What do you think?
Rate this book
Petite Anglaise
Living in Paris with her partner, the workaholic Mr Frog, and their adorable toddler, Tadpole, Catherine decides to alleviate the boredom of her metro-boulot-dodo routine by starting a blog under the name of Petite Anglaise. Writing with disarming honesty about Paris life, about the confines of her hollow relationship with Mr Frog and about the wonder and pain that comes with being a mother, she finds a new purpose to her day. As Petite Anglaise, Catherine regains her confidence and makes virtual friends, including one charismatic and single Englishman who lives in Brittany, James. And after meeting James one evening in a bar, Catherine feels she has regained her ability to fall in love, too.
340 pages
First published January 1, 2008
27 people are currently reading
578 people want to read
About the author
Catherine Sanderson
6 books24 followersI'm a thirty-six year old Brit who was bitten by the French bug while still at school and dreamed of living in France long before I'd tasted my very first croissant. After studying for a Modern Languages degree, I moved to Paris in 1995. Thirteen years later, I'm still here.
I created my blog 'petite anglaise' back in July 2004 while I was working as a bilingual secretary. It was a hobby which was to become my bread and butter when, two years later, my employer found my blog and unceremoniously fired me. I decided not to skulk away with my tail between my legs, but to take them to court for wrongful dismissal. My legal battle attracted the attention of UK newspapers, but also of several publishers. The rest, as they say, is history.
Petite Anglaise is a memoir based on one tumultous year of my life as an expat working mother and blogger in Paris. It's a true story, but one intended to read like a novel.
I'm currently writing my first novel, provisionally titled 'Rendez-Vous' which will be published in the UK in summer 2009.
I created my blog 'petite anglaise' back in July 2004 while I was working as a bilingual secretary. It was a hobby which was to become my bread and butter when, two years later, my employer found my blog and unceremoniously fired me. I decided not to skulk away with my tail between my legs, but to take them to court for wrongful dismissal. My legal battle attracted the attention of UK newspapers, but also of several publishers. The rest, as they say, is history.
Petite Anglaise is a memoir based on one tumultous year of my life as an expat working mother and blogger in Paris. It's a true story, but one intended to read like a novel.
I'm currently writing my first novel, provisionally titled 'Rendez-Vous' which will be published in the UK in summer 2009.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 187 reviews
June 15, 2008
Although I found the book compulsively readable (great beach read), and the writing lovely (although there was some heavy-handed phrases which made me wince), I had a very difficult time connecting with and having sympathy for the narrator (Catherine), whom I found to be a self-absorbed and a touch too infatuated with her blog fame. I was expecting to read about a woman who dreams of living in Paris and who makes HER life, home and career, there. Instead I found a woman who defines her life by the men who inhabit it, and the dedicated readers of her blog. I never got to know Catherine as a person beyond the men, beyond the blog, and I was left wondering what kind of emotional growth did she really make.
Other than tender moments with her very lovely daughter Tadpole, at times I found Catherine insufferable, living her life as a soap opera in order to whet the appetites of her readers, and too often relying on her blog to make the communications and connections one should make in REAL life. This book is timely, however, when we're all discussing "oversharing" and how our online "personas" affect our lives offline, so on that level the book posited some very interesting questions. Yet bits of dialogue like this made me shudder:
"And obviously Petite Anglaise can't resist playing to her audience a bit, I'll admit that. And I'm sure my speaking voices isn't the same as her writing voice."
I came to this book wanting to know about Catherine and left it learning more about Petite - who seemed more and more of a flight of fancy.
Other than tender moments with her very lovely daughter Tadpole, at times I found Catherine insufferable, living her life as a soap opera in order to whet the appetites of her readers, and too often relying on her blog to make the communications and connections one should make in REAL life. This book is timely, however, when we're all discussing "oversharing" and how our online "personas" affect our lives offline, so on that level the book posited some very interesting questions. Yet bits of dialogue like this made me shudder:
"And obviously Petite Anglaise can't resist playing to her audience a bit, I'll admit that. And I'm sure my speaking voices isn't the same as her writing voice."
I came to this book wanting to know about Catherine and left it learning more about Petite - who seemed more and more of a flight of fancy.
November 17, 2008
Boy oh boy. Well I have only myself to blame for reading another of one of these stupid memoires. The sole insight this book offers is an insider's view of the mind of a mediocre narcissist. Catherine Sanderson attains absolutely zero wisdom from her capers. One leaves the book feeling only sympathy for those who are close to her, particularly her poor daughter, who will have to one day learn of her mother's ill-advised dalliances---oh and years of torturous celibacy at the hands of the child's father. So, uh, duh, its hard to maintain a smashing social calendar and blistering hot lovelife while trying to raise a two-year-old, Catherine. Get a clue.
December 29, 2009
Purchased during a spate of Francophilia, this book was in the travel section of my local superstore outlet. As this chain does not have a biography section, Travel may have seemed like an obvious place to catalogue it, but it would have been better served by being placed under the Relationships banner.
Young expat living la Vie francaise in Paris? Sounds good. But is was not to be. The hooks, being her life in Belleville and her love of all things French, are merely hooks. In the meat of the text, the location, the city and her people are barely mentioned. What is really of interest to the author via this book is her own belated coming-of-age. The location - the selling point for me - is rather irrelevant, as the story could have taken place anywhere, and rather than making its appeal global, it is an average tale of a 30-something woes, but stripped of the local colour that would have attracted me.
The tone is rather Cosmo-style; one of a girlfriend ruminating over coffee the failed aspirations of grown-up life. The honesty and directness in which that author recounts her desires and decisions, seedy betrayals and all are stirring. That she devotes little time considering or even caring to be aware of the views and motivations of others outside of their direct interactions with herself makes her, in my view, rather unsuited to the book format. The confessional, self-interested tone belies the book's former incarnation as an online journal.
The overall experience of reading was akin to being unable to escape the company of an acquaintance one likes but does not really know as they complain about their sex life.
