Ne Sais Quoi
Vocabulary alone isn't enough. To survive in the most sophisticated and the most scathing nation on Earth you will need to understand the many peculiarities of the (very peculiar) French culture.
And for that you need A Certain Je Ne Sais Quoi. If you want to fit in with the French you'll have to know how to deal with sardonic waiters; why French children hate Charlemagne; the etiquette of kissing, joke-telling and drinking songs, what to do with a bidet, the correct recipe for a salade nicoise and, of course, how to convey absolute, shattering indifference with a single syllable (Bof!).
Charles Timoney, the author of Pardon My French, provides a practical, pleasurable guide to the charms of the Gallic people from their daily routines to their peerless gesticulations, from their come-ons to their put-downs. Read on and put the oh la la back into your French vacances. Your inner gaul will thank you for it. More information

A Table in the Tarn
While walking in South-west France, cook and journalist Orlando Murrin dreamed up the adventure of a lifetime: why not wave goodbye to the rat race and come to live in this rural paradise, where the only traffic is the boulangerie van delivering baguettes? His book tells the story of how he set up a boutique b&b and includes 100 amazing recipes. The story of the Manoir de Raynaudes begins on New Year's Eve 2001 when Orlando and his partner first glimpse the ruined manoir at dusk. Set in 13 acres of lush meadow, woodland, lakes and garden, they set about transforming the dignified old manor house into a phenomenally successful boutique b&b with its own magnificent kitchen garden. A Table in the Tarn charts the discovery, acquisition and renovation of the property. Along the way, we learn about the local food scene, with its astonishingly rich heritage of ingredients and dishes, about working in France and coping with the famous French bureaucracy, and about the unforeseen delight of working with the locals.Four years on, with countless plaudits and a coveted entry in the classy Mr and Mrs Smith directory, the business attracts visitors from around the world and continues to be a gastronomic destination for anyone seeking peace, tranquillity and above all fantastic food. Everything at the Manoir is home made, from breakfast breads to after-dinner chocolates, and the book includes 100 recipes. From the sublime Roquefort Brioche via Savoury Mini Clafoutis and Roast Pigeon Breasts in Armagnac to the unparalleled Chocolate Nirvana with Creme Anglaise, this collection of recipes offers a vivid experience of life in rural France. More information

Rose en Marché
ROSE EN MARCHE is the third title in the delightful 'rose' series by Jamie Ivey, and involves Tanya and Jamie selling rose in French markets. They rent a flat in Saint Remy de Provence and work in the town's market as well as three or four other local markets. There is, of course, the odd flying visit from their old friend Peter Tate. The Iveys decide to set up their own market stall in the exquisite Provencal town of Saint Remy. But they quickly uncover a battle ground. Artisan traders fight competitors selling imports of lavender from Bulgaria, rip off tableware from China and wholesale vegetables artificially smattered with dirt. Rumours of bribery and corruption are ever present as traders scramble for the best pitches. But can the Iveys make a go of their own stall...? More information

Festive France
For more information on this book, either double click on the image or the following link.. More information

The French Market
Following the success of "The French Kitchen", Joanne Harris and Fran Warde have collaborated once more to write a French cookbook with a difference. This time they have taken their inspiration from the rural markets of Gascony. Tomatoes as nature intended them to be - large, misshapen and bursting with taste - sun-ripened melons, locally produced foie gras, air-dried goat's cheeses rolled in herbs, organic honey, persimmons and floc (a uniquely addictive combination of freshly pressed grape juice and aged Armagnac), all form the basis of a deliciously simple collection of recipes that recapture all the sensations and flavours of summertime. Traditional dishes like cassoulet, beef bourguignon and creme caramel, as well as creative reinterpretations of old favourites - chilli duck with orange salad and wild mushroom tartlets - all combine to make "The French Market" a recipe for success. More information

