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  <title><![CDATA[I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do): Living in a Small Village in Brittany]]></title>
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  <description><![CDATA[Tired of Provence in books, cuisine, and tablecloths? Exhausted from your armchair travels to Paris? Despairing of ever finding a place that speaks to you beyond reason? You are ripe for a journey to Brittany, where author Mark Greenside reluctantly travels, eats of the crêpes, and finds a second life.<p>When Mark Greenside -- a native New Yorker living in California, doubting (not-as-trusting-as Thomas, downwardly mobile, political lefty, writer, and lifelong skeptic -- is dragged by his girlfriend to a tiny Celtic village in Brittany at the westernmost edge of France, in Finistère, &quot;the end of the world,&quot; his life begins to change.<p>In a playful, headlong style, and with enormous affection for the Bretons, Greenside tells how he makes a life for himself in a country where he doesn't speak the language or know how things are done. Against his personal inclinations and better judgments, he places his trust in the villagers he encounters -- neighbors, workers, acquaintances -- and is consistently won over and surprised as he manages and survives day-to-day trials: from opening a bank account and buying a house to removing a beehive from the chimney -- in other words, learning the cultural ropes, living with neighbors, and making new friends.<p><em>I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do)</em> is a beginning and a homecoming for Greenside, as his father's family emigrated from France. It is a memoir about fitting in, not standing out; being part of something larger, not being separate from it; following, not leading. It explores the joys and adventures of living a double life.</p></p></p>]]></description>
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    <![CDATA[I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do): Living in a Small Village in Brittany]]>
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    <![CDATA[Tired of Provence in books, cuisine, and tablecloths? Exhausted from your armchair travels to Paris? Despairing of ever finding a place that speaks to you beyond reason? You are ripe for a journey to Brittany, where author Mark Greenside reluctantly travels, eats of the crêpes, and finds a second life.<p>When Mark Greenside -- a native New Yorker living in California, doubting (not-as-trusting-as Thomas, downwardly mobile, political lefty, writer, and lifelong skeptic -- is dragged by his girlfriend to a tiny Celtic village in Brittany at the westernmost edge of France, in Finistère, &quot;the end of the world,&quot; his life begins to change.<p>In a playful, headlong style, and with enormous affection for the Bretons, Greenside tells how he makes a life for himself in a country where he doesn't speak the language or know how things are done. Against his personal inclinations and better judgments, he places his trust in the villagers he encounters -- neighbors, workers, acquaintances -- and is consistently won over and surprised as he manages and survives day-to-day trials: from opening a bank account and buying a house to removing a beehive from the chimney -- in other words, learning the cultural ropes, living with neighbors, and making new friends.<p><em>I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do)</em> is a beginning and a homecoming for Greenside, as his father's family emigrated from France. It is a memoir about fitting in, not standing out; being part of something larger, not being separate from it; following, not leading. It explores the joys and adventures of living a double life.</p></p></p>]]>
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    <body><![CDATA[I can't resist reading about people who find themselves falling in love with another country and then bravely finding a way to live there (and here.)   This book was entertaining, laugh out loud funny, and sweet.  I enjoyed reading about Breton culture and watching Mark bumble his way through buying...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/42303519">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do): Living in a Small Village in Brittany]]>
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    <![CDATA[Tired of Provence in books, cuisine, and tablecloths? Exhausted from your armchair travels to Paris? Despairing of ever finding a place that speaks to you beyond reason? You are ripe for a journey to Brittany, where author Mark Greenside reluctantly travels, eats of the crêpes, and finds a second life.<p>When Mark Greenside -- a native New Yorker living in California, doubting (not-as-trusting-as Thomas, downwardly mobile, political lefty, writer, and lifelong skeptic -- is dragged by his girlfriend to a tiny Celtic village in Brittany at the westernmost edge of France, in Finistère, &quot;the end of the world,&quot; his life begins to change.<p>In a playful, headlong style, and with enormous affection for the Bretons, Greenside tells how he makes a life for himself in a country where he doesn't speak the language or know how things are done. Against his personal inclinations and better judgments, he places his trust in the villagers he encounters -- neighbors, workers, acquaintances -- and is consistently won over and surprised as he manages and survives day-to-day trials: from opening a bank account and buying a house to removing a beehive from the chimney -- in other words, learning the cultural ropes, living with neighbors, and making new friends.<p><em>I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do)</em> is a beginning and a homecoming for Greenside, as his father's family emigrated from France. It is a memoir about fitting in, not standing out; being part of something larger, not being separate from it; following, not leading. It explores the joys and adventures of living a double life.</p></p></p>]]>
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    <body><![CDATA[I must confess that I do not read a lot of travel books, but I was impressed with I’ll Never be French (no matter what I do): Living in a Small Village in Brittany.  Despite the lengthy title, the book is actually a rather brief literary romance between a man and his coastal French town.  Against ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/68194832">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do): Living in a Small Village in Brittany]]>
