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Monsieur Mediocre: One American Learns the High Art of Being Everyday French
A hilarious, candid account of what life in France is actually like, from a writer for Vanity Fair and GQ
Americans love to love Paris. We buy books about how the French parent, why French women don't get fat, and how to be Parisian wherever you are. While our work hours increase every year, we think longingly of the six weeks of vacation the French enjoy, imagining them at the seaside in stripes with plates of fruits de mer.
John von Sothen fell in love with Paris through the stories his mother told of her year spent there as a student. And then, after falling for and marrying a French waitress he met in New York, von Sothen moved to Paris. But fifteen years in, he's finally ready to admit his mother's Paris is mostly a fantasy. In this hilarious and delightful collection of essays, von Sothen walks us through real life in Paris--not only myth-busting our Parisian daydreams but also revealing the inimitable and too often invisible pleasures of family life abroad.
Relentlessly funny and full of incisive observations, Monsieur Mediocre is ultimately a love letter to France--to its absurdities, its history, its ideals--but it's a very French love letter: frank, smoky, unsentimental. It is a clear-eyed ode to a beautiful, complex, contradictory country from someone who both eagerly and grudgingly calls it home.
Americans love to love Paris. We buy books about how the French parent, why French women don't get fat, and how to be Parisian wherever you are. While our work hours increase every year, we think longingly of the six weeks of vacation the French enjoy, imagining them at the seaside in stripes with plates of fruits de mer.
John von Sothen fell in love with Paris through the stories his mother told of her year spent there as a student. And then, after falling for and marrying a French waitress he met in New York, von Sothen moved to Paris. But fifteen years in, he's finally ready to admit his mother's Paris is mostly a fantasy. In this hilarious and delightful collection of essays, von Sothen walks us through real life in Paris--not only myth-busting our Parisian daydreams but also revealing the inimitable and too often invisible pleasures of family life abroad.
Relentlessly funny and full of incisive observations, Monsieur Mediocre is ultimately a love letter to France--to its absurdities, its history, its ideals--but it's a very French love letter: frank, smoky, unsentimental. It is a clear-eyed ode to a beautiful, complex, contradictory country from someone who both eagerly and grudgingly calls it home.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published May 7, 2019
95 people are currently reading
2202 people want to read
About the author
John von Sothen
3 books29 followersJohn von Sothen is an American columnist living in Paris, where he covers entertainment and society issues for French Vanity Fair. Von Sothen has written for both the American and French GQ, Slate, Newsweek, Libération, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Observer; he has written for TV at Canal+ and MTV; and he is now penning a column for Air Mail, an online weekly started by former Vanity Fair editor-in-chief Graydon Carter. Von Sothen often does voice-overs in English for French perfumes and luxury brands, occasionally performs stand-up comedy at The New York Comedy Night in the SoGymnase Comedy Club in Paris (in French and English), and is a routine guest on the French radio station Europe 1 discussing all things US related.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
March 1, 2025
John loves Anais. That’s always helpful if, as an American, you decide to live in her country (France). He is still beguiled by the stories his mother told him about her time in Paris.
Fantasy meets reality.
John von Sothen doesn’t know quite how to express his affection for his adopted country except by ridicule and exasperation. To be fair, he holds his own foibles up for the same treatment.
If you can imagine that France is just your sibling, you might get some idea of what he is up to. (It also helps if you have some knowledge of the French language to “get” some of his narrative and side comments. Everything about why Parisians decide to get married, to why he was selected for certain employment, to what to be wary of in the French countryside.
“Honoré de Balzac was right. In the end, Paris is a city full of people from the provinces, most of whom, if they had their way and didn’t need a job would move back to the small town or village they came from…Americans may think of it as “the city of light,” but, for a lot of Parisians, Paris is an upscale jail, one that allows you to leave on occasional weekends to marry your concubine.”
There are a few advantages of being an American in Paris: “With its 15 percent unemployment (2020) and measly 1 percent annual growth, France isn’t the play one expects to find immediate work. But that’s the beauty of moving to a foreign country. You get to reboot not only your address, but your CV, too. Never once have I been the most qualified or the best suited for a job. But each time I was the most American, and that carried weight. French companies often like to think of themselves or their product as global, and the chance to work with a real, live, flesh-and-blood American is one that’s too good to pass up.”
If you have read Peter Mayle’s A Year in Provence, this provides an interesting counterpoint.
He knows how to tell a story and (I am guessing) what to emphasize and what to leave out.
Surprisingly entertaining.
Fantasy meets reality.
John von Sothen doesn’t know quite how to express his affection for his adopted country except by ridicule and exasperation. To be fair, he holds his own foibles up for the same treatment.