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Recommended Books

France (Lonely Planet Country Guide)
This book features new colour food chapter highlighting the regional diversity of cuisine, including in-depth information on cheese, bread and charcuterie.Local voice interviews give reader's a window into the people who define French culture. It provides in-depth coverage of French culture, food & wine, plus thorough explanations about how all these are intertwined and inseparable.We have included increased coverage of how and where to travel sustainably and support businesses that make a concerted effort to minimise their impact on the environment. More information

The Rough Guide to France
The Rough Guide to France is the ultimate travel guide with detailed coverage of the best attractions France has to offer. Discover the vibrant regions of France, from the chateaux of the Loire, to the wineries of Burgundy and the rugged pistes of the Alps, with fully revised and updated maps of France. Discover the best regions for skiing and snowboarding, whilst relying on up-to-date descriptions of the best hotels in France, the best bars in France and the best restaurants in France, whatever your budget. New full-colour features explore the most scenic walks in France, French food and the vibrant festivals of France. You’ll find a comprehensive guide to the best of France’s varied landscapes and cities from Paris, Brittany and Normandy to Alsace and Lorraine, combined with detailed practical advice on the spectacular Dordogne, Pyrenees, Cote d’Azur and Corsica regions. The Rough Guide to France will lead you to the best attractions and activities to make the most of your time and money. Make the most of your holiday with The Rough Guide to France! More information

101 Beautiful Small Towns in France
This book is a one-of-a-kind tour through the charms of small French towns. Each town is as remarkably varied as the many different regions of the country, shaped and influenced by geography, climate, and history. Travel between hilltop hamlets in the Central Massif and in the Pyrenees to rockbound coastal fishing villages in Normandy and Brittany to the ancient woodsy towns of Alsace with their half-timbered Hansel-and-Gretel architecture and fortress-like castles. Sidebars offer invaluable information on local curiosities and delights to explore, unique artisanal products to buy, local wines to savor, and age-old culinary specialties to sample. A detailed appendix tells you where to shop, sight see, eat, and drink-avec plaisir! Beautiful as well as informative, 101 Beautiful Small Towns in France is a tour through the delights of the French countryside a place where the pace slows down, locals engage strangers in conversation, and every town has its local specialty.
Beautiful, full-color photographs create the perfect atmosphere as you wander the alleys with the locals in an unexplored town that will prove once and for all that the heart and soul of France lies in the countryside far from the grandeur and pomp of Paris. More information

Living in France
Living in France is a hands-on, practical guide for Britons who have bought a house in France, either for holiday use or as a permanent home. Written by a long-time French resident, it takes a nitty-gritty approach to what it is really like for a British ex-pat to live and work in France, looking squarely at both the pleasures and the difficulties. The book also contains anecdotes from the author along with case studies so that the reader may benefit from the personal experience of other Britons who have made the move to France. More information

The Secret Life of France
This book, which tells BBC journalist Lucy Wadham's first person account story of how she moved to France at the age of eighteen, fell for a Frenchman, subsequently married him and had his children. Her narrative style flows well and is easy to read and as a result, the book really draws you into her story. I particularly liked the way in which Wadham writes how she immersed herself into the French way of life without losing her wry English sense of humour and scepticism.
The chapters which cover subjects such as the French way of committing adultery "the secret garden", being a woman, childbirth, comedy and education are all well-crafted and blend Wadham's own experiences with published sources. I must confess that I wasn't aware of many of the issues raised and laughed when I read that French women are issued with a special device to tone their pelvic floor muscles after birth - can you imagine the NHS issuing such a widget? The chapter on education was also excellent and in many ways shows up the inadequacy of the English state system. More information

One Hundred and One Beautiful Towns in France: Food and Wine
A regionally organized and lavishly photographed tour of some of France's most noted culinary regions celebrates their classic dishes and drinks, from Normandy and its apple brandy, to Brittany and its savory galettes, to Alsace and its cheese tarts. 25,000 first printing. More information