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    <![CDATA[Tired of Provence in books, cuisine, and tablecloths? Exhausted from your armchair travels to Paris? Despairing of ever finding a place that speaks to you beyond reason? You are ripe for a journey to Brittany, where author Mark Greenside reluctantly travels, eats of the crêpes, and finds a second life.<p>When Mark Greenside -- a native New Yorker living in California, doubting (not-as-trusting-as Thomas, downwardly mobile, political lefty, writer, and lifelong skeptic -- is dragged by his girlfriend to a tiny Celtic village in Brittany at the westernmost edge of France, in Finistère, &quot;the end of the world,&quot; his life begins to change.<p>In a playful, headlong style, and with enormous affection for the Bretons, Greenside tells how he makes a life for himself in a country where he doesn't speak the language or know how things are done. Against his personal inclinations and better judgments, he places his trust in the villagers he encounters -- neighbors, workers, acquaintances -- and is consistently won over and surprised as he manages and survives day-to-day trials: from opening a bank account and buying a house to removing a beehive from the chimney -- in other words, learning the cultural ropes, living with neighbors, and making new friends.<p><em>I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do)</em> is a beginning and a homecoming for Greenside, as his father's family emigrated from France. It is a memoir about fitting in, not standing out; being part of something larger, not being separate from it; following, not leading. It explores the joys and adventures of living a double life.</p></p></p>]]>
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    <body><![CDATA[Ah! I’ve been dreaming of reading a moving-and-starting-over book for ages and, at last, one arrives. I liked this book, too. Greenside has just the right mix of enchantment and perplexity with the French that makes for a lovely story. <br/><br/>Greenside comes to France with a girlfriend but th...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/64803600">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do): Living in a Small Village in Brittany]]>
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    <![CDATA[Tired of Provence in books, cuisine, and tablecloths? Exhausted from your armchair travels to Paris? Despairing of ever finding a place that speaks to you beyond reason? You are ripe for a journey to Brittany, where author Mark Greenside reluctantly travels, eats of the crêpes, and finds a second life.<p>When Mark Greenside -- a native New Yorker living in California, doubting (not-as-trusting-as Thomas, downwardly mobile, political lefty, writer, and lifelong skeptic -- is dragged by his girlfriend to a tiny Celtic village in Brittany at the westernmost edge of France, in Finistère, &quot;the end of the world,&quot; his life begins to change.<p>In a playful, headlong style, and with enormous affection for the Bretons, Greenside tells how he makes a life for himself in a country where he doesn't speak the language or know how things are done. Against his personal inclinations and better judgments, he places his trust in the villagers he encounters -- neighbors, workers, acquaintances -- and is consistently won over and surprised as he manages and survives day-to-day trials: from opening a bank account and buying a house to removing a beehive from the chimney -- in other words, learning the cultural ropes, living with neighbors, and making new friends.<p><em>I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do)</em> is a beginning and a homecoming for Greenside, as his father's family emigrated from France. It is a memoir about fitting in, not standing out; being part of something larger, not being separate from it; following, not leading. It explores the joys and adventures of living a double life.</p></p></p>]]>
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  <read_at>Tue Feb 03 00:00:00 -0800 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Fri Jan 23 20:15:17 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Feb 03 19:03:47 -0800 2009</date_updated>
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    <body><![CDATA[Mark Greenside grudgingly agrees to spend a summer in a small town in Brittany with his girlfriend.  He figures that Kathryn speaks French, and it will be a nice place for them both to write for a while.  Their relationship falls apart, but by then he has made firm friendships despite his utter lack...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/44132132">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do): Living in a Small Village in Brittany]]>
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    <![CDATA[Tired of Provence in books, cuisine, and tablecloths? Exhausted from your armchair travels to Paris? Despairing of ever finding a place that speaks to you beyond reason? You are ripe for a journey to Brittany, where author Mark Greenside reluctantly travels, eats of the crêpes, and finds a second life.<p>When Mark Greenside -- a native New Yorker living in California, doubting (not-as-trusting-as Thomas, downwardly mobile, political lefty, writer, and lifelong skeptic -- is dragged by his girlfriend to a tiny Celtic village in Brittany at the westernmost edge of France, in Finistère, &quot;the end of the world,&quot; his life begins to change.<p>In a playful, headlong style, and with enormous affection for the Bretons, Greenside tells how he makes a life for himself in a country where he doesn't speak the language or know how things are done. Against his personal inclinations and better judgments, he places his trust in the villagers he encounters -- neighbors, workers, acquaintances -- and is consistently won over and surprised as he manages and survives day-to-day trials: from opening a bank account and buying a house to removing a beehive from the chimney -- in other words, learning the cultural ropes, living with neighbors, and making new friends.<p><em>I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do)</em> is a beginning and a homecoming for Greenside, as his father's family emigrated from France. It is a memoir about fitting in, not standing out; being part of something larger, not being separate from it; following, not leading. It explores the joys and adventures of living a double life.</p></p></p>]]>
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  <read_at>Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2009</read_at>
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    <body><![CDATA[Greenside's old hippie self is in for a cultural awakening by living in a foreign land.  I laughed out loud at some of Mark's attempts to win over his French neighbors and townspeople in this wonderful story of a mature man falling in love with a grace-filled area and trying to make a life for himse...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/43354056">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do): Living in a Small Village in Brittany]]>