Young expat living la Vie francaise in Paris? Sounds good. But is was not to be. The hooks, being her life in Belleville and her love of all things French, are merely hooks. In the meat of the text, the location, the city and her people are barely mentioned. What is really of interest to the author via this book is her own belated coming-of-age. The location - the selling point for me - is rather irrelevant, as the story could have taken place anywhere, and rather than making its appeal global, it is an average tale of a 30-something woes, but stripped of the local colour that would have attracted me.
The tone is rather Cosmo-style; one of a girlfriend ruminating over coffee the failed aspirations of grown-up life. The honesty and directness in which that author recounts her desires and decisions, seedy betrayals and all are stirring. That she devotes little time considering or even caring to be aware of the views and motivations of others outside of their direct interactions with herself makes her, in my view, rather unsuited to the book format. The confessional, self-interested tone belies the book's former incarnation as an online journal.
The overall experience of reading was akin to being unable to escape the company of an acquaintance one likes but does not really know as they complain about their sex life.
August 24, 2009
This was a really well-written memoir about a British woman living in Paris. She is living with a man who refuses to marry her, and they have a daughter together. Eventually, the relationship falls apart, and she writes about moving out and dating other people. The book started as a blog, and more than just rehashing blog posts, she writes about how blogging affected the course of events. At one point, she keeps dating a guy she's just not that into because it spices up her posts. Her friend wisely tells her to put herself first and her readers second. It was a very engaging read, and much easier to connect to than most recent chick lit I've read.
September 19, 2009
I loved that this book was about love and Paris, but that is as far as my love for this book went. The main character and author, Catherine Sanderson, is quite self-absorbed and selfish. It is hard to find any sympathy for her character as she destroys her family for a possible future happiness with a man she "meets" on her new blog. Sadly in the end, she ends up alone with a hurt and confused child and a blindsided partner. This book is a pass.
June 10, 2023
לסקירה מפורטת בעברית ואנגלית, קישור לבלוג שלי -
https://sivi-the-avid-reader.com/פטיט...
https://sivi-the-avid-reader.com/פטיט...
September 16, 2009
Petite Anglaise is a memoir by Catherine Sanderson based on her blog of the same name. In 2004, on a whim, Catherine decided to start up a blog about a thirty-something British woman living in Paris. A year after she started the blog in 2005, she left her then-partner Mr Frog (with whom she had Tadpole) for a commenter on her blog. Then in 2006 she got dumped, dooced (fired from her job because she mentioned it in her blog) and outed but landed a bookdeal. Thus, Petite Anglaise.
When I started the book I wondered how on Earth I’m supposed to review a non-fiction book. I still don’t know so I’m going to wing it! I apologise if my review causes offence, and there’s a good chance it might, but I have to be honest and admit: I really disliked Catherine and thus, I really can’t say I enjoyed the book.
It was interesting is as much as I enjoyed Catherine’s honesty. I didn’t like what she did but I admired her honesty. Apart from that I didn’t like Petite Anglaise at all. Catherine was just too difficult to warm to – she came across selfish and very self-absorbed.
Her treatment of Mr Frog and Tadpole really wasn’t great. I couldn’t have cared less if her relationship was failing, she should have broke it off before having her affair with James. The way she and James got together was beyond belief. She met him online in the comments of her blog – it sounds so unreal.
There also didn’t seem to be much between James and Catherine in relation to their relationship. Sure they talked about what they might do but it never really seemed as if anything would come of it. (And ultimately, it didn’t.) I was with Mr Frog when he said that all James had to do was to say the things Catherine wanted to hear. Even when Catherine was with James she still came across selfish when James couldn’t be with her (like their day at the beach – they all went out and still she wasn’t happy!) She also started picking faults with James as well saying he’d worn jeans she hated to meet her friends. I mean, come on!
What I’d really like to know is why Catherine said she’d like to do the book because many people would pick this up having not read the blog (like me, I’d heard of the blog but never read it) and would think, like I did, that Catherine comes across as really unlikeable.
I also wonder about it’s true story intentions as most of the dialogue seemed corny and stilted. It seemed fake, and filler for the book, rather than actual conversations had taken place. Catherine’s friend Amy confused me – generally when people are cheated on they don’t condone someone else cheating yet Amy seemed perfectly fine with it.
The cover screams chick lit which in my opinion is false advertising. Some would pick it up expecting a light and fluffy read and what Catherine does is not light and fluffy!
I really wouldn’t recommend reading this unless maybe you enjoy the blog…
Rating: 1/5
When I started the book I wondered how on Earth I’m supposed to review a non-fiction book. I still don’t know so I’m going to wing it! I apologise if my review causes offence, and there’s a good chance it might, but I have to be honest and admit: I really disliked Catherine and thus, I really can’t say I enjoyed the book.
It was interesting is as much as I enjoyed Catherine’s honesty. I didn’t like what she did but I admired her honesty. Apart from that I didn’t like Petite Anglaise at all. Catherine was just too difficult to warm to – she came across selfish and very self-absorbed.
Her treatment of Mr Frog and Tadpole really wasn’t great. I couldn’t have cared less if her relationship was failing, she should have broke it off before having her affair with James. The way she and James got together was beyond belief. She met him online in the comments of her blog – it sounds so unreal.
There also didn’t seem to be much between James and Catherine in relation to their relationship. Sure they talked about what they might do but it never really seemed as if anything would come of it. (And ultimately, it didn’t.) I was with Mr Frog when he said that all James had to do was to say the things Catherine wanted to hear. Even when Catherine was with James she still came across selfish when James couldn’t be with her (like their day at the beach – they all went out and still she wasn’t happy!) She also started picking faults with James as well saying he’d worn jeans she hated to meet her friends. I mean, come on!
What I’d really like to know is why Catherine said she’d like to do the book because many people would pick this up having not read the blog (like me, I’d heard of the blog but never read it) and would think, like I did, that Catherine comes across as really unlikeable.
I also wonder about it’s true story intentions as most of the dialogue seemed corny and stilted. It seemed fake, and filler for the book, rather than actual conversations had taken place. Catherine’s friend Amy confused me – generally when people are cheated on they don’t condone someone else cheating yet Amy seemed perfectly fine with it.
The cover screams chick lit which in my opinion is false advertising. Some would pick it up expecting a light and fluffy read and what Catherine does is not light and fluffy!
