Almost French is an insightful and funny memoir that gives a firsthand look at the struggles faced when Australian Sarah Turnbull tries to settle into a city that is infamous for their chilly attitude to ‘outsiders’, and gives a glimpse of the true nature of Parisians and daily life in their gorgeous city.
Sarah has taken a year off from her job with a TV network to move to Paris has a new lover, Frederic. This novel is not so much about love (although from the story you can definitely see why Sarah was attracted to, and fell in love with, Frederic), but about new life and adventures.
Sarah battle to assimilate to a new culture is humorously written. A perfect example of this is when Sarah is running to the bakery one Saturday morning to get fresh bread for breakfast. On her way out, Frederic catches a glimpse of her and nearly has a heart attack. "Are you going out like that, wearing your gymnastic pantaloons?" he asks. Sarah completely oblivious to his horror says, "Yeah, I'm just going to the bakery". Frederic says "But, that's not nice for the baker man...".
She also writes of finding work, making friends, surviving dinner parties and adapting to the rhythms and pace of life with a Parisian boyfriend, all the while with humor and a developing sense of wisdom.
Almost French is still one of my all time favourite books – a great read that will be sure to inspire most to visit the city of love.
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