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Read French Lessons: Adventures With Knife, Fork, And Corkscrew (2002)

French Lessons: Adventures with Knife, Fork, and Corkscrew (2002)

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Rating
3.87 of 5 Votes: 5
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ISBN
0375705619 (ISBN13: 9780375705618)
Language
English
Publisher
vintage

French Lessons: Adventures With Knife, Fork, And Corkscrew (2002) - Plot & Excerpts

На места прекалено комерсиална, на места повърхностна, като цяло книгата има леко безпристрастна нотка- обръща се повече внимание на описание, отколкото на личното преживяване. Границата между хумора и лекомислието е много тънка. Щастието на цяла нация се заключава в едно добро и обилно ястие. За съжаление, тази идеалистична представа за французите-гурмета вероятно съществува само в провинциална Франция или на местата, свързани с дългогодишни традиции, тъй като средностатистическият французин, а и всеки друг човек, няма реланото време (ами желание?) да полага толкова усилия при приготвянето на ястия, както и при тяхното ядене. Това, което не ми хареса, е именно свеждането на всичко до една добра и солидна вечеря. Сякаш това е единствената предпоставка за оптимизъм, радост и благополучие. От друа страна, книгата предлага интересно задълбочаване в някои странни френски празници, маратони и др., както и кара читателя да изпитва удоволствие от процеса на хранене. Нещо, което наистина компенсира за незадълбочеността, е именно това подтикване да се наслаждаваме на всяка хапка, да приготвяме внимателно и с любов храната си, да й отделяме нужните внимание и уважение. Макар и да бих се радвала ако имаше повече детайли откъм личното преживяване на автора, а по-малко откъм ненужни суперлативи и ''хумористични'' сравнения, книгата е леко и сравнително приятно четово, особено за хора, които планират посещение на френската провинция.

French Lessons was a book that I enjoyed from the first page. We follow our intrepid gastronomer through the feasts and festivals of his part of France. We are with him as his discovers his appreciation for several foods. We stumble with him down the streets after weekend-long wine tastings with no spit bucket in sight.Mayle really made me want to continue the exploration of new foods that I attempt on an almost daily basis. He reminded me of the simple fun of watching an eating competition, or wandering into a festival town like a pilgrim looking for a refuge.Even his description of eating snails made me want to try them. Imagining great pools of garlic butter splashing onto my clothes made me smile with delight.I love finding authors who know how to make your mouth water without the accompanying food porn photos (don't get me wrong, I love food porn photos, but a truly good writer doesn't need them).This book far surpassed A Year in Provence for me, mostly because food adventures are surely more interesting the home improvement adventures. Lovingly written with Mayle poking fun at himself and his willingness to always play the ignorant foreigner makes for a nice read.**** = glad I read it, I enjoyed it, I would read it again.

What do You think about French Lessons: Adventures With Knife, Fork, And Corkscrew (2002)?

My family and I listened to the audiobook of this on a roadtrip over to Nova Scotia when I was maybe 11 years old. And 11 years later, I still remember it. It was such a bonding experience, and we all still make references to certain favourite "scenes", even now. I still tell all my friends about it, and I definitely want to read it/re-listen to it. I think it's one of those books that stick with you your whole life. I'm probably biased because of my initial experience, but I feel like this is definitely a book to be shared; maybe to read aloud with a partner/spouse every evening, or to listen to as an audiobook on a road trip with friends or family, like I did. Sharing it with others like you share great food! Having other people to laugh along with as you read definitely amplifies the joy.
—Jenn

Peter Mayle is to be envied. Some people's work involves overseeing hundreds of people and managing the affairs of a business that skirts bankruptcy every other day. Some put their life in peril, fighting fires or confronting criminals. Some are pushed to their physical limits putting in long hours on the factory floor. Mayle, on the other hand, must roam France and subject himself to its extraordinary culinary pleasures, then regale readers with stories of this most dreadful task. Mayle is an author who loves France, and after dining with him vicariously through French Lessons, it's easy to understand why. How can one resist a people who love food this much? A retired barfly refers to cuisine as the religion of France, and it's a religion that's quite robust. Mayle visits festival after festival celebrating local delicacies -- truffles, snails, vintage wine -- and immerses himself fully in the traditional celebrations of these foodstuffs. It's either the French gift for cooking or Mayle's for writing, but he does manage to make the task of delivering a slug from its shell sound not only fun, but appetizing. Part of the fun of the book is that Mayle always finds someone passionate to dine with, and they both drink themselves silly. Although the book seems written mostly to entertain, Mayle's emphasis on eating quality food for pleasure supported the principles Mireille Guiliano demonstrated in French Women Don't Get Fat. This is a quick, zesty, and entertaining read.
—Stephen

This was a pleasant book. There's not much to say about it other than that. It was an easy read, easy to read for small periods of time, or directly before going to bed, due to the undemanding writing and subject material. I found the chapters on frogs and snails interesting, if unappetizing, and was really interested in the chapter on blood sausage, so I was really let down when it was a little fake-out chapter. A lot of the other chapters seemed to be more about the people than the food, which I guess is really the point. In France those two categories are not easily separated. I feel like I grasp French culture as well as cuisine a little better, and am perhaps a little more interested in visiting some parts of France now. and now I know that if I ever want another pleasant, undemanding read, I can pick up some more Peter Mayle.
—Crystal

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