I really wouldn’t recommend reading this unless maybe you enjoy the blog…
Rating: 1/5
April 12, 2010
Well, hmmm. I had so wanted this to be good, and my own hype regarding it has no doubt caused me to judge it harshly. I had read a few blog posts from Petite Anglaise's blog several years ago, and was delighted by the simple beauty of her prose. With richness, she spun anecdotes about her daughter, Tadpole, and her beloved adopted city of Paris.
What was enchanting in blog form feels both tedius and plain in book form. But the real problem is Petite herself. After suffering through the gross book, "Cleaving" (ala former blogger Julie Powell of "Julie and Julia" fame), I suppose I really wasn't in the mood to read about another selfish woman who drags her loved ones through page after page of adultery, and magically comes out with a six-figure book deal at the end.
I couldn't figure out if Petite purposely painted herself in a negative light (something she didn't do on her blog) or if this is how it happened and she simply didn't see herself as part of the problem? Either way, Petite's level of narcissism is stunning. She tries to justify it in the beginning, painting a picture of Mr. Frog as a workaholic and using phrases, like: "on a rare evening out" and "I was desperate for adult conversation," so we can feel sorry for her. But it rings hollow -- she's living in a city she loves, works all day (with her best friend, no less) because she couldn't imagine being "stuck at home," has money for a nanny and babysitter, gets endless weeks of vacation time, and also has the unwavering support of Tadpole's grandparents, who are eager to take the child for long weekends and vacations, offering Petite a break. It's hardly a sob story.
As a reader, you're supposed to sympathize with her when she goes out with a blog commentor and ends up having an affair with him (a mere two weeks later!). But you can't sympathize with narcissism. Such is her level of self-absorption, that when she finally breaks it to Mr. Frog that she's an adulterer, and in fact, is leaving him, she has the gall to criticize his reaction as unacceptable because "there hadn't been a single moan or whimper on *my* account..." Oh, but she's not too upset to run to her blog and write about it??
And to that I say, is this woman INSANE? And by the way, James sounds like a douchebag.
What was enchanting in blog form feels both tedius and plain in book form. But the real problem is Petite herself. After suffering through the gross book, "Cleaving" (ala former blogger Julie Powell of "Julie and Julia" fame), I suppose I really wasn't in the mood to read about another selfish woman who drags her loved ones through page after page of adultery, and magically comes out with a six-figure book deal at the end.
I couldn't figure out if Petite purposely painted herself in a negative light (something she didn't do on her blog) or if this is how it happened and she simply didn't see herself as part of the problem? Either way, Petite's level of narcissism is stunning. She tries to justify it in the beginning, painting a picture of Mr. Frog as a workaholic and using phrases, like: "on a rare evening out" and "I was desperate for adult conversation," so we can feel sorry for her. But it rings hollow -- she's living in a city she loves, works all day (with her best friend, no less) because she couldn't imagine being "stuck at home," has money for a nanny and babysitter, gets endless weeks of vacation time, and also has the unwavering support of Tadpole's grandparents, who are eager to take the child for long weekends and vacations, offering Petite a break. It's hardly a sob story.
As a reader, you're supposed to sympathize with her when she goes out with a blog commentor and ends up having an affair with him (a mere two weeks later!). But you can't sympathize with narcissism. Such is her level of self-absorption, that when she finally breaks it to Mr. Frog that she's an adulterer, and in fact, is leaving him, she has the gall to criticize his reaction as unacceptable because "there hadn't been a single moan or whimper on *my* account..." Oh, but she's not too upset to run to her blog and write about it??
And to that I say, is this woman INSANE? And by the way, James sounds like a douchebag.
nonfiction
June 16, 2009Hard to read - in that, No, don't go in there! kind of way. Hard to put down for the same reason.
March 5, 2021
Tja, wat moet ik ervan zeggen?
Ondanks dat ik tegen de 380 bladzijdes opkeek, was het best gemakkelijk om doorheen te komen. Er zitten veel lieve momenten in. Maar ook wel heel veel herkenbare momenten, denk ik. Het gevoel dat je iets mist in je lange relatie, de nieuwsgierigheid en spanning van een nieuwe relatie, het feit dat je soms zo met jezelf bezig bent dat je je vrienden helemaal vergeet, en - voor onze schrijvers dan toch - het fijne dat je iets onbegrijpelijks op papier kan zetten, zodat het ineens echt of serieus of logischer aanvoelt.
Maar het boek had ook wel veel moeilijke punten - daarom ook maar de twee sterren. Het was vaak toch wel langdradig, ik vind de manier van praten (met name van de mannen) lang niet altijd realistisch en Catherine irriteerde me vaak enorm. In het begin snapte ik haar nog wel, omdat het leek alsof haar man inderdaad echt níéts in het huishouden deed (zo’n typische jij-bent-de-vrouw-dus-jij-moet-voor-het-kind-zorgen-en-achter-het-aanrecht-staan-want-ik-werk-al-type, waar de moderne vrouw in mij echt enorm slecht tegen kan) en zij maar werk, kind, huishouden en een sociaal leven moest balanceren. Maar later valt die reden weg, en dan merk je gewoon dat zijzelf helemaal niet zo leuk is. De passie waarmee in het begin over Frankrijk wordt gepraat is foetsie, en ze wordt gewoon een soort vrouw vol zelfmedelijden en dat niks lijkt te zijn zonder een man. Gewoon die passie voor Frankrijk en haar blog en de vrienden die ze daarop maakt is na ergens 1/3 van het boek verdwenen en dat laat een nogal zeurende vrouw over. Begrijp me niet verkeerd, ik denk dat veel dingen waar ze mee zit heel realistisch is, maar waarom moest ze daarvoor haarzelf volledig kwijt zijn? Daardoor lijkt de premisse van het verhaal in het halve boek kwijt te zijn.
Ik heb wel enorm zin in goed, Frans stokbrood met Nutella of een échte pain au chocolat. Ach, als Corona over is kan het misschien weer...