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    <![CDATA[Tired of Provence in books, cuisine, and tablecloths? Exhausted from your armchair travels to Paris? Despairing of ever finding a place that speaks to you beyond reason? You are ripe for a journey to Brittany, where author Mark Greenside reluctantly travels, eats of the crêpes, and finds a second life.<p>When Mark Greenside -- a native New Yorker living in California, doubting (not-as-trusting-as Thomas, downwardly mobile, political lefty, writer, and lifelong skeptic -- is dragged by his girlfriend to a tiny Celtic village in Brittany at the westernmost edge of France, in Finistère, &quot;the end of the world,&quot; his life begins to change.<p>In a playful, headlong style, and with enormous affection for the Bretons, Greenside tells how he makes a life for himself in a country where he doesn't speak the language or know how things are done. Against his personal inclinations and better judgments, he places his trust in the villagers he encounters -- neighbors, workers, acquaintances -- and is consistently won over and surprised as he manages and survives day-to-day trials: from opening a bank account and buying a house to removing a beehive from the chimney -- in other words, learning the cultural ropes, living with neighbors, and making new friends.<p><em>I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do)</em> is a beginning and a homecoming for Greenside, as his father's family emigrated from France. It is a memoir about fitting in, not standing out; being part of something larger, not being separate from it; following, not leading. It explores the joys and adventures of living a double life.</p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2008</published>
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    <rating>3</rating>
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  <date_added>Sun Jan 11 16:26:42 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sun Jan 11 16:31:30 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Okay, eight years of French all those years ago steer me to books like this...I cannot help myself, plus it got a good review in the Free Press.   Not as good as the Peter Mayle books.  But maybe 3 and 1/2 stars. My interest waned about halfway through but I finished it nonetheless.  From a man's po...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/42721247">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do): Living in a Small Village in Brittany]]>
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    <![CDATA[Tired of Provence in books, cuisine, and tablecloths? Exhausted from your armchair travels to Paris? Despairing of ever finding a place that speaks to you beyond reason? You are ripe for a journey to Brittany, where author Mark Greenside reluctantly travels, eats of the crêpes, and finds a second life.<p>When Mark Greenside -- a native New Yorker living in California, doubting (not-as-trusting-as Thomas, downwardly mobile, political lefty, writer, and lifelong skeptic -- is dragged by his girlfriend to a tiny Celtic village in Brittany at the westernmost edge of France, in Finistère, &quot;the end of the world,&quot; his life begins to change.<p>In a playful, headlong style, and with enormous affection for the Bretons, Greenside tells how he makes a life for himself in a country where he doesn't speak the language or know how things are done. Against his personal inclinations and better judgments, he places his trust in the villagers he encounters -- neighbors, workers, acquaintances -- and is consistently won over and surprised as he manages and survives day-to-day trials: from opening a bank account and buying a house to removing a beehive from the chimney -- in other words, learning the cultural ropes, living with neighbors, and making new friends.<p><em>I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do)</em> is a beginning and a homecoming for Greenside, as his father's family emigrated from France. It is a memoir about fitting in, not standing out; being part of something larger, not being separate from it; following, not leading. It explores the joys and adventures of living a double life.</p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
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  <read_at>Fri Mar 27 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
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  <date_updated>Sun Jun 28 16:26:13 -0700 2009</date_updated>
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    <body><![CDATA[I am usually wary of books about Americans living abroad because they are often so terribly filled with an endless and uncomfortable chant of &quot;Americans are like this and the French are like that.&quot; There was a little of that in here, but mostly it was a very enjoyable memoir about buying a...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/61426295">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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      <review>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do): Living in a Small Village in Brittany]]>
  </title>
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    <![CDATA[Tired of Provence in books, cuisine, and tablecloths? Exhausted from your armchair travels to Paris? Despairing of ever finding a place that speaks to you beyond reason? You are ripe for a journey to Brittany, where author Mark Greenside reluctantly travels, eats of the crêpes, and finds a second life.<p>When Mark Greenside -- a native New Yorker living in California, doubting (not-as-trusting-as Thomas, downwardly mobile, political lefty, writer, and lifelong skeptic -- is dragged by his girlfriend to a tiny Celtic village in Brittany at the westernmost edge of France, in Finistère, &quot;the end of the world,&quot; his life begins to change.<p>In a playful, headlong style, and with enormous affection for the Bretons, Greenside tells how he makes a life for himself in a country where he doesn't speak the language or know how things are done. Against his personal inclinations and better judgments, he places his trust in the villagers he encounters -- neighbors, workers, acquaintances -- and is consistently won over and surprised as he manages and survives day-to-day trials: from opening a bank account and buying a house to removing a beehive from the chimney -- in other words, learning the cultural ropes, living with neighbors, and making new friends.<p><em>I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do)</em> is a beginning and a homecoming for Greenside, as his father's family emigrated from France. It is a memoir about fitting in, not standing out; being part of something larger, not being separate from it; following, not leading. It explores the joys and adventures of living a double life.</p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
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    <rating>2</rating>
  <votes>1</votes>
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  <read_at>Thu Mar 05 00:00:00 -0800 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Thu Mar 05 09:22:58 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Thu Mar 05 09:30:15 -0800 2009</date_updated>
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    <body><![CDATA[<br/><br/>Started out as a potentially enchanting book but just tripped over itself.  I last studied French in high school so a lot of the French dialogue can only be appreciated by someone who knows French.  And then there were parts in the story that just seemed missing.  <br/><br/>I could und...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/48319533">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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      <review>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do): Living in a Small Village in Brittany]]>
