Rating: 
Summary: Delightful
Review: A younbg couple with a 4-year old and a 15-month-old spend a year in France in 1950-51, or 50 years ago. While the reader will learn some characteristics ands idiosyncrasies of the French people, he will learn little about France and the French of today. Too much about the family and their expertiences; too little about France and the French, and all of it 50 years old.
Rating: 
Summary: Too much family, too little France and Frenchj
Review: A younbg couple with a 4-year old and a 15-month-old spend a year in France in 1950-51, or 50 years ago. While the reader will learn some characteristics ands idiosyncrasies of the French people, he will learn little about France and the French of today. Too much about the family and their expertiences; too little about France and the French, and all of it 50 years old.
Rating:
Summary: Delightful
Review: American writer/wife/mother Mary Littell narrates her family's days in France as she struggles with the language, the customs, and the antics of her two small sons. A delightful glimpse of France in 1950 and a great family story. I laughed out loud several times.
Rating:
Summary: French Impressions by John S. Littell .
Review: His Mothers writings about the trip and the whole time of being in France. Frank, her husband, was a smart, fast learning person, went there to attend a university, and graduate on a GI deal in one year, and had an imagination that got him places with making fast friends from around the area. Mary was not as bright there, even though she was once a newspaper woman in Texas... Had trouble with the youngest child throwing crying jags. I would have had to warm his britches after listening to that for very long I am afraid. He was just plain discusting. The older child John was smart like his Dad. The towns people Mary had to get their food to feed the family with, had gotten used to her jibberish. I don't know how in the world they ever made it. Then they got a house keeper.So they didn't have to worry about that any more. Since Mary couldn't cook well either. What an undertaking they had. I don't know how they got that far. She just didn't know how to do anything. Oh she could make Tuna fish sandwiches. It was all to drastic and the way some people allow themselves to live, and go to a country Mary couldn't speak the language. It made me worry and yet it was comical at times. Living to close to nothing isn't my way to live, although I have at times in my life, but I could speak and understand the language. It was an okay, laid back book, and I may reread it one day. To much hooch though. That was excepted at that time in the 50's. It was a slow read for me.
Rating: 
Summary: It's too bad
Review: I like John Littel, the son, for loving his mother so and for (the idea of) writing this book. Sadly for me, I did not always enjoy reading it. I was frustrated with it. And I found myself so annoyed at the husband! Here is a woman married seven-plus years, and she still can't tell if her husband "is kidding or not." Here is a couple that never seemed to speak with one another. It's dated, one might say. But, I don't think so. His constantly telling her how stupid, slow-witted, and ineffective she was -- and her skipping over it -- drove me nuts. I have been to Montpellier; it was wonderful visiting it again. But I suffered for this woman, and her inability to ask for and obtain any parenting help at all. Maybe that's how some families operate: in France or not. Now that I've made my points: read the book if only for the swan chapter. It is very funny. And Mary does get the last laugh re her friend-in-the-park, but I don't want to give it away.
Rating:
Summary: A Year in Montpellier
Review: I like John Littel, the son, for loving his mother so and for (the idea of) writing this book. Sadly for me, I did not always enjoy reading it. I was frustrated with it. And I found myself so annoyed at the husband! Here is a woman married seven-plus years, and she still can't tell if her husband "is kidding or not." Here is a couple that never seemed to speak with one another. It's dated, one might say. But, I don't think so. His constantly telling her how stupid, slow-witted, and ineffective she was -- and her skipping over it -- drove me nuts. I have been to Montpellier; it was wonderful visiting it again. But I suffered for this woman, and her inability to ask for and obtain any parenting help at all. Maybe that's how some families operate: in France or not. Now that I've made my points: read the book if only for the swan chapter. It is very funny. And Mary does get the last laugh re her friend-in-the-park, but I don't want to give it away.
Rating: 
Summary: Glimpses of an unusal experience in postwar France
Review: I really enjoyed this book, and laughed out loud several times. I think that the description in the literary review posted on the main page presentation of the book is very accurate. I have to admit, though, that I'm prejudiced in favor of the book, for two reasons: 1. our family spent a year in postwar Holland in 1953/54, when I was 3-4 years old, so I can really appreciate what the experience was like, especially at that time, so soon after the war; and 2. I knew the Littell family; Frank (the father) was my high school French teacher (very nice, very funny) and Stephen (youngest son) was a classmate. In fact, one of the highest compliments I can say of the book is that it made me wish I had known Mrs. Littell more, rather than just as a classmate's mother. I don't think the picture that Mrs. Littell paints of herself (her inability to cook, her inability with the language, etc. -- and I do think John is speaking in her voice on this) is as fair to her as it might have been from a friend or observer of the time, but so it goes. And while she presents herself in a comical light, as the clown of the adventure, she never really complains: only in the end, in considering the feelings of another, does one get a glimpse into the fact that it must often have been a somewhat lonely experience for her in the circumstances, even though she makes light of so much. I was struck several times with the insights she made; and she clearly must have been an observant and intelligent person, and a very good writer, to have produced the materials that John used to create the book, 20 odd years after her death. Some of the episodes are classics: trying to fix a traditional Thanksgiving Day dinner for friends, with the swan the butcher delivered; a very funny literary tea party with wealthy, ex patriot Americans; throwing an American style birthday party for John. Some parts are very touching, including a look into the life of the local farm woman (and her family0 who served as housekeeper. It's not a Year in Provence, and the book may suffer in some readers' eyes by that comparison. But it was a different time and place, and I enjoyed it tremendously.
Rating:
Summary: Laugh Out Loud Fun
Review: If you're a traveler, a closet traveler, or even an avid bookworm, you're going to love this book. I've read my share of travelogues, and this one is at the top of the list. Fun to read. Hard to put down. Heartwarming. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: A Wonderful Family Adventure in France
Review: John Littell's wonderful book based on his mother's notes and writing is a delightful exploration of France from the expat's perspective during the 1950's. Every chapter is filled with touching and comical examination of the challenges one faces while living in a foreign land with no mastery of the language or customs. I lived in The Netherlands as a child in the 60's, so much of the culture shock Littell shared in this book is similar to that I experienced growing up. I guess in a way, although certainly the stories are much different, the richness of the experience is something that I hand in common with the author that made this book wonderfully rich to me. However, his ability to tell the stories with such wit and quality writing will make it a treasure to anyone who picks it up. One chapter, The Great Mayonnaise War was so funny I had to stop reading it on an airplane so that my laughing did not disturb others. If you are looking for something that will put a smile on your face, and love in your heart for France, click on "order now."
Rating:
Summary: A Wonderful Family Adventure in France
Review: John Littell's wonderful book based on his mother's notes and writing is a delightful exploration of France from the expat's perspective during the 1950's. Every chapter is filled with touching and comical examination of the challenges one faces while living in a foreign land with no mastery of the language or customs. I lived in The Netherlands as a child in the 60's, so much of the culture shock Littell shared in this book is similar to that I experienced growing up. I guess in a way, although certainly the stories are much different, the richness of the experience is something that I hand in common with the author that made this book wonderfully rich to me. However, his ability to tell the stories with such wit and quality writing will make it a treasure to anyone who picks it up. One chapter, The Great Mayonnaise War was so funny I had to stop reading it on an airplane so that my laughing did not disturb others. If you are looking for something that will put a smile on your face, and love in your heart for France, click on "order now."
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