Ondanks dat ik tegen de 380 bladzijdes opkeek, was het best gemakkelijk om doorheen te komen. Er zitten veel lieve momenten in. Maar ook wel heel veel herkenbare momenten, denk ik. Het gevoel dat je iets mist in je lange relatie, de nieuwsgierigheid en spanning van een nieuwe relatie, het feit dat je soms zo met jezelf bezig bent dat je je vrienden helemaal vergeet, en - voor onze schrijvers dan toch - het fijne dat je iets onbegrijpelijks op papier kan zetten, zodat het ineens echt of serieus of logischer aanvoelt.
Maar het boek had ook wel veel moeilijke punten - daarom ook maar de twee sterren. Het was vaak toch wel langdradig, ik vind de manier van praten (met name van de mannen) lang niet altijd realistisch en Catherine irriteerde me vaak enorm. In het begin snapte ik haar nog wel, omdat het leek alsof haar man inderdaad echt níéts in het huishouden deed (zo’n typische jij-bent-de-vrouw-dus-jij-moet-voor-het-kind-zorgen-en-achter-het-aanrecht-staan-want-ik-werk-al-type, waar de moderne vrouw in mij echt enorm slecht tegen kan) en zij maar werk, kind, huishouden en een sociaal leven moest balanceren. Maar later valt die reden weg, en dan merk je gewoon dat zijzelf helemaal niet zo leuk is. De passie waarmee in het begin over Frankrijk wordt gepraat is foetsie, en ze wordt gewoon een soort vrouw vol zelfmedelijden en dat niks lijkt te zijn zonder een man. Gewoon die passie voor Frankrijk en haar blog en de vrienden die ze daarop maakt is na ergens 1/3 van het boek verdwenen en dat laat een nogal zeurende vrouw over. Begrijp me niet verkeerd, ik denk dat veel dingen waar ze mee zit heel realistisch is, maar waarom moest ze daarvoor haarzelf volledig kwijt zijn? Daardoor lijkt de premisse van het verhaal in het halve boek kwijt te zijn.
Ik heb wel enorm zin in goed, Frans stokbrood met Nutella of een échte pain au chocolat. Ach, als Corona over is kan het misschien weer...
July 20, 2010
Eh.
That was my first reaction after finishing Catherine Sanderson’s memoir about life as a Parisian blogger extraordinaire. And how her life more or less falls apart as a direct result of it.
Although initially lured to the city of lights from jolly olde England, Sanderson (or “Petite”, if you prefer to use her blogger nom de plume) finds herself disenchanted with gay Paris, her long-term relationship with boyfriend “Mr. Frog”, and their two-year-old daughter, “Tadpole.” Her dead-end secretarial job gives her time to pen a blog at the advent of bloggerdom. As a result, she becomes Internet famous and is romantically pursued by a reader, ultimately causing her to leave her relationship. And when romance with her reader fails, Petite is left alone in Paris with her daughter.
Trés triste.
I picked this book up for the beach because I wanted to get back to Paris and read about those who have lived the dream becoming a French expat. That’s not this book. Paris is more of a catalyst than anything in this book. While, happily, landmarks and parks are mentioned (causing me to ooh and la-la-ed), the story is more universal than a Paris story; this kind of heartbreak and resurrection could happen anywhere.
It was a super-speedy and compelling read; I just felt sad and rushed through the reading because I wanted to get to the part at the end where all of Sanderson’s choices became okay. In fact, she spends most of the memoir sad … and thus, a downer was born. Not really a beach read. In that way, it reminded me a lot of the book version of Julie and Julia. (The movie was infinitely happier, as would be a movie version of Petite Anglaise.)
Interestingly, after finishing the book I looked up the blog from which all of the drama sprang and was surprised to see that Petite’s last post was in November of 2009. In it, she reports that she doesn’t feel it’s likely that she will be blogging much in the future. That part of her life is behind her. I will likely pick up Sanderson’s follow-up, French Kissing, because I am nosey and wants to know how the story ends. Nevertheless, Petite Anglaise isn’t a particularly happy story. I can’t say I loved it.
That was my first reaction after finishing Catherine Sanderson’s memoir about life as a Parisian blogger extraordinaire. And how her life more or less falls apart as a direct result of it.
Although initially lured to the city of lights from jolly olde England, Sanderson (or “Petite”, if you prefer to use her blogger nom de plume) finds herself disenchanted with gay Paris, her long-term relationship with boyfriend “Mr. Frog”, and their two-year-old daughter, “Tadpole.” Her dead-end secretarial job gives her time to pen a blog at the advent of bloggerdom. As a result, she becomes Internet famous and is romantically pursued by a reader, ultimately causing her to leave her relationship. And when romance with her reader fails, Petite is left alone in Paris with her daughter.
Trés triste.
I picked this book up for the beach because I wanted to get back to Paris and read about those who have lived the dream becoming a French expat. That’s not this book. Paris is more of a catalyst than anything in this book. While, happily, landmarks and parks are mentioned (causing me to ooh and la-la-ed), the story is more universal than a Paris story; this kind of heartbreak and resurrection could happen anywhere.
It was a super-speedy and compelling read; I just felt sad and rushed through the reading because I wanted to get to the part at the end where all of Sanderson’s choices became okay. In fact, she spends most of the memoir sad … and thus, a downer was born. Not really a beach read. In that way, it reminded me a lot of the book version of Julie and Julia. (The movie was infinitely happier, as would be a movie version of Petite Anglaise.)
Interestingly, after finishing the book I looked up the blog from which all of the drama sprang and was surprised to see that Petite’s last post was in November of 2009. In it, she reports that she doesn’t feel it’s likely that she will be blogging much in the future. That part of her life is behind her. I will likely pick up Sanderson’s follow-up, French Kissing, because I am nosey and wants to know how the story ends. Nevertheless, Petite Anglaise isn’t a particularly happy story. I can’t say I loved it.
November 26, 2022
1.75
Nie wiem od czego zacząć, bo nie miałom dużych oczekiwań w stosunku do tej książki.