I'll Never be French
For more information on this book, either double click on the image or the following link.. More information

The Food of France
Each recipe is photographed as it is made, and is accompanied by pictures of techniques, equipment and ingredients, while stunning photographs shot on location in each country evoke their distinctive colour, cultures and histories. The Food of France gives you a real taste of a country that has made food one of the great joys of everyday life. Journey from the restaurants of Lyon to the kitchens of Provence, through the vineyards of Bordeaux to the bakeries of Paris. More information

A Summer in Gascony
The only travel writing book on Gascony, A Summer in Gascony is a charming and humorous tale of an extraordinary summer spent in this relatively unknown part of south-western France, the home of D Artagnan, Cyrano de Bergerac, gutsy red wine, fine sweet wine Armagnac and sunflowers.
It is a tale of two love affairs: an idyllic summer romance and a lifelong love affair with Gascony with its village festivals, dusty roads and sun-baked wine country. Stretching from Toulouse in the east to the Atlantic coast in the west, from the river Garonne in the north to the Pyrenees in the south, Gascony is a golden land of rolling hills and wide horizons, swathed with vineyards, sunflowers, maize and pastures. It has a distinct identity which sets it apart from the rest of France and old affinities with England: the Gascons fought alongside the English in the Middle Ages and the Napoleonic Wars against their common foe the French. In the tiny hamlet of Peguilhan, Martin Calder is introduced to the Gascon way of life: working in the fields, shepherding and slaughtering sheep, feeding the cattle, harvesting the wheat, watering the crops. He discovers a unique people, fiercely proud of their independent heritage.
Full of colourful characters: the charismatic and convivial Jacques-Henri, the hardworking farmer whose family take Martin into their home and hearts; the yoga-practising Germans; Pattes, the mischievous stray dog; Madame Parle-Beaucoup , the town gossip and Monsieur Fustignac, whose pride in his Gascon heritage is unforgettable. But the real star of the book is Gascony itself, with its strong spirit of independence and the simple pleasures it provides. Written by a true Francophile who has come to know the people and understands their way of life, A Summer in Gascony evokes the spirit, sights, smells and sounds of this still relatively unknown and unspoiled other South of France . More information

Detour De France
Though happy enough with his lot, Michael Simkins has never truly shaken the nagging doubt - helpfully upheld by his partner Julia - that he somehow lacks worldly sophistication. While she spent her teenage years as a nanny on a boat moored at Cannes, his utter lack of travel experience (Weymouth, Cleethorpes and a day trip to Dieppe) still has the power to shock people into leaving dinner parties early. So as he hits middle-age, Michael takes up the challenge of broadening his horizons. He decides to improve himself in the same way English gentlemen lacking refined edges have for centuries: by learning from our more cultured French neighbours. Michael, an English provincial ingenue, sets off to discover just what the Gallic nation can teach him and the rest of us Anglo-Saxons about living the good life with equal parts elan and savoir-faire. Armed only with 50 Useful Phrases in French, he waits to see if his odyssey from La Manche to the Riviera will finally turn him from the scotch-egg eating spawn of Anne Widdecombe and John McCririck into the champagne-sipping love child of Serge Gainsbourg and Catherine Deneuve. Julia is saying a prayer for him at Lourdes. More information

The French Kitchen
A delightful book in which Joanne shares with us 'her family recipes, passed down through the generations. From her Grandmother's 'Festival Loaf', to traditional French classics such as 'Moules Mariniere' of 'Boeuf en Daube', 'The French Kitchen' is a tantalising collection of casseroles, soups, roasts, salads, tarts and sweets. A collaboration between a writer who loves food and a former chef who loves writing about food, 'The French Kitchen' gathers together simple yet stylish recipes from the heart of a French family.'
256 pages high quality, shiny pages split over 8 chapters:- Salads, Soups and Savouries, Fish, Poultry, Meat, Vegetables, Desserts and Chocolate, sandwiched between an Introduction and an Index of Recipe Titles & Conversion Tables. More information

