Bibliography on France and the French (#1)

Following are some books listed under the categories of :

I also include some less well-known works including :
This is not an academic bibliography and I mention mostly the books I have on my own shelves.
 Humorous and useful books...    Academic and literary books...
  • Janet HULSTRAND, Demystifying the French. How to Love Them and Make Them Love You (What you've heard about them is not entirely true...), 2018 ( on amazon) : the most recent, very informative, with concrete tips
  • Stephen CLARKE, Talk to the snail : Ten commandments for understanding the French, Bloomsbury Pub., 2006
  • Colin CORDER, Some of my Best Friends are French, Shelf Pub. Hitchin UK, 1992
  • Betsy DRAINE & Michael HINDEN A Castle in the Backyard - The Dream of a House in France, Wisconsin Univ.Press, 2002 ("Charming, well-written and droll", writes Harriet in her endorsement)
  • Guillemette FAURE, La France - petit manuel pour décrypter les idées américaines toutes faites sur le Français, Jacob-Duvernet, 2005
  • Mark GREENSIDE, Living in a Small Village of Brittany, I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do), Free Press NY, 2008
  • Christine KERDELLANT, Les Chroniques de l'Ingénieur Norton, Belfond, Paris, 1997
  • Peter MAYLE, A year in Provence, Pan, 1989
  • Michael SADLER, Un Anglais à Paris - L'éducation continentale, L'Archipel, Paris, 2000 (An Englishman in Paris, Simon & Schuster, 2002)
  • Ted STANGER, Sacrés Français ! Un Américain vous regarde, Michalon, 2003 (Newsweek bureau chief in Paris, published his book in French)
 
  • Roland BARTHES, Mythologies
  • Richard BERNSTEIN, Fragile Glory - A Portrait of France and the French, Plume, New York, 1990
  • Mary BLUME, A French Affair - The Paris Beat 1965-1998, The Free Press, NY, 1999
  • Alain BOURDIEU & Jean Claude PASSERON, Reproduction in Education, Society and Culture, Sage, 1977
  • Ina CARO, The Road from the Past - Traveling through History in France, A Harvest Book, 1994
  • Raymonde CARROLL, Cultural Misunderstandings - The French-American Experience, Univ. of Chicago Press, 1987
  • Charles COGAN, French Negociating Behavior, Dealing with La Grande Nation, US Inst.of Peace, 2003 (by a former high ranking CIA official)
  • James CORBETT, Through French Windows - An Introduction to France in the Nineties , Michigan University Press, Ann Arbor, 1994
  • Charles DICKENS, Dickens in France, Selected pieces by Charles Dickens on France and the French, In Print Publishing Ltd., Brighton, 1996
  • Josuah FISHMAN, Language loyalty in the United States, La Hague, Mouton, 1966
  • Dominique FRISCHER, La France vue d'en face - L'image de la France analysée et jugée par des étrangers, Robert Laffont, Paris, 1990

Et surtout (and above all) ! (For more information, please visit Harriet's website)
 
