Pardon My French : How a Grumpy American Fell in Love with France

"To make a friend is a joy. To make a friend in another country is a wonderment--a small miracle. 'Pardon My French' follows the lives of an American couple who have embraced a daunting mission: Not to be spectators in France, but to be absorbed by France. Amidst the minefields of linguistic faux pas, the perplexities of French gestures, the exquisite and often exotic cuisine, and the splendor of Christmas on the Mediterranean--see what it is like for an occasionally gruff American to be adopted into a new family. Witness the hugging, the teasing, and the laughter that follows, when nothing on Earth could be more perfect. Experience what it is like to fall in love with the French. Follow the adventures of the author as he pits his rather staid and conventional driving skills against the French speed demons of Languedoc. Step into his sneakers as he tests his basketball prowess against the young French bucks adorned with backward ball caps and over-the-knee Chicago Bulls game shorts. Watch how he frolics in the Mediterranean Sea for the first time with a French topless companion. Marvel as he sits in with a world-class French jazz band. Observe him overcome his shyness in talking to the beautiful nude model from his painting class in the studio atop the village police station. Envision how he learns to dance the tango with his head upright, his chest expanded, and his strides befitting a newly adorned French god--one with sensuality on his mind"-- Provided by publisher To Make A Friend Is A Joy. To Make A Friend In Another Country Is A Wonderment—a Small Miracle. Pardon My French Follows An American Author Who Has Embraced A Daunting Mission: Not To Be A Spectator In France But An Enthusiastic Participant—fully Engaged, Fully Alive. In France, Johnson Is Like An Alien From Another Planet. Everything Is Strange To Him. His Goal Is To Speak French Without Going To Prison, Drive Without Being Squashed Like A Bug, Dance The Tango Without Losing His Marriage, And Belt Out A Tune With A World-class Jazz Combo Without Being Booed Off The Stage. Repeatedly, The Author Fearlessly Steps Into Harm’s Way. He Joins A Summer Acting Troop And Witnesses The French Version Of Sexual Liberation. He Pits His Rather Staid And Conventional Driving Skills Against The French Speed Demons Of Languedoc. He Tries To Be Cool In A Painting Class While Sputtering Nervously In Front Of The Nude Model With The Long Legs And Silky Voice. And Then, After It All—after The Splendor Of Christmas On The Mediterranean, The Bicycle Tours Along The French Canals, The Mountain Treks Amply Supplied With French Bread, Cheese, And Wine—the Miracle Happens. The Often Self-deprecating And Bungling American Meets And Falls In Love With A Beautiful Mistress: La Belle France. And When He Does, An Entire Village Adopts Him Into A New Family—one With A Gracious Heart And A Beautiful French Accent.