French by Heart

January 29, 2007
First-time author Ramsey adopts a sweet but never cloying tone to tell the charming story of her family's four-year stint in Clermont-Ferrand, France. Ramsey, a young mother of three whose husband's company relocates them to France, recounts what it feels like to sell the family home in South Carolina, say good-bye to everyone you know and move overseas. Rather than tell the story chronologically, Ramsey links the narrative to everyday events recalling the pitfalls and petite triumphs inherent in each encounter. Moreover, because the family's command of French is minimal, routine tasks often become embarrassing lessons. Ultimately, Ramsey and her family embrace their adopted country's language and customs. Entering a bookstore, she finds herself surrounded by graceful young women in high heels, short skirts and stylish leather blazers, while she is "standing there in my big red field jacket and clunky black clogs… like a frumpy giant." Ramsey acknowledges telling "the whole truth, even when it makes me look ridiculous"—and this results in an endearing memoir.

March 15, 2007
This account of contemporary life among the French eschews the glamour of Paris and Provence for one of France's more prosaic quarters. The Ramsey family abandons the comforts of Greer, South Carolina, to pursue a job opportunity in Clermont-Ferrand, a grimy industrial city in France's Massif Central known chiefly for the headquarters of the Michelin Tire Company. The Ramseys transport their household to France, including their small children, a cat, and even a piano. With her husband ensconced at his office, Ramsey must cope with everyday life's challenges. Struggling with an unfamiliar tongue and with quick-to-judge Auvergnats, Ramsey consistently embarrasses herself with malaprops. Even a simple visit to the local bank frustrates as she struggles with a mystifying, intimidating security system. Incorrigibly American, Ramsey appreciates the tiny neighborhood shops beloved by both natives and tourists, but she nevertheless finds herself irresistibly drawn to the local American-inspired supermarket with its one-stop efficiency.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)