  • Adam GOPNIK, Paris to the Moon, New York, Random House, 2000
  • Peter GUMBEL, French Vertigo, Grasset, 2006
  • Sudhir HAZAREESINGH, How the French Think. An Affectionate Portrait of an Intellectual People, Penguin, 2015
  • Sanche DE GRAMONT, The French - Portrait of a People, Putnam's Sons, New York, 1969
  • Micnel HOUELLEBECQ, Submission, Vintage, 2016
  • Sisley HUDDLESTON, "Paris salons, cafes, studios", Blue Ribbon Books, New York, 1928
  • Gerald KENNEDY, Imagining Paris, Exile, Writing, and American Identity, Yale University Press, New Haven & London, 1993
  • Barrie KERPER, Paris - The Collected Traveler - An Inspired Anthology & Travel Resource, Three River Press, New York, 2000
  • Henry JAMES, A Little Tour in France, Penguin Travel Library, London, 1983
  • Richard F. KUISEL , The French way : how France embraced and rejected American values and power, Princeton University Press, 2012
  • Jacques MARSEILLE, Du bon usage de la guerre civile en France, Parrin, 2006
  • Eric MENSION-RIGAU, Aristocrates et grands bourgeois, Perrin, 2007
  • Jean d'ORMESSON, At God's Pleasure, Random House, 1977
  • Alain PEYREFITTE, Le Mal Français, Plon, 1976 (brilliant and very wise)
  • Michel PINCON & Monique PINCON-CHARLOT, Dans les beaux quartiers, Seuil, 1989 or : Les ghettos du Gotha, Seuil, 2007
  • Philippe ROGER, The American Ennemy : The History of French Anti-Americanism, Univ.Chicago Press, 2006 (the best book on anti-Americanism in France)
  • Alain VIALA, La galanterie, une mythologie française, Le Seuil, 2019
  • WEISS Allen S., Mirrors of Infinity : the French Formal Garden and 17th Century Metaphysics, Princeton Architectural Press, 1996, 144 p.
  • Edith WHARTON, French Ways and Their Meaning, republished by Berkshire House, 1997, Massachusetts
  • Michel WINOCK, Le Siecle des Intellectuels, Seuil, 1999
  • Lawrence WYLIE, Village in the Vaucluse, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, 1974
 Practical books...  
  • Theodore ZELDIN, France 1848-1945 Intellect and Pride , Oxford University Press, 1980 
  • ZUNZ Olivier, La philanthropie en Amérique  argent privé et affaire d’Etat, Fayard, Paris, 2012, 450 p.
  • AAWE, Living in France, AAWE, Paris, 1993 (AAWE is an active association of Americans in Paris)
  • AAWE, Bilingualism and Franco-American Children, Paris, 1980
  • AAWE, Vital Issues - How to Survive Officialdom While Living in France : Marriage, Job-Hunting, Real Estate, Divorce, Senior Citizens, Retirement, Wills and Inheritance, 2000 : A mine of indispensable information
  • Genevieve BRAME, Chez vous en France. Living and Working in France, Kogan, 2002
  • Maribeth CLEMENTE, The Riches of France - A Shopping and Touring Guide to the French Provinces, St.Martin's, New York, 1997
  • Pamela DRUCKERMAN, French children don't throw food - Parenting secrets from Paris, Doubleday, 2012
  • Suzy GERSHMAN, Born to Shop- Paris, Frommer's, IDG Books, Foster City CA, 2000
  • Philippe d'IRIBARNE, L'étrangeté française, Seuil, 2006
  • Michael JOHNSON, French Resistance-Individuals versus the Company in French Corporate Life, Cassell, London,1996
  • Rachel KAPLAN, Little known Museums in and around Paris, Harry N.Abrams Publ., New York, 1996
  • MICHAUX Phyllis, The unknown  ambassadors : a saga of citizenship, Bayside NY, Aleitheia, 1996, 173 p.
  • Polly PLATT, Savoir Flair - 211 Tips for enjoying France and the French, Culture Crossings, London, 2000
  • Maribeth RICOUR DE BOURGIES, The Chic Shopper's Guide to Paris - The City's Top Consultant Shows Where Parisians Go For Fashion, Antiques, Accessories and More, St.Martin's, New York, 1991
  • Louis-Bernard ROBITAILLE, And God Created The French, Robert Davis Publ., Montreal, 1997
  • Thirza VALLOIS, Around and About Paris (3 vol.), Iliad Books, London, 1995-1997
  • More to come..
 

 and also....

