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60 Million Frenchmen......


zeb

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Yes, there has been discussion on this forum - I suspect the threads have been lost in the Great Archive Disappearance.

I find it fascinating and constantly refer to it. Don't forget that it reflects a north American viewpoint in which some concepts differ from the European (eg reresentatve democracy). I find the sections on the Algerian war and higher education fascinating. The first because it is relatively unknown but has had great consequences for how France sees itself; the second because I worked in the UK HE sector - and for all the problems we were having, the French university system seems awful (and it's a second division sector in France, anyway). One interesting thing the authors say is that there is no such thing as local government in France - only local administration - and maires, perceived as powerful, can only do what the state allows them to.

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[quote]Yes, there has been discussion on this forum - I suspect the threads have been lost in the Great Archive Disappearance. I find it fascinating and constantly refer to it. Don't forget that it reflec...[/quote]

.......but a great system of social control!

Loved the bit about the trick and treating manifestation in Honfleur.

helen

 

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I've just finished reading it. I didn't learn anything new but I thought it explained France very well and the angles they took on the pourquoi du comment explaining how France and the French just start from a different standpoint were very interestingly put.

Their chapter about "the State" was very interesting and I found myself nodding in agreement with a lot of their comments on the vision the french have of  La République and L'Etat. (you should hear my husband on l'état unie et indivisible)

I would suggest it to anybody wanting to understand how France functions (yes, with a small warning that it is aimed at north Americans)

Interestingly, I'm reading "les français aussi ont un accent" now which is a book by the same author but in French. While 60 millions.... was very neutral and spent most its time trying to explain without criticising, les français... is much more critical as a whole. It is written more as a humerous travelogue but the author lets out a lot more of his frustrations with the French.

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Sixty Million Frenchmen Can't be Wrong - what makes the French so French

by Jean-Benoit Nadeau and Julie Barlow published by Robson Books - I got mine at Stanstead  (£9.99) but available from amazon. (They do apologise for the sexism!!)

According to the blurb on the back

The French smoke, drink and eat more fat than anyone in the world, yet have fewer heart problems and half the obesity rate of the British

and, work 35-hour weeks, and take seven weeks of paid holidays per year but are still the world's fifth-biggest economic power. So what makes the French so different?

 

regards......helen

 

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