Jakkolwiek książka była lekka w czytaniu to pierwszym problemem dla mnie był brak empatii w stosunku do głównej bohaterki (spoiler: szczególnie patrząc na jej późniejszą zdradę) ze względu na jej okropny egoizm i zazdrość o własną córkę w stosunku do partnera????? Po drugie ta ilość francuskiego była już nie do zniesienia…. Jakkolwiek jestem w stanie zrozumieć, że sam pobyt we Francji jest tu jednym z najważniejszych motywów, to mam wrażenie, że w tym aspekcie przedobrzyli i było to wręcz uciążliwe. Po trzecie to zakończenie było absolutnie…… żadne. Praktycznie brak jakiegokolwiek zdania wiążącego książkę w całość czy też zebrania tego w jedno.
Mimo małych oczekiwań co do tej lektury, to tak czy tak rozczarowałom się. To też nie jest typ książek, które zazwyczaj czytam, stąd moja opinia może być bardziej krytyczna.
Nie wiem od czego zacząć, bo nie miałom dużych oczekiwań w stosunku do tej książki.
Jakkolwiek książka była lekka w czytaniu to pierwszym problemem dla mnie był brak empatii w stosunku do głównej bohaterki (spoiler: szczególnie patrząc na jej późniejszą zdradę) ze względu na jej okropny egoizm i zazdrość o własną córkę w stosunku do partnera????? Po drugie ta ilość francuskiego była już nie do zniesienia…. Jakkolwiek jestem w stanie zrozumieć, że sam pobyt we Francji jest tu jednym z najważniejszych motywów, to mam wrażenie, że w tym aspekcie przedobrzyli i było to wręcz uciążliwe. Po trzecie to zakończenie było absolutnie…… żadne. Praktycznie brak jakiegokolwiek zdania wiążącego książkę w całość czy też zebrania tego w jedno.
Mimo małych oczekiwań co do tej lektury, to tak czy tak rozczarowałom się. To też nie jest typ książek, które zazwyczaj czytam, stąd moja opinia może być bardziej krytyczna.
April 21, 2009
When I got this book, I hadn't read anything for real in a very long time. And when I say for real, I mean, all the words from cover to cover. I skip read or skimmed almost everything -- even things I really wanted to consume or enjoy.
Sanderson's book was exactly the right pace and tone to get me back into the mode of reading again. I enjoyed her words and being drawn into her scenes and the creations of her characters -- even, as one fellow-reader has already commented, if I occasionally felt frustrated by them. (Really, if you're making proper connections with the characters in a narrative, then you should feel something -- and I think here we are meant to feel frustrated with certain scenarios and decisions!)
I'm glad I read _Petite Anglaise_. It really did get me reading again.
Sanderson's book was exactly the right pace and tone to get me back into the mode of reading again. I enjoyed her words and being drawn into her scenes and the creations of her characters -- even, as one fellow-reader has already commented, if I occasionally felt frustrated by them. (Really, if you're making proper connections with the characters in a narrative, then you should feel something -- and I think here we are meant to feel frustrated with certain scenarios and decisions!)
I'm glad I read _Petite Anglaise_. It really did get me reading again.
February 1, 2009
well this is my first book that i have quit on. it wasnt what i was expecting it to be. a big let down. the language and the details in her love life was just too much for me. all she talked about was herself too. she never talked about her amazing experinces in France, the french life and everything about it. It was a big let down because it really could have been a great book. :(
Read
June 15, 2009If I could give this a negative rating, I would in a heartbeat. Drivel, insipid, a waste of paper. WHY did Penguin publish this? Arghghg. If I could spit on it I would. Ptwey! There, a virtual loogie. Just. sheer. awful! Hated it! There, I've done.
Read
October 14, 2008At first it was interesting and then I started to find the author really selfish and just completely lost interest
May 13, 2010
blah. not the chick lit i was hoping for. I didn't feel any sympathy for the protagonist.
June 11, 2020
O carte plăcută și amuzantă.
February 10, 2019
This was a nice, quick and easy read. I particularly enjoyed the style of writing and the setting. I loved the details of Paris and the French language used. It was lovely to escape to Paris for a time. What a beautiful city! I enjoyed learning some of the language too.
This true story revolves around Catherine, who lives in Paris with her partner, who she refers to as Mr Frog and her young daughter, Tadpole. Catherine is unhappy in her relationship and struggles, as a new mum, to find time for herself. I found it challenging to connect with Catherine at times, as I felt that her interest in her own love life often took over in this memoir. I enjoyed reading the sections where Mr Frog and Tadpole's relationship strengthens and when Catherine notices those beautiful moments of motherhood. I found myself wanting to read more of those moments. Her feelings seemed very different to those I have felt as a new mum, so I would keep reminding myself that reading about a character who is walking a different path to mine is often a good way to understand others. Life would be boring if we were all the same.
I liked that the memoir is honest and the fact that the blog and Catherine's website are still running, providing further insight into her world. In the novel, Catherine starts a blog and begins to write her thoughts, feelings and problems online for the world to see, becoming an online celebrity in the blogging world. The need for balance between the online world and real life is a constant battle for most people these days. This book emphasises the challenges and benefits of technology. As someone who is fairly new to blogging, I could relate to the interest in readers comments, although this book made me feel at peace with what I write online. I enjoy having a private life. I don't want anyone else weighing in on my personal world, as Catherine would at times. What I enjoy about blogging is the connection with like minded people, the fun I have when writing book reviews and even at times inspiring others to read. Catherine also enjoyed that connection with like-minded people.
Overall, I didn't particularly like some of the decisions made by the main character and felt a disconnect at times, however I admire the courage taken to write this story and appreciate how well written it is. If you're looking to read an honest memoir set in Paris, this one is for you.
This true story revolves around Catherine, who lives in Paris with her partner, who she refers to as Mr Frog and her young daughter, Tadpole. Catherine is unhappy in her relationship and struggles, as a new mum, to find time for herself. I found it challenging to connect with Catherine at times, as I felt that her interest in her own love life often took over in this memoir. I enjoyed reading the sections where Mr Frog and Tadpole's relationship strengthens and when Catherine notices those beautiful moments of motherhood. I found myself wanting to read more of those moments. Her feelings seemed very different to those I have felt as a new mum, so I would keep reminding myself that reading about a character who is walking a different path to mine is often a good way to understand others. Life would be boring if we were all the same.