  • Ann BARRY, At Home in France, Tales of an American and Her Home Abroad, Ballantine Books, New York 1997
  • Guillaume de BERTIER de SAUVIGNY, La France et les Français vus par les voyageurs Américains 1814-1848, Flammarion, Paris, 1982
  • Denise BOMBARDIER, Lettre ouverte aux Français qui se croient le nombril du monde, Albin Michel, 2000, funny, by a stimulating polemist from Quebec
  • Gaston BONHEUR, Qui a cassé le vase de Soissons ? l'album de famille de tous les Français, Robert Laffont, 1963
  • Eric BRUNET, Etre riche, un tabou français, Albin Michel, 2007
  • Jean-Marie COLOMBANI & Walter WELLS, Dangerous De-liaisons - What's Really Behind the War Between France and the U.S., Melville House, 2004
  • Pierre DANINOS, Les carnets du Major Thompson, Hachette, Paris, 1954
  • Joan De JEAN, The essence of style - how the French invented high fashion, fine food, chic cafés, style, sophistication and glamour, Simon & Shusters, NY, 2005
  • Laura Dee DOWNS & Stephane GERSON, Why France ? American Historians Reflect on an Enduring Fascination, Cornell University Press, 2007
  • Leon-Paul FARGUE, Le Piéton de Paris, Gallimard, 1939
  • Jonathan FENBY, France on the Brink - A Great Civilization Faces the New Century, Arcade, New York, 2000
  • Thomas FRIEDMAN, The Lexus and the Olive Tree, Random House, 2000, brilliant, with harsh and often well-grounded criticism of the French (too bad he mentioned Enron as an example of what the French should imitate....)
Guide books and how-to books ...  
  • Stanley HOFFMANN, Sur la France, Seuil, 1976
  • Diane JOHNSON, Le Divorce, Plume, 1998
  • Le petit LEBEY 2000 des bistrots parisiens, Robert Laffont, Paris : a well-informed list of reasonably-priced real Parisian bistros
  • Le Guide du Routard 2000- Paris : a VERY useful guide book for people with a lot of curiosity and little money
  • Geneviève BRAME, Chez vous en France - Living & Working in France, Kogan, 2001
  • Alan HART, Living and Working in France, How To Books, 1998
  • Daniel & Alice JOUVE, Alvin GROSSMAN, Paris : Birthplace of the U.S.A., Gründ, Paris, 1995 : all the places great American historical figures lived in Paris
  • John LELAND, A Guide to Hemingway's Paris - With Walking Tours, Algonquin Books, 1989
  • Ian LITTLEWOOD, Paris - A Literary Companion, Harper & Row, New York, 1989
  • Nicolle Aimée MEYER & Amanda Pilar SMITH, Paris in a Basket - Markets - The Food and the People, Köneman, Köln, 2000
  • Brian MORTON, Americans in Paris- An Anecdotal Street Guide, The Olivia & Hill Press, Ann Arbor, 1984
  • James O'REILLY, Traveler's Tales : France, Traveler's Tales, Inc., San Francisco, 1995
  • Anne et Alain RIOU, Paris Pas Cher 2001, Seuil, Paris
  • Thirza VALLOIS, Around and About Paris - How to See the Real Paris on Foot, Iliad Books, 1995 (3 volumes)
  • And more titles to come...
 
  • Richard KUISEL, Seducing the French - the Dilemma of Americanization, Univ.of California Press, 1993
  • Edith KUNZ, Fatale-How French Women Do It, Bridgewood Press, 2001
  • Susan Herrmann LOOMIS, On Rue Tatin, Broadway Books, New York, 2001
  • Salvador de MADARIAGA, Englishmen, Frenchmen, Spaniards, Oxford Univ. Press, 1929
  • Jacques MARSEILLE, La guerre des deux France, Perrin, 2005
  • Peter MAYLE, French Lessons, Alfred Kopf, New York, 2001
  • Jean MERAL, Paris dans la littérature américaine, CNRS, Paris, 1983
  • Michel PINCON & Monique PINCON-CHARLOT, Paris Mosaïque, Calmann-Lévy, 2001
  • Polly PLATT, French or Foe , Culture Crossings, London, 1994 ; an excellent book on France and the French
  • Mort ROSENBLUM, Mission to Civilize - The French Way, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Orlando, 1986
  • Elaine SCIOLINO, La Séduction : how the French play the game of life, 2011, New York, Times Books, 340 p.
  • John TAYLOR, Paths to Contemporary French Literature (3 vol.), Piscataway NJ (Rutgers), Transaction Publishers, 2004, 2007, 2011
  • Ronald TIERSKY, France and the New Europe - Changing Yet Steadfast, Wadsworth Pub., 1994
  • More to come...