If you can imagine that France is just your sibling, you might get some idea of what he is up to. (It also helps if you have some knowledge of the French language to “get” some of his narrative and side comments. Everything about why Parisians decide to get married, to why he was selected for certain employment, to what to be wary of in the French countryside.
“Honoré de Balzac was right. In the end, Paris is a city full of people from the provinces, most of whom, if they had their way and didn’t need a job would move back to the small town or village they came from…Americans may think of it as “the city of light,” but, for a lot of Parisians, Paris is an upscale jail, one that allows you to leave on occasional weekends to marry your concubine.”
There are a few advantages of being an American in Paris: “With its 15 percent unemployment (2020) and measly 1 percent annual growth, France isn’t the play one expects to find immediate work. But that’s the beauty of moving to a foreign country. You get to reboot not only your address, but your CV, too. Never once have I been the most qualified or the best suited for a job. But each time I was the most American, and that carried weight. French companies often like to think of themselves or their product as global, and the chance to work with a real, live, flesh-and-blood American is one that’s too good to pass up.”
If you have read Peter Mayle’s A Year in Provence, this provides an interesting counterpoint.
He knows how to tell a story and (I am guessing) what to emphasize and what to leave out.
Surprisingly entertaining.
May 15, 2019
If you took a poll in the USA, I would guess Paris would likely make the top 10 list for dream vacation destinations. Paris resident John Von Sothen remembers what it was like to wonder about, experience for the first time, and now be completely immersed in what was once literally foreign to him. He somewhat humorously gathers stereotypes and assumptions which he both breaks and confirms by sharing his personal observations/experiences. It does feel at times quite opinionated, borderline judgmental, if I'm being honest but if I came across a similar book floating around about Florida's heavy populated tourist destinations, I'd probably laugh my @ss off. It's all about what you know. I'm glad he found a place to call home.
Thank you to Viking Books and Goodreads Giveaways for the opportunity to win an early copy of Monsieur Mediocre: One American Learns the High Art of Being Everyday French.
Thank you to Viking Books and Goodreads Giveaways for the opportunity to win an early copy of Monsieur Mediocre: One American Learns the High Art of Being Everyday French.
November 30, 2019
I did review this book on my Booktube channel, but I'll say a few things about it here. As someone who reads a fair number of books about France and Paris, this one does not romanticize it, but isn't afraid to talk about the benefits of living there. The author reminds me very much of Nick Hornby - a slightly self-deprecating sense of humor. He also talks about how he doesn't fit in, but that sometimes people love him for that. I found the book poignant at times, but I also laughed at least twice so hard I was crying and could not speak. If you like books about Paris/France and you like Nick Hornby, this is definitely the book for you!
October 2, 2021
I ordered this book after hearing a positive review of it on a podcast during which panelists were recommending “summer reads.” The Francophile in me couldn’t resist, but I wish I would’ve. There were several points throughout the book where I thought about abandoning it, but the last straw was when I got to the chapter about just how hard it is to own a second home in the Normandy countryside. If you enjoy reading about privileged, self-absorbed Americans now living privileged lives in France, then perhaps you’ll enjoy this book more than I did.
June 17, 2020
What could be more exciting and romantic than being an expat in France? Well, it’s not without its challenges. This book is full of humor but it’s the last chapter, about the author losing his parents, that I will remember.
April 23, 2019
Life is too short to read poor books. I quit 2/3 of the way through and only made it that far because I won the Goodreads giveaway. This author is the “guest who loves to hear himself talk and goes on way too long.” I was expecting some humor like most “man in a new country” books, but this was an endless essay on “how hard French is y’all, and I learned it all wrong.” Each chapter is about the endless parties and social events he goes to and how the French make everything an ordeal.
One quote from the book is “There’s a special embarrassment one feels when you know people are reading what you wrote and finding it pompous.” This is that book. The chapter on vacations was the high point since it put into words my worst vacation nightmare.
I’ve always wanted to visit Paris but this book made it sound beyond boring.
Giving it a 1.5. Thank you to Viking and Goodreads for the giveaway.
One quote from the book is “There’s a special embarrassment one feels when you know people are reading what you wrote and finding it pompous.” This is that book. The chapter on vacations was the high point since it put into words my worst vacation nightmare.
I’ve always wanted to visit Paris but this book made it sound beyond boring.
Giving it a 1.5. Thank you to Viking and Goodreads for the giveaway.
September 3, 2019
This is a wonderful, in depth look at what it is like to leave the United States and take up permanent residence in a European country. The author discusses language barriers, museums, child care, health care, parties, etc. in a very Bill Bryson fashion. I laughed a lot reading this book, and cried as well. The life of an expatriate is not an easy one, but very, very rich.
June 26, 2019
This has interesting information about life in Paris, but this guy’s a low-grade asshole and not very funny.
October 25, 2019
The title is an apt description of the book.