I liked that the memoir is honest and the fact that the blog and Catherine's website are still running, providing further insight into her world. In the novel, Catherine starts a blog and begins to write her thoughts, feelings and problems online for the world to see, becoming an online celebrity in the blogging world. The need for balance between the online world and real life is a constant battle for most people these days. This book emphasises the challenges and benefits of technology. As someone who is fairly new to blogging, I could relate to the interest in readers comments, although this book made me feel at peace with what I write online. I enjoy having a private life. I don't want anyone else weighing in on my personal world, as Catherine would at times. What I enjoy about blogging is the connection with like minded people, the fun I have when writing book reviews and even at times inspiring others to read. Catherine also enjoyed that connection with like-minded people.
Overall, I didn't particularly like some of the decisions made by the main character and felt a disconnect at times, however I admire the courage taken to write this story and appreciate how well written it is. If you're looking to read an honest memoir set in Paris, this one is for you.
June 7, 2009
I just happened to pick up this book because of the pretty cover and the fact that it's a biography. Not only that, but I'm very into blogging at the moment, and getting to see how blogging significantly changed someone's life was something I wanted to read for myself.
I was disappointed. I can't exactly pinpoint why. The writing was lovely, I liked it. However, the story that the writing was involved in, I didn't like.
I can't decide if it's the fact that it took this woman so long (and an Internet relationship) to leave the man she was living with/the father of her child. There were no hard feelings, not later on when they both realized it was for the best. Actually, throughout the rest of the book, she goes to this 'Mr. Frog' for comfort several times.
As well, the author/main character just seemed to rub me the wrong way. Like I said, I can't pinpoint why it was exactly that made me dislike her so much, it was just there.
There was also the fact that my sister, L, got about half way through the book, dumped it and told me it was one of the stupidest, most boring books she'd ever read. The sad part was, I agreed with her. It took all of me to finish the darn thing.
However, I am glad that I read it, because it does testify to how blogging/the internet can change your life dramatically. I like the idea of that. :)
I was disappointed. I can't exactly pinpoint why. The writing was lovely, I liked it. However, the story that the writing was involved in, I didn't like.
I can't decide if it's the fact that it took this woman so long (and an Internet relationship) to leave the man she was living with/the father of her child. There were no hard feelings, not later on when they both realized it was for the best. Actually, throughout the rest of the book, she goes to this 'Mr. Frog' for comfort several times.
As well, the author/main character just seemed to rub me the wrong way. Like I said, I can't pinpoint why it was exactly that made me dislike her so much, it was just there.
There was also the fact that my sister, L, got about half way through the book, dumped it and told me it was one of the stupidest, most boring books she'd ever read. The sad part was, I agreed with her. It took all of me to finish the darn thing.
However, I am glad that I read it, because it does testify to how blogging/the internet can change your life dramatically. I like the idea of that. :)
November 18, 2009
Sanderson is an Englishwoman who lives in and loves Paris. The book begins eight years into her relationship with her one-year-old daughter's French father.
Feeling dissatisfied with her life, Sanderson begins writing a blog under the nom de plume Petite Anglaise. Her blog quickly becomes quite popular and she begins to make new friends, including one particular Englishman living in France. I won't spoil the story, but I'll just say that her life becomes complicated after that.
Although I found myself a few steps ahead and was able to accurately predict the outcome, I still enjoyed the book. I agree with others who have called her narcissistic, but that's a personality trait of the writer, not an evaluation of the story itself. I believe that Sanderson may just be reflective enough of her own behavior that perhaps now in hindsight she will recognize the karmic results of her actions and evolve into a more thoughtful person. Maybe I’m overly optimistic, but I would hope readers would benefit from Sanderson's mistakes without having to make them on their own.
Again, looking on the bright side, I anxiously await a sequel and the discovery of Sanderson's transformation, finding a balance of mindfulness of others without compromising her own happiness.
Feeling dissatisfied with her life, Sanderson begins writing a blog under the nom de plume Petite Anglaise. Her blog quickly becomes quite popular and she begins to make new friends, including one particular Englishman living in France. I won't spoil the story, but I'll just say that her life becomes complicated after that.
Although I found myself a few steps ahead and was able to accurately predict the outcome, I still enjoyed the book. I agree with others who have called her narcissistic, but that's a personality trait of the writer, not an evaluation of the story itself. I believe that Sanderson may just be reflective enough of her own behavior that perhaps now in hindsight she will recognize the karmic results of her actions and evolve into a more thoughtful person. Maybe I’m overly optimistic, but I would hope readers would benefit from Sanderson's mistakes without having to make them on their own.
Again, looking on the bright side, I anxiously await a sequel and the discovery of Sanderson's transformation, finding a balance of mindfulness of others without compromising her own happiness.
April 24, 2009
Very quick read! The author, an expatriate Brit living in Paris, started a blog under the name Petite Anglaise documenting her life with her partner and their daughter, and this book is basically a distillation and memoir of her blog experience. For those looking for an ex-pat memoir like Under the Tuscan Sun or A Year in Provence, pass on by. The author starts out by describing her love of French culture and her desire to live in Paris, but things quickly settle into a narrative of her domestic life. The most interesting aspect is on how her blogger persona affected her personal life.
April 22, 2012
Een boek dat ik wilde lezen omdat het eigenlijk ook voor een groot stuk over bloggen gaat en hoe dat bloggen je leven kan gaan beheersen.
Hier en daar dus wel herkenbare stukjes voor mezelf, ook blogger zijnde.
Wat wel of niet online zwieren, de statistieken, ...
Misschien wel een aanrader voor elke blogger omdat het ook wel nadenken stemt.
En het is me na het lezen nog steeds niet duidelijk of het verhaal fictief of ook waar gebeurd is.
Een quote:
"Toen we zwijgend naar kantoor terugliepen ...., vroeg ik me af in hoeverre mijn keuzes bepaalde werden door de behoeften van petite anglaise. Leefde ik mijn eigen leven, of trok zij aan de touwtjes en stuurde ze me in de richting van goede verhalen? Zou ik mijn levens anders leven als ik er niet over op mijn blog zou schrijven?"
Hier en daar dus wel herkenbare stukjes voor mezelf, ook blogger zijnde.
