An Englishman in Paris: L'education Continentale

by Michael Sadler, Peter Mayle (Preface)

An Englishman in Paris is Michael Sadler's delightful account of his first year in the French capital, describing with alternate affection and bemusement such continental confusions as the etiquette of flower-buying, the role of cricket in French foreplay, and the dangers "black butter" presents not just to one's cholesterol levels but also to dry-cleaning bills. Beautifully observed and very funny, An Englishman in Paris will delight armchair travellers and Francophiles alike.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, France, Biography, Humor, British Literature

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[Griselda]

I never laugh out loud. But I did while reading this book. Just going to turn back to Page 1 and enjoy it again.

[Ola]

Zabawna i błyskotliwa opowieść Anglika o Francuzach i francuskości. Dużo inteligentniejsza niż można by się spodziewać po książce z obficie reprezentowanego gatunku „barbarzyńca (czyli zwykle anglosas) w obszarze kulturowym Morza Śródziemnego”.
Może ma to coś wspólnego z faktem, że autor jest profesorem uniwersyteckim i ma wyostrzony zmysł obserwacji oraz talent do metafor?

[Bogdan]

As the cover says : "Terrific!"

10/10 would recommend. Love those tranches-de-vie from an outsider P.O.V.

[Madeline]

It was ok is the perfect way to put it. I liked the secret culinary club, but was disinterested by the french woman he has his liason with.

[Alex Smith]

I love wry British humor - Alan Bennett, John Mortimer, Douglas Southerland, et al. Michael Sadler, sad to say, is not remotely in their league. His Englishman-abroad comedy is outdated, uninsightful, and simply not very funny. Sadler shows no talent for characterization, and the upper-class French woman whom the narrator spends much of the novel pursuing is such an unappealing figure that one wonders why anyone would want to spend time in her company. There isn't really much of a plot, just a series of episodes, many of which deal with hackneyed topics like the French tendency to go on strike or the gruesomeness of the ingredients in some French cooking (ears, snouts, testicles). Peter Mayle's nonfiction about an English couple in France is a much more rewarding experience.

[Anna]

Kind of boring? I don't know if it's because of being a totally different culture (I'm neither from England nor France) or what, but the book was hard to get through (I finally didn't finish it). Very hard to read, I never laughed, it was just a lot of different situations that were so out of context... I expected something light and funny, and it was a very tight and hard to read. Sad. I really wanted to read something that would make me laugh

[Clare]

The foreword by Peter Mayle piqued my interest, but sadly, Michael Sadler is no Peter Mayle. This was mildly amusing, but I am neither British nor French enough to appreciate it properly. Another reviewer commented that it was a bit like reading an inside joke you aren't in on, and that seems pretty apt.

[Diana]

Proper laugh out loud humour. I wanted to give it 5 stars but there are places where I think he just exaggerates too much and it's hard to wrestle fact from fiction. Just a bit too over-indulgent, but nevertheless hilarious writing. You do need to be able to speak French well and understand French culture in order to appreciate the writing though, so it's definitely not for everyone.

[Alan Fricker]

Enjoyable in a kind of near regular column sort of style. Non French speakers might need to check the dictionary to follow some of the gags.

[Jo Birkett]

Quite fun though I don’t admire Parisians or know Paris so a bit lost on me

[Wojciech]

„Anglik w Paryżu” to książka, która miała bawić i przybliżyć francuskie realia oczami Brytyjczyka, jednak efekt końcowy okazuje się dość przeciętny. Choć lektura jest lekka i momentami potrafi rozbawić, humor często wydaje się wymuszony, a część anegdot nie śmieszy wcale. Autor próbuje uchwycić paryski klimat i zwyczaje mieszkańców, ale w wielu miejscach uderza w stereotypy. Francuzi jawią się głównie jako amatorzy wina i egzotycznych potraw.
Jednym z większych problemów jest nadmiar francuskich zwrotów, nie zawsze tłumaczonych, co dla osób nieznających języka bywa męczące. Sama narracja bywa nierówna: początkowo wciąga i intryguje, ale z czasem zaczyna nużyć, a niektóre wątki tracą na znaczeniu. Postaci potrafią irytować, a pewne fragmenty stają się zrozumiałe tylko dla osób dobrze znających Paryż i jego specyfikę.
Nie jest to jednak lektura całkowicie nieudana. Prosty język i epizodyczny humor sprawiają, że książkę można czytać wieczorem dla relaksu, bez większych oczekiwań. Niestety, na tle innych pozycji opisujących Francję i Paryż, „Anglik w Paryżu” wypada blado i raczej nie zostaje na długo w pamięci. Zdecydowanie bardziej polecam książki Stephena Clarke z serii "Merde...".

