Sixty Million Frenchmen Can't Be Wrong: Why We Love France but Not the French

A great book, that I bought after visiting France. Wish I had read it before our trip! It really helps explain why the French are like they are. Not rude, just having different ideas of "public" and "private" issues. Best point - make sure you say "bonjour" before asking directions!
Also, a very easy and quick read.

60 Million Frenchman is split into three sections (1) French history (why certain events helped make the French the way they are). (2) French system (detailed analysis of almost every aspect of current--as of 2000--French life). (3) Projections for the future.

I liked part one a lot. I think the chapters on the Algerian War and World War Two were particularly apt in explaining how the French mindset has been shaped in recent decades. Part two was good in spots, and reeeeally boring in spots. For example: first there's a whole chapter on grands ecoles, then, because that was apparently not enough, there was a whole chapter devoted exclusively to ENA. I liked some of the chapters on the political stuff though, and how different the French ideas of judicial and executive power are from the American.

Part three was relatively short, a beautiful quick read after slogging through part two. It basically paves the way for what they discuss in their other book (The Story of French). All in all, it's an informative, mostly well-written, detailed look at French history, language, culture, technology, and politics--a perfect read if you're a Francophile, or if you're just wanting to learn more about the French mindset.

Sixty Million Frenchmen Can't Be Wrong...
They could have left the title at that. This book does a great job of explaining cultural differences, history, education, politics, attitudes toward food, dating and many things we anglophones are curious about. There was no need to add the snarky "Why we love France but not the French". Was that to sell more books during a time of anti-French sentiment? It took me 3 more years to buy the book, which is after all, quite good. Bad title! I have many friends in France, speak it fluently and agree with the authors that there is much more to learn than words. More to selling books than naming them too, it would appear!

Sixty Million Frenchmen Can't Be Wrong often times feels like a Francenstein's (spelling deliberate) monster. It begins well enough, offering insight into the "spirit" of French society, and indeed gives highly valuable information, especially regarding the French ideas of personal vs. public space, which every visitor should know. However, as the reader nears the middle of the book the work takes on a text-book quality, which becomes dry and redundant. To boost, what the writers pass as an anthropological study seems to be more or less notes taken during conversations with a few of their French friends. Add to this a few glaring inaccuracies, particularly in the last chapter, and by the end one is left wondering what exactly the point of the work was, or who exactly the audience is that it was meant for. Neither assumption of the book's subtitle was addressed in any sort of clarity. Some more rigorous editing certainly would have strengthened it. I left the book knowing more than I cared to about the ENA, and not enough about the essence of what it means to be a Frenchman/woman.

This book really delves into why the French are the way they are, as cliche as it sounds. The authors do a great job in explaining how French history has shaped the psyche of the people and the government of today. I am still reading this, so I'll probably have more to say once I'm done. I am totally dumbfounded by the all encompassing power the State (French government) has over its people. All roads run to Paris, literally, kind of like how the Arc de Triomphe is situated. I've always had many questions about the French culture, that my French husband has never been able to adequately answer and this book does the trick!