January 19, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The author’s experience as an expat living in Paris was funny, but also informative, showing the range of adjustments in every area of life. His humility in the face of language misunderstandings (he is fluent in French, but...), navigating countless cultural differences, and experiencing frequent humiliation were so interesting to read about. It helps to have some knowledge of French and to be a solid Francophile, but not necessary to enjoy the humor and appreciate the challenges. As a bonus, I found it made me more understanding of immigrants and their children in our country.
October 2, 2020
Monsiur Mediocre: One American Learns the High Art of Being Everyday French written by John van Sothen, was delightfully beyond simple words to explain the contents of this book, but I will give it a go anyway. Simply by laminating the fact, that von Sothen, does not mince his words either in English or in French. Surprisingly, von Sothen, is painfully honest (verging on tactless) on his take of society both American and French, as well as donating an entire chapter to the politics of each country. Also, Von Sothen, covers in his book the lay of the land in Paris, the people he chooses to befriends or not and the memories that tears at his conscience. In short, von Sothen, comes off a little like an entitled pompous jerk, who deep down knows he is flawed and is not afraid to admit it obviously either to himself or to others.
In his writings, von Sothen, appears to more or less live proudly like both a bohemian participant and observer, thereby analyzing the people and culture he either magnifies or minimize under a microscope with daily interactions. Moreover, comedy appears to be von Sothen way of dancing around the enviable and certainly the reality of any given situation he encounters; wherever he may be.
In my opinion, the book, Monsiur Mediocre: One American Learns the High Art of Being Everyday French written by John van Sothen, is not a bad read, there is true content to be learned, however it is disorganized throughout as if someone unintentionally mixed-up the chapters right before publishing; which leads to some duplication and confusion in terms of content (or what happened when). Basically, von Sothen, an expat, takes it for granted we all know a little French and French politicians when writing this book and it certainly helps that he elaborates on some unfamiliar words and leaders we may have wondered about.
In his writings, von Sothen, appears to more or less live proudly like both a bohemian participant and observer, thereby analyzing the people and culture he either magnifies or minimize under a microscope with daily interactions. Moreover, comedy appears to be von Sothen way of dancing around the enviable and certainly the reality of any given situation he encounters; wherever he may be.
In my opinion, the book, Monsiur Mediocre: One American Learns the High Art of Being Everyday French written by John van Sothen, is not a bad read, there is true content to be learned, however it is disorganized throughout as if someone unintentionally mixed-up the chapters right before publishing; which leads to some duplication and confusion in terms of content (or what happened when). Basically, von Sothen, an expat, takes it for granted we all know a little French and French politicians when writing this book and it certainly helps that he elaborates on some unfamiliar words and leaders we may have wondered about.
May 24, 2019
I freely admit I knew nothing of modern French culture when I chose "Monsieur Mediocre," nor had I ever done much thinking on the subject at all. The title was impossible to pass up, though, and I immediately fell head over heels in love with John's self-deprecating style. I'm not sure that the details will stick with me. Ask me in a year what this book talked about, and I probably won't be able to discuss France's dizzying political landscape, or the peculiarities of its education system. What I'm sure to remember is how much fun I had following John on his adventures, and how much joy his narrative voice added to my day.
So go on, even if you've never given France a single thought: go for it. You'll like it, I promise.
So go on, even if you've never given France a single thought: go for it. You'll like it, I promise.
February 14, 2022
Fun insights from an expat!
January 13, 2022
I really enjoyed this book! The author is excellent at telling these stories and i really appreciated the subjects. The chapter about Parisian slang was fascinating! This was a fascinating glimpse into Parisian culture. The chapter on politics was so good!
December 7, 2019
Thank you Mr. von Sothen for making me laugh so hard I cried ... I couldn't speak at times for laughing, but also showing us a certain poignancy about your life. If you like books about Paris, this is definitely worth your time.
February 27, 2022
A quirky, amusing memoir by John von Sothen of his expat life in Paris. Straddling two cultures (French and American), von Sothen recounts his experiences of raising a family with his chic, Parisian wife with charm, humor, and a healthy dose of cynicism. I found this one entertaining but not entirely memorable. Perfect for those needing a nice, quick escape!
April 4, 2020
Monsieur Mediocre is a very difficult book to review because parts of it are much better/more entertaining than others. The book is set up, not as a standard-timeline of an ex-pat American's adjustment to living in Paris with his French wife and their eventual kids. Instead, each chapter of the book focuses on a different aspect of French society: school, food, vacations, work, response to the US elections, etc. As someone who lived in Paris for a year, I was very curious to see how a long-term life there might appear. I very much enjoyed some of the topics and felt the author was trying way too hard in others. Giving it a 3.75 overall, with a range of about 2.5 - 4, depending on which page you are on at the time.
