WRITING STYLE: 3.5/5
CANDIDNESS: 4/5
ENTERTAINMENT QUOTIENT: 4/5
It was a couple of months back that I discovered Craig Carlson’s Pancakes in Paris in my Netgalley account.
After reading it I was quite fascinated with France and was looking forward to reading more about it.
A lucky chance came my way when I was approached by Mr Keith for an honest book review and soon after a copy was sent to me all the way from the United States.
I sat down to read this book without any set frame of mind or expectations and thank God I did that because that made me enjoy this book all the way more.
“One Sip at a Time” is a memoir of the author’s romantic tryst with France.
The author Keith and his lovely wife Val are both Americans who fell in love with France and with the idea of living in France. It all started when Keith first visited France during his years as a student.
Thereafter, the couple got a chance to live in the French-speaking part of Switzerland for 4 years. It was here that they fell in love with the French way of life and decided to do something about it.
Soon the duo found themselves quitting their full-time jobs, becoming consultants and living part-time in France.
For their stay, they always chose the beautiful Provence; a land which is full of never-ending sunshine, hilltop villages and the deep azure waters of the Mediterranean.
However, there was this one issue which they had not managed to address so far – they didn’t speak French!
But in their quest of learning to live and love the French way, they soon found themselves looking for language partners and started blending in.
What followed is a mix of adventures and misadventures in their pursuit of the French joie de vivre.
The author writes with the utmost candidness and wit. He brilliantly and cleverly tries to bring out the subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) differences between the American and French culture.
Some of them are quite funny and amusing while others point out the advantages of living life the French way. I simply loved all the chapters. They had so much information about France in general.
Now, there are many sources where you can look for information but if you want to know about France in a very casual and entertaining way, this is your book to read.
The author’s writing style is hilarious and carefree and the way he writes about France clearly shows his passion for the country.
Overall, “One Sip at a Time” is a quite epic read if you are looking for something on France and can be your rough guide-to-be if you are thinking of settling there. I give this book 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it to lovers of casual memoirs.