  </title>
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    <![CDATA[Tired of Provence in books, cuisine, and tablecloths? Exhausted from your armchair travels to Paris? Despairing of ever finding a place that speaks to you beyond reason? You are ripe for a journey to Brittany, where author Mark Greenside reluctantly travels, eats of the crêpes, and finds a second life.<p>When Mark Greenside -- a native New Yorker living in California, doubting (not-as-trusting-as Thomas, downwardly mobile, political lefty, writer, and lifelong skeptic -- is dragged by his girlfriend to a tiny Celtic village in Brittany at the westernmost edge of France, in Finistère, &quot;the end of the world,&quot; his life begins to change.<p>In a playful, headlong style, and with enormous affection for the Bretons, Greenside tells how he makes a life for himself in a country where he doesn't speak the language or know how things are done. Against his personal inclinations and better judgments, he places his trust in the villagers he encounters -- neighbors, workers, acquaintances -- and is consistently won over and surprised as he manages and survives day-to-day trials: from opening a bank account and buying a house to removing a beehive from the chimney -- in other words, learning the cultural ropes, living with neighbors, and making new friends.<p><em>I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do)</em> is a beginning and a homecoming for Greenside, as his father's family emigrated from France. It is a memoir about fitting in, not standing out; being part of something larger, not being separate from it; following, not leading. It explores the joys and adventures of living a double life.</p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
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    <rating>4</rating>
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  <read_at>Sun Nov 30 00:00:00 -0800 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Mon Dec 01 11:03:26 -0800 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Mon Dec 01 11:06:28 -0800 2008</date_updated>
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    <body><![CDATA[If you enjoy Bourdain, you might enjoy this, although it's not quite as gonzo.  I laughed a lot at this fellow's efforts to speak French (among other things).  Surely this will come back to bite me in the future.  But even if you don't speak French, you can enjoy this book.  It made me want to drop ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/39035310">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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      <review>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do): Living in a Small Village in Brittany]]>
  </title>
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    <![CDATA[Tired of Provence in books, cuisine, and tablecloths? Exhausted from your armchair travels to Paris? Despairing of ever finding a place that speaks to you beyond reason? You are ripe for a journey to Brittany, where author Mark Greenside reluctantly travels, eats of the crêpes, and finds a second life.<p>When Mark Greenside -- a native New Yorker living in California, doubting (not-as-trusting-as Thomas, downwardly mobile, political lefty, writer, and lifelong skeptic -- is dragged by his girlfriend to a tiny Celtic village in Brittany at the westernmost edge of France, in Finistère, &quot;the end of the world,&quot; his life begins to change.<p>In a playful, headlong style, and with enormous affection for the Bretons, Greenside tells how he makes a life for himself in a country where he doesn't speak the language or know how things are done. Against his personal inclinations and better judgments, he places his trust in the villagers he encounters -- neighbors, workers, acquaintances -- and is consistently won over and surprised as he manages and survives day-to-day trials: from opening a bank account and buying a house to removing a beehive from the chimney -- in other words, learning the cultural ropes, living with neighbors, and making new friends.<p><em>I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do)</em> is a beginning and a homecoming for Greenside, as his father's family emigrated from France. It is a memoir about fitting in, not standing out; being part of something larger, not being separate from it; following, not leading. It explores the joys and adventures of living a double life.</p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
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  <read_at>Sun Aug 02 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Mon Aug 03 00:56:10 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Mon Aug 03 01:01:09 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Ladies should make sure to wear waterproof mascara when reading this hilarious book.  It's not just laugh out loud, it's laugh till the tears flow, ---- wheeze, chuckle, and shriek (at least in my case) with laughter. The subject matter is, of course, of interest to anyone even remotely francophilic...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/65964489">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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      <review>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do): Living in a Small Village in Brittany]]>
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  <average_rating>3.54</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>136</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Tired of Provence in books, cuisine, and tablecloths? Exhausted from your armchair travels to Paris? Despairing of ever finding a place that speaks to you beyond reason? You are ripe for a journey to Brittany, where author Mark Greenside reluctantly travels, eats of the crêpes, and finds a second life.<p>When Mark Greenside -- a native New Yorker living in California, doubting (not-as-trusting-as Thomas, downwardly mobile, political lefty, writer, and lifelong skeptic -- is dragged by his girlfriend to a tiny Celtic village in Brittany at the westernmost edge of France, in Finistère, &quot;the end of the world,&quot; his life begins to change.<p>In a playful, headlong style, and with enormous affection for the Bretons, Greenside tells how he makes a life for himself in a country where he doesn't speak the language or know how things are done. Against his personal inclinations and better judgments, he places his trust in the villagers he encounters -- neighbors, workers, acquaintances -- and is consistently won over and surprised as he manages and survives day-to-day trials: from opening a bank account and buying a house to removing a beehive from the chimney -- in other words, learning the cultural ropes, living with neighbors, and making new friends.<p><em>I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do)</em> is a beginning and a homecoming for Greenside, as his father's family emigrated from France. It is a memoir about fitting in, not standing out; being part of something larger, not being separate from it; following, not leading. It explores the joys and adventures of living a double life.</p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[Francophiles]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Sat Aug 08 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Sat Aug 08 16:42:50 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sat Aug 08 17:02:01 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[The author is humorously self-deprecating, but ultimately resorts to too many easy stereotypes about Americans and the French. Certainly, Greenside could have found just as many artisans and good bargains in certain small towns in the US. And some of the things he finds charming about the French see...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/66683254">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/66683254]]></url>