Wat wel of niet online zwieren, de statistieken, ...
Misschien wel een aanrader voor elke blogger omdat het ook wel nadenken stemt.
En het is me na het lezen nog steeds niet duidelijk of het verhaal fictief of ook waar gebeurd is.
Een quote:
"Toen we zwijgend naar kantoor terugliepen ...., vroeg ik me af in hoeverre mijn keuzes bepaalde werden door de behoeften van petite anglaise. Leefde ik mijn eigen leven, of trok zij aan de touwtjes en stuurde ze me in de richting van goede verhalen? Zou ik mijn levens anders leven als ik er niet over op mijn blog zou schrijven?"
May 28, 2008
I've been reading Petite Anglaise's blog for about a year, and was aware that she had a book due out, but wasn't sure when. I was lucky enough to catch an advance reader copy of it.
Catherine Sanderson is an English girl living in Paris; a young mother who's having relationship issues. She discovers an outlet in blogging, and takes the name "Petit Anglaise" as her nom de blague. The book is a great combination of her life, living in France, and the realities of blogging - trying to carry on a private life within a public domain. Interesting, fun, moving. I have a few people I'll recommend this to...
Catherine Sanderson is an English girl living in Paris; a young mother who's having relationship issues. She discovers an outlet in blogging, and takes the name "Petit Anglaise" as her nom de blague. The book is a great combination of her life, living in France, and the realities of blogging - trying to carry on a private life within a public domain. Interesting, fun, moving. I have a few people I'll recommend this to...
April 7, 2010
I loosely read Petite's blog so was looking forward to reading this book. I too expected it to be a story of how the author Catherine found herself while living in fabulous Paris. I really had a hard time getting through it. Catherine comes across as self-absorbed,narcissistic and is just thoroughly unlikeable. There is no depth or complexity to her. She becomes obssessed with some dude while she's married and everything else, including her daughter, seems to take a backseat. There no growth on her part whatsoever. This is just a bunch of superficial drivel. Skip it and if you're really interested read back through her blog's archives.
July 23, 2009
Bo-ring. This book could have used a subplot or two, like a romantic prospect for the jilted boyfriend, but the author, oops, I mean main character, is too selfish for that (oh wait, this is a true story, based on the author's life). There are much better novels out there about culture clashes among Europeans. Hello, Diane Johnson? If you want to read about an unlikeable female character cheating on her husband, skip "Petite Anglaise" and read "Loving Frank," which at least offers some insight into the life of Frank Lloyd Wright and a deliciously satisfying surprise ending.
February 14, 2014
This book follows Catherine as she grows up in an English household & dreams about living in France. Once she gets there, however, things are great for a while, as she meets a great guy, moves in with him, has a baby, then things go to Hades in a handbasket. She starts a blog, Petite Anglaise, as a catharsis, as a way to sort out her feelings & thoughts by writing. There she meets James, & fireworks happen for a while. After she breaks up with HIM, she has to learn how to find herself again. Cute book, I'd classify it as a "fluffy" read....fast & light...
January 4, 2010
O dear. What a waste of time. Though maybe not. Loving all things French, I had high hopes that this little book would provide some interesting observations on an english womans' life in Paris. Instead, I get a self-indulgent break down of 'petite anglaise's' (her blog name) love life.
So, what did I learn? About the strange and addictive power of the 'blog' - and a life lived vicariously through the internet and moulded by the bloggers commenters.
So, what did I learn? About the strange and addictive power of the 'blog' - and a life lived vicariously through the internet and moulded by the bloggers commenters.
May 28, 2020
Before reading it I read several of the reviews with 1 or 2 star ratings and that is when I found out it was a ''true story''....my usual problem with this kind of book is that the quality of writing is terrible...even if the content is good, the terrible writing is such a distraction that I just can't continue. However, this book is quite well written; unfortunately, the content is wretched. I actually had to take notes as I read so I could do this properly. So, page #, quote, and my reaction in caps, just because.....
Page 79:"You're so lovely, there's something so vulnerable about you...I want to protect you, look after you'' he said. "I have a feeling that's not all you'd like to do" I replied. THEY JUST MET. SHE IS IN A RELATIONSHIP. THIS IS WHERE SHE LOST ME. ADULTERY...NOPE.
Page 92: EVERYTHING CAUSED MY FIRST EYE ROLL.
Page 107: "Since James first touched me, I'd become aware of this body of mine pulsing with life under my clothes, every nerve ending reawakened"...AT THIS POINT, I LITERALLY SAID ''OH, FOR F**K'S SAKE''
Page 109: "How can I know if it's James I want, and not just to be wanted like this by someone?"...EUREKA. SHE SHOULD HAVE LISTENED TO HERSELF.
Page 111: "The last post was about seeing someone in the metro kissing his girlfriend's hand as she gripped the pole near the doors, and then realizing he's singled out the wrong hand...I made it sound like it happened only this week, but actually it was something I was something I saw years ago."...LIAR...IS SHE SO DESPERATE FOR ATTENTION THAT SHE HAS TO LIE ON HER BLOG?
Page 113: He says "I miss you so much....it's like a huge earthquake has torn a hole in the path my life was taking, and I can't get around it and carry on unless you're with me."...HE IS SOOOO FULL OF MERDE.
Page 116: "What about me?" I wanted to yell down into the street. "You're losing ME too"....SO, SHE DUMPS HER BABY DADDY AND IS UPSET THAT HE ISN'T HEARTBROKEN...HUH?????
Page 118: "I might not be ready to admit it yet-even to myself-but an unsavory part of me secretly longed to see the ripples my cryptic announcement would send out across the Internet''..ATTENTION WHORE
Page 124: ''He murmured ''I want to build you a house with my bare hands and carry you across the threshold.blah blah blah. "If I were a cat, I would have purred" -FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, SHE ACTUALLY SAID THAT. ALMOST PUKED IN MY MOUTH.
Page 124: "You do realize," said Mr. Frog, "that there's nothing easier for this new boyfriend of yours...than to say everything he knows you want to hear" BINGO.
Page 126: "..you expect not only sympathy from him, but from all your blog readers as well"
GO, DAN.