July 28, 2019
A wonderful, personal, funny and touching....memoire? Sociopolitical critique? Whimsical travel lit?
It's hard to classify this eminently readable and enjoyable volume. John (I've known him for 30 years, I get to call him John) has always been a keen observer and deft wordsmith, both in conversation and in short form, but it turns out he's quite the full-length scribe, as well.
Of course the final chapter was the real kicker - coup de grâce, if you will. It got me right in the kishkes, as the saying goes, and reminded me just how much he and I have in common. Let's just say that people with older parents often have similar stories.
Bravo, mon vieux!
It's hard to classify this eminently readable and enjoyable volume. John (I've known him for 30 years, I get to call him John) has always been a keen observer and deft wordsmith, both in conversation and in short form, but it turns out he's quite the full-length scribe, as well.
Of course the final chapter was the real kicker - coup de grâce, if you will. It got me right in the kishkes, as the saying goes, and reminded me just how much he and I have in common. Let's just say that people with older parents often have similar stories.
Bravo, mon vieux!
November 1, 2020
John is a closet Francophile. John meets and marries a French woman. John moves to France. John finds France nothing like his expectations.
The first part of the book includes lots of interesting insights into *John's perceptions* of French life. That part flew. The second part, on the other hand, is very stream of consciousness and focuses mostly on John's increasing disillusions with both French and American life and politics. Not, in my opinion, worth spending time on.
The first part of the book includes lots of interesting insights into *John's perceptions* of French life. That part flew. The second part, on the other hand, is very stream of consciousness and focuses mostly on John's increasing disillusions with both French and American life and politics. Not, in my opinion, worth spending time on.
June 19, 2019
Off with the Rose Colored Glasses! Monseiur Mediocre
http://fangswandsandfairydust.com/201...
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader’s copy of this book. No remuneration was exchanged and all opinions presented herein are my own except as noted.
As the synopsis above says, American's love to love Paris; or the idea of Paris. I would generalize that further to all of France, and to some extent all of Europe.
I don't believe Americans have cornered the market on idealizing other places, it fuels hopeful migration, and gets people traveling. In Mr. von Southen's case his earliest idea of France was from his childhood his mother regaled him with stories from her time in France. This led him to learn French and spend time abroad. It gave him a first hand, but immature and institutional view of what life in France was like.
The opportunity to live in France came through his marriage and the decision to raise a family there.
I think he has a balanced view of France, and America. And he relates it to us in a self-effacing manner that is often funny. He talks about his writing, but not too much. He talks about his parents, who had him older, and their activities and their decline. He talks about raising his kids, the political climate of France, and of America. He tells funny stories about how one socializes in France; in particular how one vacations there. He talks about the great things like the good medicine and family allowances. His stories about his cultural mishaps are pretty amusing
I have been to France twice and before going I entertained the same ideas about it: French women do not get fat, French children are always perfectly behaved, all French people are gourmets. I had bad hotel rooms but some very good meals. But I also saw heavy people and poorly behaved children. France still holds wonder but not in the legendary aspects.
He does an excellent job reading his work — in most cases a non-fiction author is the right narrator for the work — but von Sothen's work in voice-overs and on TV means he isn't afraid of the microphone.
And now I know how to say "Anais," his wife's name, properly (Anna-iss).
This is a good book for any body contemplating a trip to, or life in, France. Von Sothen's writing and observations about France are not as funny as David Sedaris's, but Sedaris is the funniest man alive and no longer lives in France. Von Sothen has stuck it out, becoming a clear-sighted, not-so-much-a-stranger in a no-longer-so-strange-land and it resonated with my own travel experiences.
http://fangswandsandfairydust.com/201...
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader’s copy of this book. No remuneration was exchanged and all opinions presented herein are my own except as noted.
As the synopsis above says, American's love to love Paris; or the idea of Paris. I would generalize that further to all of France, and to some extent all of Europe.
I don't believe Americans have cornered the market on idealizing other places, it fuels hopeful migration, and gets people traveling. In Mr. von Southen's case his earliest idea of France was from his childhood his mother regaled him with stories from her time in France. This led him to learn French and spend time abroad. It gave him a first hand, but immature and institutional view of what life in France was like.
The opportunity to live in France came through his marriage and the decision to raise a family there.
I think he has a balanced view of France, and America. And he relates it to us in a self-effacing manner that is often funny. He talks about his writing, but not too much. He talks about his parents, who had him older, and their activities and their decline. He talks about raising his kids, the political climate of France, and of America. He tells funny stories about how one socializes in France; in particular how one vacations there. He talks about the great things like the good medicine and family allowances. His stories about his cultural mishaps are pretty amusing
I have been to France twice and before going I entertained the same ideas about it: French women do not get fat, French children are always perfectly behaved, all French people are gourmets. I had bad hotel rooms but some very good meals. But I also saw heavy people and poorly behaved children. France still holds wonder but not in the legendary aspects.
