Paris Match: The Fine Art of Becoming Everyday French

by John von Sothen

In Brooklyn, John von Sothen fell in love with Anas, a French waitress. And then, one night in Paris, on the Pont Neuf, she agreed to marry him ("Bah, we can always get divorced!"). A couple of decades in, the two have become quatre, living in their beloved 10th arondissement with teenage kids who chat to their African neighbours in fluent Parisian slang, and John has even become kind of French himself. Well, he likes to think he has. The family still see him as an American innocent abroad.Paris Match is one of those rare books that makes you laugh out loud, as von Sothen attempts to understand what makes the French tick. Why do they take such long holidays with friends who ration snacks and mock you for sleeping in; why do French men turn to him (an American!) for fashion tips; what really is the correct way to cut brie, and how do you tell if you're being invited to a super-exclusive secret society of intellectuals or a weird sex club John von Sothen has found most of the answers and in this delightful, witty book shares his experience, insights and humour into the fine art of becoming everyday French.

Genres: Nonfiction

288 pages, Paperback

Published April 2, 2020

About the author

John 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.

Reviews

[Sheree | Keeping Up With The Penguins · Rating 4 out of 5]

The American-man-abroad (and specifically the American-man-in-Paris) memoir is well-trod ground. John Von Sothern enters a pretty saturated market with his new book, Paris Match. Still, even though David Sedaris and his ilk have set the bar pretty high, I couldn’t resist giving this one a go. The chapter that had me in stitches – knee-slapping, snort-laughing stitches – was “Wesh We Can”, about his fumbling attempts to make himself understood in French, absolutely the highlight of this generally charming book.

An extended review is available through Keeping Up With The Penguins.

[Michele Mason · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably more 3.5 stars - very funny at times, and providing some great insights into contemporary France.

[Zee Monodee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny, endearing, and a true candid look at life in France, from the perspective of someone who is not French yet is trying his best to fit in (mind, one cannot 'become' French, it seems). Much of the vignettes in this book date from the early 2000s and might not seem 'actual' in tone, but this is after all a memoir of the life lived by the author, and this being the time period that most impacted his life in France, you cannot fault him for that.
I did feel the last 2 chapters veered a bit away from the light-hearted tone that'd been present throughout, and to end/leave on such a 'low' note felt a bit of a bummer that didn't do the whole book until then justice... But that's just my opinion. Still a very good look-see-through into Parisian life from someone who has one foot in (being married to a bona fide French Parisian) and out foot out (being an expat and thus not French/won't ever be French enough)

[Ginny Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

John von Sothen is both an apt observer of human behavior as well as a gifted and hilarious storyteller. While regaling us with his tales of assimilating to life in Paris and France as an ex-pat, we are given a wonderful insider's take on the "real," non-touristy Paris, its customs and challenges for the author, all the while hilariously throwing himself "under the bus" with self-depreciating, hilarious gaffs and unforeseen discoveries of life, parenting, work, marriage, homeownership, etc. - all as an American living in Paris. A heartfelt Bravo!

[Katarína Laurošková · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is something about the Parisian lifestyle that tempts people. The nonchalant dating, perfectly raised kids and endless dinner parties seem like a dream lifestyle. But behind the romantic fantasy, there is a lot of annoying paperwork and language misunderstandings that are an inevitable part of the real Parisian life. Paris Match by John von Sothen talks about the first-hand experience of a foreigner living in Paris, getting to know the culture and people after being born and raised in America.

I enjoyed reading Sothen's adventures a lot, as they truthfully depict the real-life in France. His style is hilarious yet childishly curious, and reading this book you feel like you are in a group of friends listening to one guy talking about his life in Paris. It is charming without leaving out the difficult parts.

I would recommend this book to anyone who would like to take a glimpse of the French way of life. You will probably lose some of the unrealistic expectations but may fall in love with many new and unexpected things instead.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

After living in Paris as a South African expat who needed to integrate and grapple with a new life, new language a d Latin culture, I thoroughly enjoyed John’s perspective and his recounts of life as an expat. I giggled a number of times and grinned when I could totally relate to situations and experiences. Thank you for this great book John!

[Blair · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not a fan of John Von Sothen's writing style. It doesn't hook me in which resulted in me nodding off to school from the boredom. This book feels a little too blah if you know what I mean.
However, I did take away some interesting things from this book, about Paris and the French culture.

[Maggie Ashcroft · Rating 2 out of 5]

A load of middle clasd waffle.

[Ha Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

definitely laugh-out-loud funny

[The Adventures of Isabelle Clare · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book with lots of laughs and a good insight into the live of an expat living in Paris! Well worth a read and got me out of my reading slump!

[Tugce Eren Benfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is an interesting book if you want to see French way through a non-French person's eyes. Enjoyed reading it!