French By Heart
An Amerian Family's Adventures in La Bella France
by Rebecca S. Ramsey
Overview
From the Publisher
Can a family of five from deep in the heart of Dixie find happiness smack dab in the middle of France?
French By Heart is the story of an all-American family pulling up stakes and finding a new home in Clermont-Ferrand, a city four hours south of Paris known more for its smoke-spitting factories and car dealerships than for its location in the Auvergne, the lush heartland of France dotted with crumbling castles and sunflower fields. The Ramseys are not jet-setters; they’re a regular family with big-hearted and rambunctious kids. Quickly their lives go from covered-dish suppers to smoky dinner parties with heated polemics, from being surrounded by Southern hospitality to receiving funny looks if the children play in the yard without shoes.
A charming tale with world-class characters, French By Heart reads like letters from your funniest friend. More than just a slice of life in France, it’s a heartwarming account of a family coming of age and learning what “home sweet home” really means.
My thoughts
This is a book that was previewed through BAMM.com's free email book subscription, where they send you a portion of a book each day for a week. I loved what I read and bought the book immediately.
The book definitely didn't disappoint. Other than an interest in France, I don't have a lot in common with the author - she kept busy trying to raise three young American children in the French culture, whereas I am past that very busy time in my life - but I still enjoyed reading about their lives in France. I loved their neighbor - I have one of my own just like her over here in the States!
I enjoyed learning about French customs sometimes by her own mistakes. I thought the chapter on making French friendships was particularly interesting, as was the chapter on 911. When goodbyes were said at the end of the book, I had tears in my eyes and felt a sense of loss that I too would be leaving these people I'd read so much about!
Very enjoyable book!
Favorite Passage
It was then that I realized what the fascination with birds was all about. Part of it was their cooing and warbling and the fluttering of their wings. But the rest was just pure beauty. In spite of being cynics, the French, whether in Paris or the countryside, were addicted to raw beauty and innocence and would put up with poop to get it. And what could be more beautiful - small feathery beings that swoop down out of the sky, land on a cherry branch, and send the petals falling like snow. And in the city, with the bustle of people, noise of garbage trucks, and honking of the cars, it was nice to hear a song bird or the cooing of a pigeon on the windowsill.