[Geoff Young]

According to the book's front cover, Michael Palin found it "very funny." Palin has the advantage of being an Englishman who has spent time in Paris. As someone who can make neither claim, I chuckled mildly once or twice.

Some travel memoirs are an invitation to vicariously experience the unknown. This one requires more intimate knowledge that allows writer and reader to reminisce over shared experiences. Without such knowledge, it feels like a very long inside joke that I have no hope of understanding.

A strong familiarity with English and French cultures is mandatory. An appreciation of wine, cheese, and infidelity would also help, as would a tolerance for fancy sounding buttered meats smothered in cream and wine sauces.

There are fleeting moments of amusement, although none linger long enough to later recall. My favorite travel memoirs, such as those written by Paul Theroux or Bill Bryson, make me want to spend more time with the author and visit the places they've described. This one does neither.

[Jamandelb]

Delightful!! From a delicious preface (Peter Mayle) to an appendix of playfully described recipes, and in everything in between - food rolls through the plot. Food is sultry and forbidden, pompously unaware of its own self, homey and inviting. A good thing that the characters are as strong as the cheese - even so, they are nearly overwhelmed. It's an outsider's love affair with Paris, with plenty of back-and-forth between the languages so that you feel as though you've really had a slice of expat life. "For a long time I had been secretly troubled by the idea that I wanted to live in France." Perhaps I liked it because I can relate.

[zespri]

In the genre of books about france written by Englishmen! Believe it or not!! This one was laugh out loud funny, and I reread some of the lines to make sure the author really said what he said!

There are some hilarious accounts of a secret dinner club which Michael Sadler is invited to join, the only englishman to be invited, and the descriptions of the food are wonderful.

A light easy read.

[Eric]

Currently one in a series of the long line of light hearted books about the ways of the french and becoming french as an expat. In this case a professorial englishman takes to Paris and the usual struggles - the public sanitation, the elusive french language and metaphor, and the difficulty of being accepted ensue.

Worth a read, quite pleasant, full of offal.

[Lindsey]

It's quite funny, especially if you've lived in France but if you don't speak french, it can be annoying to follow in places and consequently I couldn't be bothered to finish it. I've got my own experiences of being 'An Englishwoman in Angers' to learn and reflect on anyway, thank you very much!

[Anastassiya]

remotely posh

[Rebecca]

I'd call this "Wonderfully amusing", but His Royal Highness Prince Charles already stole this epithet.

A delightful mix of British humour and French joie de vivre.

[Debbie]

delightfully funny

[Sarah]

Funny. Especially for English people who have lived in Paris ;-) and those interested in the two languages

[Alex Vasai]

Funny book indeed, I have wanted a book about French life-style, this belongs to that category bud adds some funny moments and some tips for speaking French so you can be appreciated by locals.

[Ioana]

3 stars for the occasional British humor that I occasionally understood. The other two stars would probably have been filled by a more exact plot, more French curiosities and less vocabulary.

[B]

Laugh out loud, funny sharp and beautifully observed with glorious French characters. i would love to be at a dinner party with this author.

[Magpie]

Saffron 2012

[Gen]

I love it. Start to finish it makes me laugh. Have just read this book again after many years and my favourite bits still have me in fits (wine-tasting, the skate in black butter). J'adore.

[carnival]

The sense of humour can be quite bizarre for someone unfamiliar neither with the French language, nor with English customs.