Page 128: "I think I'm in love with you"..AFTER 3 WKS.
Page 135: SHE'S ''SHY'' ABOUT EATING IN FRONT OF THE GUY SHE IS BANGING. IDIOT.
Page 139: ''rationing the story kept my readers panting for more" ATTENTION WHORE
Page 140: MEETING KIDS AFTER ONE MONTH. NOOOOO.
Page 143: ''That was the beauty of parenting with an audience, performing the ROLE of ''perfect mother''..1ST HONEST THING SHE'S SAID AND IT'S TERRIBLE
Page 149: "Not even two months into our relationship and I was already censoring our story" SHOOT ME-PLEASE.
Page 169: PRINCESS DOESN'T LIKE BEING JUDGED FOR CHEATING ON HER PARTNER :(
Page 181/183: BOTH PAGES MADE ME WANT TO PUNCH HER.
Page 201: BEING CALLED BABE PISSES HER OFF. SIGH.
Page 208: AND THE BICKERING STARTS
Page 212: GREAT. SHE'S ALREADY PLANNING TO ''CHANGE'' HIM. GOOD LUCK WITH THAT.
Page 229: AND HE'S DUMPING HER HAHAHAHAHA
Page 240: STOP BEING A DAMN DRAMA QUEEN.
Page 276: SO, IT TOOK HER 2 1/2 WEEKS TO ''GET OVER'' JAMES AND BANG A STRANGER. NICE.
Page 290: ''Some moments had to be kept private"...290 PAGES TO FIGURE THAT OUT. SHE'S A SLOW LEARNER.
Page 79:"You're so lovely, there's something so vulnerable about you...I want to protect you, look after you'' he said. "I have a feeling that's not all you'd like to do" I replied. THEY JUST MET. SHE IS IN A RELATIONSHIP. THIS IS WHERE SHE LOST ME. ADULTERY...NOPE.
Page 92: EVERYTHING CAUSED MY FIRST EYE ROLL.
Page 107: "Since James first touched me, I'd become aware of this body of mine pulsing with life under my clothes, every nerve ending reawakened"...AT THIS POINT, I LITERALLY SAID ''OH, FOR F**K'S SAKE''
Page 109: "How can I know if it's James I want, and not just to be wanted like this by someone?"...EUREKA. SHE SHOULD HAVE LISTENED TO HERSELF.
Page 111: "The last post was about seeing someone in the metro kissing his girlfriend's hand as she gripped the pole near the doors, and then realizing he's singled out the wrong hand...I made it sound like it happened only this week, but actually it was something I was something I saw years ago."...LIAR...IS SHE SO DESPERATE FOR ATTENTION THAT SHE HAS TO LIE ON HER BLOG?
Page 113: He says "I miss you so much....it's like a huge earthquake has torn a hole in the path my life was taking, and I can't get around it and carry on unless you're with me."...HE IS SOOOO FULL OF MERDE.
Page 116: "What about me?" I wanted to yell down into the street. "You're losing ME too"....SO, SHE DUMPS HER BABY DADDY AND IS UPSET THAT HE ISN'T HEARTBROKEN...HUH?????
Page 118: "I might not be ready to admit it yet-even to myself-but an unsavory part of me secretly longed to see the ripples my cryptic announcement would send out across the Internet''..ATTENTION WHORE
Page 124: ''He murmured ''I want to build you a house with my bare hands and carry you across the threshold.blah blah blah. "If I were a cat, I would have purred" -FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, SHE ACTUALLY SAID THAT. ALMOST PUKED IN MY MOUTH.
Page 124: "You do realize," said Mr. Frog, "that there's nothing easier for this new boyfriend of yours...than to say everything he knows you want to hear" BINGO.
Page 126: "..you expect not only sympathy from him, but from all your blog readers as well"
GO, DAN.
Page 128: "I think I'm in love with you"..AFTER 3 WKS.
Page 135: SHE'S ''SHY'' ABOUT EATING IN FRONT OF THE GUY SHE IS BANGING. IDIOT.
Page 139: ''rationing the story kept my readers panting for more" ATTENTION WHORE
Page 140: MEETING KIDS AFTER ONE MONTH. NOOOOO.
Page 143: ''That was the beauty of parenting with an audience, performing the ROLE of ''perfect mother''..1ST HONEST THING SHE'S SAID AND IT'S TERRIBLE
Page 149: "Not even two months into our relationship and I was already censoring our story" SHOOT ME-PLEASE.
Page 169: PRINCESS DOESN'T LIKE BEING JUDGED FOR CHEATING ON HER PARTNER :(
Page 181/183: BOTH PAGES MADE ME WANT TO PUNCH HER.
Page 201: BEING CALLED BABE PISSES HER OFF. SIGH.
Page 208: AND THE BICKERING STARTS
Page 212: GREAT. SHE'S ALREADY PLANNING TO ''CHANGE'' HIM. GOOD LUCK WITH THAT.
Page 229: AND HE'S DUMPING HER HAHAHAHAHA
Page 240: STOP BEING A DAMN DRAMA QUEEN.
Page 276: SO, IT TOOK HER 2 1/2 WEEKS TO ''GET OVER'' JAMES AND BANG A STRANGER. NICE.
Page 290: ''Some moments had to be kept private"...290 PAGES TO FIGURE THAT OUT. SHE'S A SLOW LEARNER.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 25, 2017
A book about an English woman who always dreamed of living in Paris, and now lives there. This is an autobiography of her life and adventures and lovelife while living the dream. Or is it a dream?
She started writing a blog, when blogging was a relatively new thing, and got hundreds of followers reading about her life in Paris and life with Mr Frog and their little daughter, Tadpole.
The blogging thing happes to transfer her life completely, but for better of for worse, you can find out by reading this book!
It was an ok read, somehow didn't captivate me completely, but good enough - I like peoples stories.
She started writing a blog, when blogging was a relatively new thing, and got hundreds of followers reading about her life in Paris and life with Mr Frog and their little daughter, Tadpole.
The blogging thing happes to transfer her life completely, but for better of for worse, you can find out by reading this book!
It was an ok read, somehow didn't captivate me completely, but good enough - I like peoples stories.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 187 reviews