Sara Crompton Meade: Why I've enjoyed reading these books about France

This was previously posted under another (rather dull) heading, so I am now including my thoughts on each book and why I enjoyed reading them. Read on...

Allons Enfants - A New Zealand Family in France, Linda Burgess Well, she's a New Zealand journalist/writer with an ex-All Blacks husband, so it has to be a good read! I have read it several times, mostly to discover tips on how to adapt to life in France and to find out how her children coped the changes. It covers the two periods she and her husband lived in France, and is remarkably moving in places.

My Life in France (Ma Vie en France), Julia Child You can just about hear Julia hooting with laughter as you read this book. I first saw Julia Child when I was a teenager, surfing the three channels we had available on TV at the time. I thought there must be a mistake: why was this overly-loud bossy lady on TV and why was an American teaching French cookery? All my questions and more have been answered by reading this really lovely book.

Almost French - A New Life in Paris, Sarah Turnbull Another book written by an Antipodean who has moved to France. Sarah is from Australia and moves to France to be with her French boyfriend. I've read this several times too, for the pure pleasure of it and for her wonderful writing. It's a different angle for me though as at the time of writing she had no children so I didn't get the family-aspect that I was wanting to read about, but her observations are fantastic, and I agree, I agree, I agree so often with what she says.

A Year in Provence, Peter Mayle

Encore Provence, Peter Mayle

Toujours Provence, Peter Mayle

A Dog's Life, Peter Mayle All of these books are just a great read. Peter writes in such a joyfully accessible way and makes as much fun of himself as he takes joy in all he finds around him. They make more sense to me now that I live in France. I didn't 'get' them when I lived in New Zealand.

Fete Accomplie - A New Zealander’s Culinary Romance, Peta Mathias

French Toast - Eating and Laughing Your Way Around France, Peta Mathias

Salut! Peta Mathias Peta Mathais (yes another New Zealander - a personality extraodinaire) has devoted many years to living, travelling and cooking in France. I have to have a little lie down between chapters as she crams so much LIFE and JOY into each page, but they are wonderful books, and again, make more sense now that I live here.

My Father’s Glory, Marcel Pagnol

My Mother’s Castle, Marcel Pagnol

The Time of Secrets, Marcel Pagnol

The Time of Love, Marcel Pagnol Oh, these books are just beautiful. Watch the films too and deeply breathe the Provencal air and smell the rosemary and thyme growing wild on the hills. He wrote Jean de Florette and Manon de Source too, which I find painfully evocative and far too sad for me, but that's only because I'm a just a little sensitive and should be braver... But his writing is magnificent and I feel so happy to have read his books.

Sixty Million Frenchmen Can’t be Wrong - What Makes the French so French, Jean-Benoit Nadeau & Julie Barlow A veritable bible of information that I would love to read in an updated form in the second decade of the 21st century. I read this twice before we moved to France and once now that we are here. Extremely thorough and educational, yet entertaining at the same time.

The Discovery of France, Graham Robb You can't go past this one. It combines the history of France with insightful observations as to why France is like it is now. The stories he has unearthed are just marvellous and this has had multiple thumbing-throughs as well. Highly recommended by me!

A Certain Je Ne Sais Quoi - The Ideal Guide to Sounding, Acting and Shrugging Like The French, Charles Timoney

Pardon My French - Unleash Your Inner Gaul, Charles Timoney Fun reads and really helpful too. I'm nodding all the time as I read them. I tried reading the first one when I was in New Zealand but the associations weren't easily accessible then. Now - well, I laugh and cry at the same time when I come across some situation or behaviour in his writing that has stumped or astounded me here in France too.

Of course there are other marvellous books and some not so marvellous, and then some I would actively discourage anyone from reading but on the whole, how can you go wrong with such a magnificent subject as France?