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      <review>
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    <![CDATA[I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do): Living in a Small Village in Brittany]]>
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  <average_rating>3.54</average_rating>
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    <![CDATA[Tired of Provence in books, cuisine, and tablecloths? Exhausted from your armchair travels to Paris? Despairing of ever finding a place that speaks to you beyond reason? You are ripe for a journey to Brittany, where author Mark Greenside reluctantly travels, eats of the crêpes, and finds a second life.<p>When Mark Greenside -- a native New Yorker living in California, doubting (not-as-trusting-as Thomas, downwardly mobile, political lefty, writer, and lifelong skeptic -- is dragged by his girlfriend to a tiny Celtic village in Brittany at the westernmost edge of France, in Finistère, &quot;the end of the world,&quot; his life begins to change.<p>In a playful, headlong style, and with enormous affection for the Bretons, Greenside tells how he makes a life for himself in a country where he doesn't speak the language or know how things are done. Against his personal inclinations and better judgments, he places his trust in the villagers he encounters -- neighbors, workers, acquaintances -- and is consistently won over and surprised as he manages and survives day-to-day trials: from opening a bank account and buying a house to removing a beehive from the chimney -- in other words, learning the cultural ropes, living with neighbors, and making new friends.<p><em>I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do)</em> is a beginning and a homecoming for Greenside, as his father's family emigrated from France. It is a memoir about fitting in, not standing out; being part of something larger, not being separate from it; following, not leading. It explores the joys and adventures of living a double life.</p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2008</published>
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  <read_at>Wed Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Wed Jul 08 12:15:55 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Wed Jul 08 12:18:07 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[It must be catching - Bay Area English professors buying houses in Europe that they spend their summers in.  This is sort of another story in the Frances Mayes style though the house in in Brittany instead of Tuscany.  Since it is also told from a man's POV, there are some differences and he doesn't...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/62651098">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/62651098]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/62651098]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>61307874</id>
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    <id>1858885</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Laps5]]></name>
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  <id type="integer">3506388</id>
  <isbn>1416586873</isbn>
  <isbn13>9781416586876</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">49</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do): Living in a Small Village in Brittany]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-111x148.jpg</image_url>
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  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3506388.I_ll_Never_Be_French_no_matter_what_I_do_Living_in_a_Small_Village_in_Brittany</link>
  <average_rating>3.54</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>136</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Tired of Provence in books, cuisine, and tablecloths? Exhausted from your armchair travels to Paris? Despairing of ever finding a place that speaks to you beyond reason? You are ripe for a journey to Brittany, where author Mark Greenside reluctantly travels, eats of the crêpes, and finds a second life.<p>When Mark Greenside -- a native New Yorker living in California, doubting (not-as-trusting-as Thomas, downwardly mobile, political lefty, writer, and lifelong skeptic -- is dragged by his girlfriend to a tiny Celtic village in Brittany at the westernmost edge of France, in Finistère, &quot;the end of the world,&quot; his life begins to change.<p>In a playful, headlong style, and with enormous affection for the Bretons, Greenside tells how he makes a life for himself in a country where he doesn't speak the language or know how things are done. Against his personal inclinations and better judgments, he places his trust in the villagers he encounters -- neighbors, workers, acquaintances -- and is consistently won over and surprised as he manages and survives day-to-day trials: from opening a bank account and buying a house to removing a beehive from the chimney -- in other words, learning the cultural ropes, living with neighbors, and making new friends.<p><em>I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do)</em> is a beginning and a homecoming for Greenside, as his father's family emigrated from France. It is a memoir about fitting in, not standing out; being part of something larger, not being separate from it; following, not leading. It explores the joys and adventures of living a double life.</p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2008</published>
</book>

    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[Read a review]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Wed Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Sat Jun 27 12:53:57 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sun Jul 05 12:46:31 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count>1</read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[What a nice book. Quick read for me. Given all my Grandparents are from Brittany was part of the reason i wanted to read it. Two of the last names mentioned in the book are the same as relatives of mine. And I found out from my Dad that the town of Finistere (where the book takes place) is where my ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/61307874">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/61307874]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/61307874]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>41094314</id>
    <user>