He does an excellent job reading his work — in most cases a non-fiction author is the right narrator for the work — but von Sothen's work in voice-overs and on TV means he isn't afraid of the microphone.
And now I know how to say "Anais," his wife's name, properly (Anna-iss).
This is a good book for any body contemplating a trip to, or life in, France. Von Sothen's writing and observations about France are not as funny as David Sedaris's, but Sedaris is the funniest man alive and no longer lives in France. Von Sothen has stuck it out, becoming a clear-sighted, not-so-much-a-stranger in a no-longer-so-strange-land and it resonated with my own travel experiences.
March 4, 2021
This book is a Delight especially as one has always has the fantasy of running off and moving to another country and why not France. The city of lights and romance.
Not as romantic as one would hope but full of history and culture that does provide a richness and information
The book is full of word oak essays that are funny but really painting a portrait of the authors life and experiences in France. While also dispelling some myths and describing the culture of France.
Giving a reality to that fantasy the positives and the negatives.
Mia tofbthe essays are witty and funny. Though the last one sibthe most personal and the strongest that cuts to the heart. An essay that dienaMt even have to be about Paris itself but mroe about growing up and the loss of those who raised you
As someone who desires to travel more. Especially internationally these books truly help in not only keeping that passion strong but preparation for once finally getting to make that move.
Almost a travelers guide and a lifestyle guide. While reading fo another’s exploits
Getting to live out some people’s fantasy, only also revealing the rough edges to it.
An easy quick read that feels like a trip to the countryside itself. That does make you want to rub off and travel through Europe
Not as strong. As Hemmings gray but interesting and a bit inspiring but only if you can luck into the same circumstances
Though to each their own in experiences, trips and life. They are never quite the same for us all.
As he describes his new found homeland and all it’s intricacies while it might dispel
Some myths. It also still makes you want to visit and experience it for yourself.
Though the film hopefully also makes you appreciate where you live and come from and all the characters and intricaties it has. Where it might not be perfect but there is something magical and one of a kind.
As he seems to be a person who travels regularly and moves on and lays his head wherever in growing up. It also seems like France has always been in the background from visits to school abroad. Where as once he finally settles and haas a reason to stay. It might also be because this is the one place where he has spent the most time and has been constant. Where as growing up he had homes but eventually moved onto somewhere else to conquer and explore.
Though really would I’love to find a similar book for what it might be like for a person of color to move to a new foreign locale would it be quite the same experience would there be more hardships or just a totally different bunch of circumstances. Knows coming into the hisbooo there would be little to no answers to this question. Though glad in general it does help fill in the American experience of settling down in a new foreign European land
Not as romantic as one would hope but full of history and culture that does provide a richness and information
The book is full of word oak essays that are funny but really painting a portrait of the authors life and experiences in France. While also dispelling some myths and describing the culture of France.
Giving a reality to that fantasy the positives and the negatives.
Mia tofbthe essays are witty and funny. Though the last one sibthe most personal and the strongest that cuts to the heart. An essay that dienaMt even have to be about Paris itself but mroe about growing up and the loss of those who raised you
As someone who desires to travel more. Especially internationally these books truly help in not only keeping that passion strong but preparation for once finally getting to make that move.
Almost a travelers guide and a lifestyle guide. While reading fo another’s exploits
Getting to live out some people’s fantasy, only also revealing the rough edges to it.
An easy quick read that feels like a trip to the countryside itself. That does make you want to rub off and travel through Europe
Not as strong. As Hemmings gray but interesting and a bit inspiring but only if you can luck into the same circumstances
Though to each their own in experiences, trips and life. They are never quite the same for us all.
As he describes his new found homeland and all it’s intricacies while it might dispel
Some myths. It also still makes you want to visit and experience it for yourself.
Though the film hopefully also makes you appreciate where you live and come from and all the characters and intricaties it has. Where it might not be perfect but there is something magical and one of a kind.
As he seems to be a person who travels regularly and moves on and lays his head wherever in growing up. It also seems like France has always been in the background from visits to school abroad. Where as once he finally settles and haas a reason to stay. It might also be because this is the one place where he has spent the most time and has been constant. Where as growing up he had homes but eventually moved onto somewhere else to conquer and explore.
Though really would I’love to find a similar book for what it might be like for a person of color to move to a new foreign locale would it be quite the same experience would there be more hardships or just a totally different bunch of circumstances. Knows coming into the hisbooo there would be little to no answers to this question. Though glad in general it does help fill in the American experience of settling down in a new foreign European land
June 29, 2020
#26/52 2020 books. What a terribly pretentious book! I’m completely hooked on travel writing, and I’ll forgive a lot to lose myself vicariously in tales of American ex-pats forging new lives in foreign lands. But that wasn’t the true focus of this book. The real subject was the author and his privileged sense of importance and entitlement.
