About book I'll Never Be French (no Matter What I Do): Living In A Small Village In Brittany (2008)
I bought this on a whim. The title caught my eye. My interest in the country of France, dormant since my two years of high school French, was reborn when my daughter traveled two years ago to French-speaking Africa and my son took French as a second language in high school.Greenside's story begins when he reluctantly follows a love interest to Brittany for the summer. She breaks up. Just before he returns alone to the U.S., a persistent neighbor lady who speaks no English takes him a house hunting...and the story truly begins. This book is light and entertaining. I know just enough French to appreciate Greenside's ability to use a language he never masters in a land he loves. Worth the time to read if you have an interest in France. Mildly entertaining and a fast read. The author spends a bit too much time wondering (and deciding for himself) what other people think of him. There were some bits which were quite funny, and you may learn a thing or two about the French, Bretons, and the differences between the two. A nice look at a part of France not often publicized in literature, but a beautiful part of France with its own unique customs. Wish I could live in Finistere too! Overall, a decent memoir about owning a home in a foreign country. Recommended for: those who like memoirs, Francophiles or even those who have never been to France.
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What an enjoyable little book! I found the author's self deprecating humor very charming.
—saskia
