" I haven''t quite finished it yet, but I am reading right not a book called Au Contraire! Figuring out the French. It is written by Frenchman Gilles Asselin and American Ruth Mastron. And having authors from both sides of the pond really seems to help keep this book from being overly judgmental or critical or either side. Though books such as French Toast by Harriet Welty Rochefort (a very fun read!) might be a great story, Au Contraire really zones in on what makes the French ""the French"". To me it is more of a sociological study of a comparison of the two groups (americans and French) more than one person''s experience. In fact they even mention how experiences for will be completely different for different people. I have been in France for most of the last 6 1/2 years and I am still glad that I found this book. Now like any book on this topic, I admit that I don''t agree with 100%, but I think this is the fairest treatment I have seen yet on this subject. For the first time probably, I can read a book of this type without missing home, hating home, or wondering ""what was I thinking""?. In fact, one specific topic completely explained a very dumb argument I had with my French husband last year - an argument whose subject still made me cringe until I read about it. Definitely get this book! And if you''re a WICE member, check out the upcoming catalog because Gilles Asselin will be giving a talk on the book as well. Diana "

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