 and also...

  • Priscilla BAIN SMITH, Van Gogh Walks ... Paris, Elpub bv, The Netherlands, 2003 (see review)
  • Judi CULBERTSON and Tom RANDALL, Permanent Parisians, Chelsea Green Publishing Co, Chelsea VT, 1986: all the details on and anecdotes about the most interesting cemeteries in Paris with instructions for visiting them
  • The Taste of France, Stewart, Tabori & Chang New York, 1998, beautiful pictures by Robert FRESON with a lively well-informed text on the food found in various regions of France
  • Pierre MIQUEL, Petite histoire des stations de métro, Albin Michel, 1993
  • Susan SOMMERS, French Chic - How to Dress Like a French Woman, Arlington Books, London,1988
  • Marc TARDIEU, Les Auvergnats de Paris, Ed.du Rocher, 2001
  • Since 1994, Parigramme Edition has published more than 100 books ; among them "Avoir un chat à Paris (Having a cat in Paris)", "Où s'embrasser à Paris (Where to kiss in Paris)" and "Histoire des rues de Paris : Guide du Promeneur"
  • ZAGAT Survey 2000, Paris Restaurants, New York
  • More to come...

 Click here for :
 

and also...

  • Gilles ASSELIN & Ruth MASTRON, Au contraire !- Figuring Out the French, Intercultural Press Inc., Yarmouth, 2001
  • Frances GENDLIN, Culture Shock : Paris at Your Door, Graphic Art Center Pub., Portland OR, 1999
  • Andrew JACK, The French Exception - France : Still so Special ?, Profile, London, 1998
  • Gretchen JANSSEN, Women Overseas, Intercultural, 1989
  • Robert L.KOHLS, Survival Kit for Overseas Living - For Americans Planning to Live and Work Abroad, Intercultural Press, 1984
  • Cheryl McLACHLAN, Bringing France Home- Creating the Feeling of France in your Home, Room by Room, Clarkson Potter, New York, 1995
  • Jean Benoit NADEAU & Julie BARLOW , Sixty Million Frenchmen Can't Be Wrong, Sourcebooks, Naperville Il. 2003
  • Simon O'CORRA,France in ruins - Buildings in decay, 2011
  • Ross STEELE, The French Way, Aspects of Behavior, Attitudes, and Customs of the French, Passport Books, 1995
  • Sally Adamson TAYLOR, Culture Shock - a Guide to Customs and Etiquette : France, Times Books International, Singapore, 1994
  • Barry TOMALIN, France - A Qick Guide to Customs & Etiquette, Kuperard, 2003
  • Gabrielle VARRO, La femme transplantée, une étude du mariage franco-américain en France et le bilinguisme des enfants, Presses Universitaires de Lille, 1984
  • More to come....

Pour les francophones....
To related pages : French literature, American writers, American bookstores, etc...

 

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Harriet Welty Rochefort writes articles and books about France and the French. Order her books :

  • "Joie de Vivre", Secrets of Wining, Dining and Romancing like the French, St.Martin's Press, New York, 2012
  • "French Toast, An American in Paris Celebrates The Maddening Mysteries of the French", St.Martin's Press, New York, 1999
  • "French Fried, The Culinary Capers of An American in Paris", St.Martin's Press, New York, 2001

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