    <id>1138150</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Nicole]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Haymarket, VA]]></location>
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  <isbn>1416586873</isbn>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do): Living in a Small Village in Brittany]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-111x148.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-60x80.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3506388.I_ll_Never_Be_French_no_matter_what_I_do_Living_in_a_Small_Village_in_Brittany</link>
  <average_rating>3.54</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>136</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Tired of Provence in books, cuisine, and tablecloths? Exhausted from your armchair travels to Paris? Despairing of ever finding a place that speaks to you beyond reason? You are ripe for a journey to Brittany, where author Mark Greenside reluctantly travels, eats of the crêpes, and finds a second life.<p>When Mark Greenside -- a native New Yorker living in California, doubting (not-as-trusting-as Thomas, downwardly mobile, political lefty, writer, and lifelong skeptic -- is dragged by his girlfriend to a tiny Celtic village in Brittany at the westernmost edge of France, in Finistère, &quot;the end of the world,&quot; his life begins to change.<p>In a playful, headlong style, and with enormous affection for the Bretons, Greenside tells how he makes a life for himself in a country where he doesn't speak the language or know how things are done. Against his personal inclinations and better judgments, he places his trust in the villagers he encounters -- neighbors, workers, acquaintances -- and is consistently won over and surprised as he manages and survives day-to-day trials: from opening a bank account and buying a house to removing a beehive from the chimney -- in other words, learning the cultural ropes, living with neighbors, and making new friends.<p><em>I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do)</em> is a beginning and a homecoming for Greenside, as his father's family emigrated from France. It is a memoir about fitting in, not standing out; being part of something larger, not being separate from it; following, not leading. It explores the joys and adventures of living a double life.</p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2008</published>
</book>

    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[Francophiles and Anti-Frenchies alike]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Mon Dec 29 00:00:00 -0800 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Sun Dec 28 11:02:02 -0800 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Dec 30 15:12:09 -0800 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[As others have said before, this book makes me want to up and move to France.  I love the french culture, their more laid-back approach to social contact and their seeming purposefully confusing etiquette rules.  This book gives you a good look into French life, and will crush most American prejudic...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/41094314">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/41094314]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/41094314]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>69640295</id>
    <user>
    <id>1893523</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Crystal]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Palo Alto, CA]]></location>
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  <id type="integer">6699779</id>
  <isbn>1416586954</isbn>
  <isbn13>9781416586951</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">2</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do): Living in a Small Village in Brittany]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>3.54</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>136</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Tired of Provence in books, cuisine, and tablecloths? Exhausted from your armchair travels to Paris? Despairing of ever finding a place that speaks to you beyond reason? You are ripe for a journey to Brittany, where author Mark Greenside reluctantly travels, eats of the crêpes, and finds a second life.<p>When Mark Greenside -- a native New Yorker living in California, doubting (not-as-trusting-as Thomas, downwardly mobile, political lefty, writer, and lifelong skeptic -- is dragged by his girlfriend to a tiny Celtic village in Brittany at the westernmost edge of France, in Finistère, &quot;the end of the world,&quot; his life begins to change.<p>In a playful, headlong style, and with enormous affection for the Bretons, Greenside tells how he makes a life for himself in a country where he doesn't speak the language or know how things are done. Against his personal inclinations and better judgments, he places his trust in the villagers he encounters -- neighbors, workers, acquaintances -- and is consistently won over and surprised as he manages and survives day-to-day trials: from opening a bank account and buying a house to removing a beehive from the chimney -- in other words, learning the cultural ropes, living with neighbors, and making new friends.<p><em>I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do)</em> is a beginning and a homecoming for Greenside, as his father's family emigrated from France. It is a memoir about fitting in, not standing out; being part of something larger, not being separate from it; following, not leading. It explores the joys and adventures of living a double life.</p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2008</published>
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    <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <read_at>Tue Aug 25 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Mon Aug 31 20:50:37 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Sep 01 22:19:34 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Starting right out with the title of this book, I identified with the author throughout. I've said to myself and others many times a variation: I can never be French; I can never be anything but an American no matter how hard I try. That somebody other than myself might actually want to be and that ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/69640295">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/69640295]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/69640295]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>45395274</id>
    <user>
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    <name><![CDATA[Martha]]></name>
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  <text_reviews_count type="integer">49</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do): Living in a Small Village in Brittany]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-111x148.jpg</image_url>
