Table of Contents
Acknowledgements ix
Introduction xiii
Part 1 Essential Tips for Even Very Brief Encounters 1
Tip # 1 Instead of smiling, say Bonjour! 3
Tip # 2 Ask "Do you speak English?" before speaking English (!) 7
Tip # 3 "Excuse me for deranging you, but…" 9
Tip # 4 The importance of being pretty… 11
Tip # 5 Shhh!!! (For goodness sake!) 13
Part 2 Understanding the French Mentality 15
Chapter 1 Do They Really Not Understand Me? (Or are they just being mean?) 17
Chapter 2 The Incomprehensible Appeal of the Negative 21
Chapter 3 A Passion for Complication 29
Chapter 4 The Importance of Stability, Order, and Being Correct 35
Chapter 5 The Importance of Taking Your Time 45
Chapter 6 The Importance of Food 53
Chapter 7 The Importance of Being Interesting 59
Chapter 8 The (Relative) Unimportance of Money 67
Chapter 9 Est-ce que ca vaut la peine? (Is it worth the trouble?) 73
Chapter 10 Chapeau! Credit Where Credit Is Due 75
Glossary 79
Sources Cited 93
Additional Recommended Reading 95
About The Contributors 97
About The Author 101