Learning the importance of saying bonjour really turned things around for me. French or foe getting the most out of living and working. Book on italian etiquette like polly platts on france. French or foe getting the most out of visiting, living.
It became our bible of sorts, our window into understanding french culture. When we first arrived in france, we came across this book by polly platt called french or foe. A funny, informative introduction to cultural differences between the french and the americans. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. The editors recognize, please understand, that frenchman. One of ricks recommended books is french or foe by polly platt, which my local library was able to find with a bit if difficulty. Polly platt is currently considered a single author. This best seller, along with its followup, savoirflair. I am sure many readers will be sad to see that author polly platt has died, aged 81. French or foe getting the most out of living and working in. Mary marr polly platt january 29, 1939 july 27, 2011 was an american film producer, production designer and screenwriter. Not that anyone said the french are unfriendly, just that it took them time to. Financial times refers to this book as the bible for anglosaxon executives doing business in france.
All go search todays deals vouchers amazonbasics best sellers gift ideas new releases gift cards help free delivery shopper toolkit sell. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers. American alliance frays a little more with each day, the exchanges more vitriolic than ever before. Before coming to france, i researched french culture. French or foe download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. They were enormously helpful in learning to relate to people. Polly platt 1927 2008 was an american author specializing in books related to americans living or working in france, in addition to being a consultant, seminar leader, and public speaker. A funny, informative introduction to cultural differences between the.
Mar 14, 2020 french or foe polly platt this book is perfect for anyone wanting to move to france or particularly interested in the french culture. The trick to getting along in france is understanding the culture and learning to accept it on french terms instead of your own. Jun 01, 1994 i had read french or foe just before going to live in france for about a year. After our whirlwind trip in venice we were off to milan. Everyone should read polly platts books and take a few french lessons before they go to france, if they want to get the most out of their time there. Paperback french or foe was not only an entertaining read, but it was also highly enlightening. Europe french or foe a friend who lived and worked in paris in the 90s gave me french or foe by polly platt and culture shock france by sally adamson taylor to read before my first trip to paris. If one or more works are by a distinct, homonymous authors, go ahead and split the author. In addition, french or foes third edition describes the.
A goose in toulouse and other culinary adventures in france mort rosenblum, 2000. Platt graduated from wellesley college and was a journalist with the philadelphia evening bulletin and the new york post before moving to paris in 1967 with her serbian husband, alexander grchich, a unesco official, and their five children. Polly platt is an american woman married to a frenchman in the upper echelons of society, so her view of france or more specifically paris is somewhat skewed towards a specific frame of reference. This book is perfect for anyone wanting to move to france or particularly interested in the french culture. They look pretty much alike, theyre both republics flying the flags of freedom, the rule of law and the rights of man, and both have planetary missions with what they consider to be obvious universally accepted goals. French or foe by polly platt, 9780964668409, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. In a post today pollyvous francais writes about the time she spent with polly just a few weeks ago and the emails they exchanged.
Books france travel tips, guides, pictures about paris. Her book french or foe was extremely popular and her writing gained a strong audience amongst many francophiles in the us. Everything you ever wanted to know about the french but no one knew how to tell you. The excerpt on french logic that follows comes from polly platt s french or foe. Polly platt 9 january 1927 in bryn mawr, pennsylvania 26 december 2008 was an american author specializing in books related to americans living or working in france. Polly platt tells you everything you need to know about getting the most out of visiting, living and working in france. Why, when driving, do they feel the need to drive so close. I wanted to write a book that would be helpful both for people who have never been to france, and those who have been here for a long time but are still having a hard time understanding, or maybe just appreciating, the somewhat complicated and fascinating. Top books about france and the french beeloved city. Buy french or foe getting the most out of visiting, living and working in france 3rd updated, expanded ed. Platt was born mary marr platt in fort sheridan, illinois on january 29, 1939, and later adopted the name polly. The french people went out of their way to be kind to me. I had been coming to france for about 20 years before someone gave me polly platts book french or foe. Polly platt was an american author specializing in books related to americans living or working anger and disorientation culled from the seminars became the centerpiece of platt.
Polly platt provides countless examples of americans who just couldnt grok the french, suggests how the french perceive the world and recommends ways of approaching the situation better. French or foe by polly platt, an american living in paris, offers a lively and informative guide to the customs and culture of the french from an anglophone perspective. Getting the most of visiting, working and living in france. French or foe getting the most out of visiting, li. Not so, says polly platt, author of french or foe the french are generous, exhilarating friends, but they are differentwonderfully so. I realize nothing will prepare me for the cultural and language shock but hey, i can try to figure out the social etiquette and whatnot before i show up. The american humorist recounts life as a paris correspondent during the 1940s and 1950s. I talked to people who had spent time in france and read as many books as i could including polly platts seminal book on life in france, french or foe. French or foe getting the most out of visiting, living and. French or foe by polly platt this book was offered as a gift from my french fathernlaw. This book has long been the reference for what it is about the french that rubs americans the wrong way, why the francoamerican alliance has difficulties, and how to handle french people, and find out, she says, how wonderful they are.
About a week after i got back to the us, i picked up the book once again to see if what polly platt says in the book corresponded to my experience. Polly platt books list of books by author polly platt. At the end of the book, platt sums up the main difficulties for foreigners living in france, which i can confirm are still present. She also had a professional background working as a consultant, seminar leader, and public speaker. Jul 26, 20 posts about books written by dailyfrancofile. American alliance frays a little more with each day, the exchanges more vitriolic than. Polly platt, french or foe, culture crossings, london, 1994. Etiquette, french national characteristics, social life and customs. Her father, john, was a colonel in the army, while her mother. I know for a fact that because of reading these books, i knew what to expect and how to handle myself in their environment. The excerpt on french logic that follows comes from polly platts french or foe. I have gotten into reading books about traveling and living in france to prepare myself for my journey. Mort rosenblum, mission to civilize the french way, harcourt brace jovanovich, orlando, 1986.
Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. French or foe was not only an entertaining read, but it was also highly enlightening. In 1986 she established a training company, culture crossings, in paris, offering seminars and workshops on living in france and intercultural management issues. The one thing that stuck in my mind was the authors 10 magic words to learn, so much so that i put a note with them in my phone. See all books authored by polly platt, including french or foe getting the most out of visiting, living and working in france, and savoirflair. One thing was consistent dont expect to have a social life. French amour, french elegance enjoying being a man meeting french women by polly platt, author of savoirflair and french or foe. Dec 26, 2008 polly platt is the author of french or foe.
Click to read more about french or foe getting the most out of visiting, living and working in france by polly platt. Top 10 books about france expat guide to france expatica. Books france travel tips, guides, pictures about paris and. Everyone should read polly platt s books and take a few french lessons before they go to france, if they want to get the most out of their time there. Now in the third edition, polly platt examines the revolution of the last few years brought about by the computer and the internet.