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  <average_rating>3.54</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>136</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Tired of Provence in books, cuisine, and tablecloths? Exhausted from your armchair travels to Paris? Despairing of ever finding a place that speaks to you beyond reason? You are ripe for a journey to Brittany, where author Mark Greenside reluctantly travels, eats of the crêpes, and finds a second life.<p>When Mark Greenside -- a native New Yorker living in California, doubting (not-as-trusting-as Thomas, downwardly mobile, political lefty, writer, and lifelong skeptic -- is dragged by his girlfriend to a tiny Celtic village in Brittany at the westernmost edge of France, in Finistère, &quot;the end of the world,&quot; his life begins to change.<p>In a playful, headlong style, and with enormous affection for the Bretons, Greenside tells how he makes a life for himself in a country where he doesn't speak the language or know how things are done. Against his personal inclinations and better judgments, he places his trust in the villagers he encounters -- neighbors, workers, acquaintances -- and is consistently won over and surprised as he manages and survives day-to-day trials: from opening a bank account and buying a house to removing a beehive from the chimney -- in other words, learning the cultural ropes, living with neighbors, and making new friends.<p><em>I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do)</em> is a beginning and a homecoming for Greenside, as his father's family emigrated from France. It is a memoir about fitting in, not standing out; being part of something larger, not being separate from it; following, not leading. It explores the joys and adventures of living a double life.</p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2008</published>
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    <rating>3</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <date_added>Wed Feb 04 16:00:07 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Wed Feb 04 16:02:11 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Living in France, with the culture, food and wine must be wonderful.  The story takes place in Brittany, I was online already checking out hotels in the region.  It tends to follow the other books of this type and i enjoyed it only for the exposure to a new part of France.]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/45395274]]></url>
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</review>
      <review>
  <id>63274240</id>
    <user>
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    <name><![CDATA[Patty]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Los Altos, CA]]></location>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do): Living in a Small Village in Brittany]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-111x148.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-60x80.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3506388.I_ll_Never_Be_French_no_matter_what_I_do_Living_in_a_Small_Village_in_Brittany</link>
  <average_rating>3.54</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>136</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Tired of Provence in books, cuisine, and tablecloths? Exhausted from your armchair travels to Paris? Despairing of ever finding a place that speaks to you beyond reason? You are ripe for a journey to Brittany, where author Mark Greenside reluctantly travels, eats of the crêpes, and finds a second life.<p>When Mark Greenside -- a native New Yorker living in California, doubting (not-as-trusting-as Thomas, downwardly mobile, political lefty, writer, and lifelong skeptic -- is dragged by his girlfriend to a tiny Celtic village in Brittany at the westernmost edge of France, in Finistère, &quot;the end of the world,&quot; his life begins to change.<p>In a playful, headlong style, and with enormous affection for the Bretons, Greenside tells how he makes a life for himself in a country where he doesn't speak the language or know how things are done. Against his personal inclinations and better judgments, he places his trust in the villagers he encounters -- neighbors, workers, acquaintances -- and is consistently won over and surprised as he manages and survives day-to-day trials: from opening a bank account and buying a house to removing a beehive from the chimney -- in other words, learning the cultural ropes, living with neighbors, and making new friends.<p><em>I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do)</em> is a beginning and a homecoming for Greenside, as his father's family emigrated from France. It is a memoir about fitting in, not standing out; being part of something larger, not being separate from it; following, not leading. It explores the joys and adventures of living a double life.</p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2008</published>
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    <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <date_added>Mon Jul 13 08:31:02 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Mon Jul 13 08:33:52 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Well written book about buying a home in a small French village and living among the people there.  Something I think about doing, so fun to read about the lessons of others - the author shares all the experiences of it all and I found it super interesting and charming.<br/><br/>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/63274240]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/63274240]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
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    <name><![CDATA[Rosie]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[The United States]]></location>
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  <text_reviews_count type="integer">49</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do): Living in a Small Village in Brittany]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-111x148.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-60x80.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3506388.I_ll_Never_Be_French_no_matter_what_I_do_Living_in_a_Small_Village_in_Brittany</link>
  <average_rating>3.54</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>136</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Tired of Provence in books, cuisine, and tablecloths? Exhausted from your armchair travels to Paris? Despairing of ever finding a place that speaks to you beyond reason? You are ripe for a journey to Brittany, where author Mark Greenside reluctantly travels, eats of the crêpes, and finds a second life.<p>When Mark Greenside -- a native New Yorker living in California, doubting (not-as-trusting-as Thomas, downwardly mobile, political lefty, writer, and lifelong skeptic -- is dragged by his girlfriend to a tiny Celtic village in Brittany at the westernmost edge of France, in Finistère, &quot;the end of the world,&quot; his life begins to change.<p>In a playful, headlong style, and with enormous affection for the Bretons, Greenside tells how he makes a life for himself in a country where he doesn't speak the language or know how things are done. Against his personal inclinations and better judgments, he places his trust in the villagers he encounters -- neighbors, workers, acquaintances -- and is consistently won over and surprised as he manages and survives day-to-day trials: from opening a bank account and buying a house to removing a beehive from the chimney -- in other words, learning the cultural ropes, living with neighbors, and making new friends.<p><em>I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do)</em> is a beginning and a homecoming for Greenside, as his father's family emigrated from France. It is a memoir about fitting in, not standing out; being part of something larger, not being separate from it; following, not leading. It explores the joys and adventures of living a double life.</p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2008</published>