Blackberry Wine
Jay Mackintosh, once a literary star, is stalled. He spends his time writing second rate science fiction, leading a hollow media life and drinking: "Not to forget, but to remember, to open up the past and find himself there again." Nice, expensive wines don't do the trick, it's the six "Specials", a gift from Joe, an old friend, that are the magical elixir. Just like Proust's lime blossom tea, they give him the gift of his memories but also unlock his future; Jay escapes the rut of his London life and buys a house in Lansquenet.
As Jay settles in, he contemplates his childhood friendship with Joe, who made the Specials and whose idiosyncratic outlook on life was the inspiration for his only successful book. Jay becomes involved in village life, meeting up with some familiar characters from Chocolat. Caro and Toinette, the snooty troublemakers, make an appearance and Josephine, the bar owner and battered wife of the earlier novel, becomes a real friend. But it is a new character, the enigmatic Marise that becomes the real focus of his attention. It's the lure of her story that really changes his life, re-ignites the flare of his work. More information

Coastliners
Set on a small, blustery fishing island off the coast of France, it tells the story of Mado, a young woman who returns to her childhood home to find the local community torn apart by family feuds, bad tides and murky political machinations.
Passionate, stubborn Mado, whose "head is full of rocks" tries to save the livelihoods of the villagers of Les Salants by urging them to work together to save the beach from erosion, both natural and man-made. The villagers, written with endearing panache by Harris, are an eccentric, curmudgeonly bunch, who eventually cooperate with the help of Flynn, a charismatic stranger with a shady past. He's not the only man of mystery in Mado's life; her father, taciturn Grosjean, has a secretive heart that's as "prickly and tightly layered as an artichoke", and local, wealthy businessman Brismand also seems to be hiding something. Mado does her best to unravel these mysteries, while attempting to keep a hold on her own sense of self in the claustrophobic, close community. It's not only the shore line that takes a buffeting. The villagers and the island are so vividly described that it's impossible not to become engrossed in Mado's story. Coastliners is a book about longing to belong, and Joanne Harris charts that emotional voyage compellingly. More information

Dictionary of French Slang
Travelers to France will find help in this book to get past the slang barrier. Approximately 4500 common French slang words and colloquial expressions are given with grammatical information, the definition in English and a sentence to illustrate the use.' More information

Merde!
This book is an excellent source of words and expressions, of varying degrees of vulgarity, that are used all the time by french speakers. I used it often during the first of my two years in France. Its real value is not for those in French 101 but for those who already speak decent french and want to learn the expressions used every day by the young and some of the french media (magazines, movies etc). Translated literally many of these words might seem offensive (e.g., connard, encule, putain), yet as the book points out, many times these are the phrases you hear the most in the metro or cafes of France. It is important to realize that even though these words do not carry the same force as their English translations, one must still pay attention to the social context in order to aviod disrespectful "faux pas"! More information

Fidelma Cook's French Leave
That fateful night, two friends were commiserating with high-flying journalist, Fidelma Cook after she d been made redundant from her job with a national Sunday newspaper. Several bottles of red wine had also been thrown in for good measure. Then it came to her in a flash I ll just pack my bags and go live in France, she boldly announced. That was the moment Fidelma threw common sense right out of the fenetre. But with no job, a huge mortgage to pay, massive overdraft, several loans and maxed-out credit cards, it seemed like a good idea at the time. If I m going to be poor, I may as well be poor with the sun on my back in the south of France, she mused. The word soon got round that Fidelma was saying au revoir to the big city and bonjour to a new life in the French countryside. There was no turning back. This is the witty and thought-provoking account of how one woman - with only her pet Afghan hound for company - battled against all odds to make a new life for herself in a foreign country and live the dream we all wish we had the courage to do ourselves. It was a dream that sometimes bordered on a nightmare. But who said it would be easy? Well, actually it was Fidelma who did. More information

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