Obviously, authors in this genre skew wealthier and more privileged than the average person (and often more liberal as well, which in the interest of full disclosure, also applies to me). But they generally openly acknowledge this and balance their books with a self-deprecating humor that renders their stories enjoyable and still somewhat relatable. This was not the case at all for von Sothen. It felt like at least half the book was dedicated to name dropping and rambling on about the credentials and pedigrees of his and his wife’s parents. And a significant portion of the other half of the book featured von Sothen attempting to link his experiences in France to his dull, pretentious background stories.
As a result, the book captured very little about life in France. The chapter regarding the family’s second home in Perche came perhaps the closest to what I’d been expecting based on the book’s description and title, and there were occasional interesting insights into life as a (very privileged) Paris resident (e.g., the role of pony clubs, the importance of dinner parties, and a bit about the general political climate during one moment in time). But ultimately, this book in no way left me feeling transported to the Tenth. Instead, it felt like a waste of my time and money, a stage for a self-important man with serious mommy issues.
Even when I dislike travel writing, I generally still recommend the book to others. There’s almost always something redeeming, a sense of place and perspective worth losing oneself in even when written by the most arrogant, flawed authors. Unfortunately, that’s not the case here; there’s so little about France in this book that there’s no point slogging through this one.
Obviously, authors in this genre skew wealthier and more privileged than the average person (and often more liberal as well, which in the interest of full disclosure, also applies to me). But they generally openly acknowledge this and balance their books with a self-deprecating humor that renders their stories enjoyable and still somewhat relatable. This was not the case at all for von Sothen. It felt like at least half the book was dedicated to name dropping and rambling on about the credentials and pedigrees of his and his wife’s parents. And a significant portion of the other half of the book featured von Sothen attempting to link his experiences in France to his dull, pretentious background stories.
As a result, the book captured very little about life in France. The chapter regarding the family’s second home in Perche came perhaps the closest to what I’d been expecting based on the book’s description and title, and there were occasional interesting insights into life as a (very privileged) Paris resident (e.g., the role of pony clubs, the importance of dinner parties, and a bit about the general political climate during one moment in time). But ultimately, this book in no way left me feeling transported to the Tenth. Instead, it felt like a waste of my time and money, a stage for a self-important man with serious mommy issues.
Even when I dislike travel writing, I generally still recommend the book to others. There’s almost always something redeeming, a sense of place and perspective worth losing oneself in even when written by the most arrogant, flawed authors. Unfortunately, that’s not the case here; there’s so little about France in this book that there’s no point slogging through this one.
May 12, 2022
I loved this book. As an expat (which is simply a bougie American word for immigrant), I feel like it was written just for me. Although the writer lives in France and I live in Germany (as of 2022, my 18th year, eek!), there are many surprising similarities between the two countries and I identified in some way to many of the anecdotes he wrote about.
My favorite chapter is “Wesh we can” which is full of stories about the French equivalent to Denglish (a mash up of German and English) among other hilarities of language from the eyes and ears of an English speaking expat. It is laugh out loud funny. I am sure that it is also funny in print, but the narration in the audiobook for this chapter was priceless. It also introduced me to the concept of Verlan, which is somewhat like the French version of pig Latin but less structured: it is “a type of argot in the French language, featuring inversion of syllables in a word, and is common in slang and youth language.” (Wikipedia)
The last chapter, “There’s No Place Like Chez Moi” was pretty heavy (primarily about ageing parents and dealing with death of friends and family from abroad), but something all expats go through eventually.
Completely resonated with this: “As an American living in France, I often feel like these statues. The chunk that is missing: your heart and your guts, is the home you’ve put behind you. It’s filled in by a present that is colourful and in 3D, but doesn’t quite resemble you. That which does, the still bronze fixed part, is your head and its memories and the bag you hold, which now that you are an expat, you know you can grab in a flash to claim another place as home wherever that may be.”
My favorite chapter is “Wesh we can” which is full of stories about the French equivalent to Denglish (a mash up of German and English) among other hilarities of language from the eyes and ears of an English speaking expat. It is laugh out loud funny. I am sure that it is also funny in print, but the narration in the audiobook for this chapter was priceless. It also introduced me to the concept of Verlan, which is somewhat like the French version of pig Latin but less structured: it is “a type of argot in the French language, featuring inversion of syllables in a word, and is common in slang and youth language.” (Wikipedia)
The last chapter, “There’s No Place Like Chez Moi” was pretty heavy (primarily about ageing parents and dealing with death of friends and family from abroad), but something all expats go through eventually.