</book>

    <rating>3</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <read_at>Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Wed Feb 04 20:31:45 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Wed Feb 04 20:33:56 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[If you like Peter Mayle's books about settling in Provence you might like this too. Marc<br/>goes to Breton with a girlfriend. The relationship tanks, but his involvement with the community with all its quirks and joys causes him to buy a house...much to his surprise.]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/45422907]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/45422907]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
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    <name><![CDATA[Adrianne]]></name>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do): Living in a Small Village in Brittany]]>
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  <ratings_count>136</ratings_count>
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    <![CDATA[Tired of Provence in books, cuisine, and tablecloths? Exhausted from your armchair travels to Paris? Despairing of ever finding a place that speaks to you beyond reason? You are ripe for a journey to Brittany, where author Mark Greenside reluctantly travels, eats of the crêpes, and finds a second life.<p>When Mark Greenside -- a native New Yorker living in California, doubting (not-as-trusting-as Thomas, downwardly mobile, political lefty, writer, and lifelong skeptic -- is dragged by his girlfriend to a tiny Celtic village in Brittany at the westernmost edge of France, in Finistère, &quot;the end of the world,&quot; his life begins to change.<p>In a playful, headlong style, and with enormous affection for the Bretons, Greenside tells how he makes a life for himself in a country where he doesn't speak the language or know how things are done. Against his personal inclinations and better judgments, he places his trust in the villagers he encounters -- neighbors, workers, acquaintances -- and is consistently won over and surprised as he manages and survives day-to-day trials: from opening a bank account and buying a house to removing a beehive from the chimney -- in other words, learning the cultural ropes, living with neighbors, and making new friends.<p><em>I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do)</em> is a beginning and a homecoming for Greenside, as his father's family emigrated from France. It is a memoir about fitting in, not standing out; being part of something larger, not being separate from it; following, not leading. It explores the joys and adventures of living a double life.</p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2008</published>
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    <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <read_at>Sun Mar 01 00:00:00 -0800 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Tue Mar 17 08:51:12 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Mar 24 09:10:51 -0700 2009</date_updated>
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    <body><![CDATA[Dragged to France for a summer by a girlfriend who was no longer his girlfriend before summer's end, Mark Greenside becomes an unwitting lover of life in Brittany - despite the fact that his French is atrocious and his surprisse at realizing his neighbors are truly nice and friendly!]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/49553751]]></url>
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      <review>
  <id>65072963</id>
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    <name><![CDATA[Michelle]]></name>
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  <id type="integer">3506388</id>
  <isbn>1416586873</isbn>
  <isbn13>9781416586876</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">49</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do): Living in a Small Village in Brittany]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>3.54</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>136</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Tired of Provence in books, cuisine, and tablecloths? Exhausted from your armchair travels to Paris? Despairing of ever finding a place that speaks to you beyond reason? You are ripe for a journey to Brittany, where author Mark Greenside reluctantly travels, eats of the crêpes, and finds a second life.<p>When Mark Greenside -- a native New Yorker living in California, doubting (not-as-trusting-as Thomas, downwardly mobile, political lefty, writer, and lifelong skeptic -- is dragged by his girlfriend to a tiny Celtic village in Brittany at the westernmost edge of France, in Finistère, &quot;the end of the world,&quot; his life begins to change.<p>In a playful, headlong style, and with enormous affection for the Bretons, Greenside tells how he makes a life for himself in a country where he doesn't speak the language or know how things are done. Against his personal inclinations and better judgments, he places his trust in the villagers he encounters -- neighbors, workers, acquaintances -- and is consistently won over and surprised as he manages and survives day-to-day trials: from opening a bank account and buying a house to removing a beehive from the chimney -- in other words, learning the cultural ropes, living with neighbors, and making new friends.<p><em>I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do)</em> is a beginning and a homecoming for Greenside, as his father's family emigrated from France. It is a memoir about fitting in, not standing out; being part of something larger, not being separate from it; following, not leading. It explores the joys and adventures of living a double life.</p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2008</published>
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    <rating>3</rating>
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  <read_at>Sun Jul 26 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Sun Jul 26 19:27:12 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sun Jul 26 19:28:43 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Liked it more for the fact that it was in a small village in France, and not so much for the writing.  Makes me want to move to a place like the one described here...although with continuously hot running water!]]></body>
    
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