Completely resonated with this: “As an American living in France, I often feel like these statues. The chunk that is missing: your heart and your guts, is the home you’ve put behind you. It’s filled in by a present that is colourful and in 3D, but doesn’t quite resemble you. That which does, the still bronze fixed part, is your head and its memories and the bag you hold, which now that you are an expat, you know you can grab in a flash to claim another place as home wherever that may be.”
March 1, 2020
A better than average "American moves to France" account. Well-written, lively, avoids the usual clichés, and is quite entertaining. From Amazon: "A hilarious, candid account of what life in France is actually like, from a writer for Vanity Fair and GQ
Americans love to love Paris. We buy books about how the French parent, why French women don't get fat, and how to be Parisian wherever you are. While our work hours increase every year, we think longingly of the six weeks of vacation the French enjoy, imagining them at the seaside in stripes with plates of fruits de mer.
John von Sothen fell in love with Paris through the stories his mother told of her year spent there as a student. And then, after falling for and marrying a French waitress he met in New York, von Sothen moved to Paris. But fifteen years in, he's finally ready to admit his mother's Paris is mostly a fantasy. In this hilarious and delightful collection of essays, von Sothen walks us through real life in Paris--not only myth-busting our Parisian daydreams but also revealing the inimitable and too often invisible pleasures of family life abroad.
Relentlessly funny and full of incisive observations, Monsieur Mediocre is ultimately a love letter to France--to its absurdities, its history, its ideals--but it's a very French love letter: frank, smoky, unsentimental. It is a clear-eyed ode to a beautiful, complex, contradictory country from someone who both eagerly and grudgingly calls it home."
Americans love to love Paris. We buy books about how the French parent, why French women don't get fat, and how to be Parisian wherever you are. While our work hours increase every year, we think longingly of the six weeks of vacation the French enjoy, imagining them at the seaside in stripes with plates of fruits de mer.
John von Sothen fell in love with Paris through the stories his mother told of her year spent there as a student. And then, after falling for and marrying a French waitress he met in New York, von Sothen moved to Paris. But fifteen years in, he's finally ready to admit his mother's Paris is mostly a fantasy. In this hilarious and delightful collection of essays, von Sothen walks us through real life in Paris--not only myth-busting our Parisian daydreams but also revealing the inimitable and too often invisible pleasures of family life abroad.
Relentlessly funny and full of incisive observations, Monsieur Mediocre is ultimately a love letter to France--to its absurdities, its history, its ideals--but it's a very French love letter: frank, smoky, unsentimental. It is a clear-eyed ode to a beautiful, complex, contradictory country from someone who both eagerly and grudgingly calls it home."
July 8, 2019
I wanted to love this book. It had decent reviews and I spend a lot of time in the car listening to audio books. It seemed like a fun book for long commutes.
I enjoyed the authors voice reading his book. He was easy to listen to and added context in the inflection of his voice. What I didn't like was the book itself. My French lessons ended many years ago and you almost needed to be fluent in French to understand the book. For an American author living in France, he pushed every bit of French vocabulary possible into this book. It was as if he was trying to ensure we knew he was an American living in France.
I wish he had sprinkled the vocabulary throughout the narrative rather than ramming in down your throat. I felt so much was lost in the fact he had to explain words and phrases repeatedly. This could have been a humorous read (listen) but instead I was annoyed.
If you're fluent in French I'm sure you won't want to read the book as many of the concepts were probably covered in your language lessons.
I enjoyed the authors voice reading his book. He was easy to listen to and added context in the inflection of his voice. What I didn't like was the book itself. My French lessons ended many years ago and you almost needed to be fluent in French to understand the book. For an American author living in France, he pushed every bit of French vocabulary possible into this book. It was as if he was trying to ensure we knew he was an American living in France.
I wish he had sprinkled the vocabulary throughout the narrative rather than ramming in down your throat. I felt so much was lost in the fact he had to explain words and phrases repeatedly. This could have been a humorous read (listen) but instead I was annoyed.
If you're fluent in French I'm sure you won't want to read the book as many of the concepts were probably covered in your language lessons.
August 8, 2019
Before and after traveling to France for the first time this spring, I have devoured books written by ex-pats about their time in France (like Julia Child and David Lebovitz). Prior to my trip, I used these books to prep for interacting with the French; after my trip, I’ve read them out of a deep appreciation for the French culture and a desire to continue learning about it despite being stateside. When I saw the cover of Monsieur Mediocre, I knew I had to add it to my stack.
This book was a delight, and had me snorting on multiple occasions. I loved that this book took off the rose colored glasses and portrayed Paris and the French in a different light: beautiful, of course, but also frustrating, complicated, and at times nonsensical. It only made me love Paris more. The beauty of Monsieur Mediocre is that it makes you feel like you’ve discovered the “real” France, and it is one I will return to when I feel like stepping back into Paris.
This book was a delight, and had me snorting on multiple occasions. I loved that this book took off the rose colored glasses and portrayed Paris and the French in a different light: beautiful, of course, but also frustrating, complicated, and at times nonsensical. It only made me love Paris more. The beauty of Monsieur Mediocre is that it makes you feel like you’ve discovered the “real” France, and it is one I will return to when I feel like stepping back into Paris.
November 8, 2019
I found this book from my local library’s featured audiobook newsletter. The title of this book grabbed me, and the synopsis was equally intriguing.
I completely agree with the author’s take that American’s have a very romanticized view of life in Paris and France. I thoroughly enjoyed his discussion of his life in Paris as a new expatriate. Stereotypes are confirmed or busted in this slightly humorous foray into daily life in France. The American author discusses the cultural differences he experiences once he moves to France to marry his pregnant French girlfriend. Sometimes though, the observations become judgmental and less funny. Having recently traveled to France, I felt that many of his observations of how Paris has changed were spot on.
Monsieur Mediocre is entertaining and probably most appealing to Francophiles.
For more reading recommendations, visit Book Junkie Reviews at www.abookjunkiereviews.wordpress.com
I completely agree with the author’s take that American’s have a very romanticized view of life in Paris and France. I thoroughly enjoyed his discussion of his life in Paris as a new expatriate. Stereotypes are confirmed or busted in this slightly humorous foray into daily life in France. The American author discusses the cultural differences he experiences once he moves to France to marry his pregnant French girlfriend. Sometimes though, the observations become judgmental and less funny. Having recently traveled to France, I felt that many of his observations of how Paris has changed were spot on.
Monsieur Mediocre is entertaining and probably most appealing to Francophiles.
For more reading recommendations, visit Book Junkie Reviews at www.abookjunkiereviews.wordpress.com
July 29, 2019
John von Sothen sets out to disabuse assumptions about Paris and let you know what it's "really" like--at least for upper middle class people with kids, flexible jobs and lots of connections. The book is a series of essays about his 15 years as an American ex-pat in Paris, a status brought on by falling in love with a French waitress in New York.
Some of it's quite interesting and funny--I especially liked the essay on language, a version of which I had read in the Wall Street Journal, which prompted me to get this book from the library. The one about weddings was also good, but but here's the big however: No matter how self-deprecating von Sothen tries to make this book, he comes off as a snob with aristocratic inlaws, a country house and membership in a pony club where his daughter takes riding lessons.
Some of it's quite interesting and funny--I especially liked the essay on language, a version of which I had read in the Wall Street Journal, which prompted me to get this book from the library. The one about weddings was also good, but but here's the big however: No matter how self-deprecating von Sothen tries to make this book, he comes off as a snob with aristocratic inlaws, a country house and membership in a pony club where his daughter takes riding lessons.
August 30, 2019
The two best chapters in the book are the first and last both of which are about his parents. The first chapter is how as a child he fell in love with Paris through his mother's reminiscences of being there as a young woman. The final chapter is about the deaths of his parents and his nostalgia for the home he left to become an expat in Paris. The in between chapters are about his life in Paris.
The writing is mediocre. It needed a better editor to correct errors and get his writing about freshman level. The stories are meant to be funny but I seldom laughed or even chuckled. Some of his observations are interesting, but this is not A Year in Provence, Under the Tuscan Sun or any of that genre. It is more snarky, profane, less-romanticized, and less well written.
Read the first and last essay and skip the rest.
The writing is mediocre. It needed a better editor to correct errors and get his writing about freshman level. The stories are meant to be funny but I seldom laughed or even chuckled. Some of his observations are interesting, but this is not A Year in Provence, Under the Tuscan Sun or any of that genre. It is more snarky, profane, less-romanticized, and less well written.
Read the first and last essay and skip the rest.
September 6, 2019
The author had an uncanny knack for seesawing between chapters from funny, to annoying, to snobbish, then back to caring, self-deprecating, and then to a strange combination of annoying and kind all at the same time. The chapter titled, "The Aristocrats," almost had me close the book for good. I enjoy reading about long dead aristocrats, yet somehow reading about a living man recounting how aristocratic his wife's family is, and it turn, how aristocratic his American family also is, just seemed to rub the wrong way.
But I persevered and realized his style takes some getting used to. And the point of reading this wasn't to become friends with the author, but to understand an expat's views about living in Paris. In hindsight, there was a lot to learn that was rather interesting. After all, this was his story to tell and I'm glad I stuck around to the end.
But I persevered and realized his style takes some getting used to. And the point of reading this wasn't to become friends with the author, but to understand an expat's views about living in Paris. In hindsight, there was a lot to learn that was rather interesting. After all, this was his story to tell and I'm glad I stuck around to the end.
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