Rating: 
Summary: La Vie en Noire
Review: In preparation for a three-year tour in Paris with my wife and children, I purchased this book and five (!) others on the subject of living in France from Amazon.com. While all have their merits, none have adequate coverage of the French legal system and how to work with the police. It shouldn't have surprised me that, in a country whose history contains episodes such as the Reign of Terror after the French Revolution and collaboration with the Nazis during WWII, there is an official process, called "main courant" in which citizens can "denounce," or file official complaints, against their neighbors for things such as having a baby that cries. Suffice it to say, this process, apparently embedded in the culture for centuries, can result in tremendous prolonged misery and stress, even for a Francophile like me, and I have many, many wonderful French friends. It might have been easier to deal with summons to the police station, investigations by the mayor's office, visits from social workers - all in less than three months of living here - with some advance prep. Thank goodness I work for a supportive company. Be forewarned!
Rating: 
Summary: Moving to France? Buy this
Review: As I'm about to embark on an adventure of a lifetime - moving to France - reading this book has helped to qualm my fears a bit, understand what I'm about to face, and given me a new appreciation for the cultural differences that make up this truly amazing country.Although the book is geared more toward the spouse of an American businessman, Platt's platitudes can be applied universally to any expatriate, traveler, or student studying abroad. Lots of great personal anecdotes accompany some necessary practical advice.
Rating: 
Summary: A MUST if you are moving to France!
Review: About four years ago I discovered "French or Foe?". I had just found out that my husband and I would be moving to Toulouse, France, on joint expatriate assignments. We devoured the book, eager for any insight on what our new lives would be like. At the time, we found the book entertaining and full of information, but we couldn't believe some of what Polly Platt was saying, such as her dinner party descriptions, peeing in public, making friends. But, as we went through three years of living with the French, making friends with the French, growing into France as it became our second home, we realized that Polly had called it all correctly. Time after time, we faced real-life examples of subjects in her book, even though we lived in a different part of France. The book proved to be invaluable, an aide that went a long way toward making my relationships with the French successful along with giving me the courage to find French friends, friends that are now as dear to me as my family. For anyone considering making a move to France, "French or Foe?" is a must!
Rating:
Summary: Ugly American vs. Haughty Parisian
Review: Before my first trip to France in 2000, I read this book and "Fragile Glory" - a more serious and historic look at French culture. I had been prepared to be intimidated and treated rudely, with haughty Parisians ridiculing my French. Never happened -- not on the street, in a cafe, in the metro -- jamais. "French or Foe" offered practical advice on blending in and "Fragile Glory" gave me insight into why the French are the way they are. It helped immensely to speak decent French, of course. I'm returning for the third time in three years, after decades of avoiding the place. I still have trouble remembering to keep my hands out of my lap in restaurants, however.
Rating:
Summary: French or Foe?
Review: This book will make the difference between frustration and
elation in your travels to France, especially Paris. By
learning the "cultural codes" and by putting into practice
author Polly Platt's "Magic words", I found myself being
treated like royalty rather than like a tourist (as on
prior visits). The reading is fast, facinating, enlightening
and very practical. When I get homesick for Paris, I pick it up and read it again! The same goes for her 2nd book, Savoir Flair! I am impatiently waiting for her 3rd!
Rating:
Summary: Ms. Platt really knows us!
Review: Ms Platt is a very shrewd and funny woman. She has us nicely figured out. At first I looked at this book as something odd - an *American* would tell me about my own country? But I soon realised that Platt is returning, perhaps in a more modest but certainly funnier way, Tocqueville's compliment. It takes an outsider who has become, like Polly Platt, an insider, to nail all those little characteristics and tricks we're not even aware that we use. I now surprise myself using (reflexively) the "Monsieur, j'ai un probleme..." line several times a week, and chuckle every time thinking of "French or Foe". This book offers dozens of nice, unpompous but immensely clever insights like this on France and the French. Very recommended!
Rating:
Summary: Enfin un commentaire en français!
Review: Bien que ce soit un livre en anglais, il y a bien "French" dans le titre: ce livre peut donc aussi être très utile pour un français. Voici tout d'abord ma premiere impression: c'est un livre absolument GENIAL, et surtout très VRAI. Etant français mais connaissant également les Etats-Unis pour y avoir effectué plusieurs séjours, ce livre m'a permis de comprendre beaucoup de choses sur les relations franco-americaines mais également sur moi-même car Polly Platt analyse très finement et très justement le comportement des français. Cet ouvrage permet en effet de mieux comprendre certaines de ses propres réactions et décisions en tant que français. Comme quoi, French or Foe n'est pas qu'utile aux américains expatriés en France. Il a une portée beaucoup plus large. Et en plus, il permet de passer d'agréables moments de lecture.
Rating: 
Summary: Save your money
Review: This book was almost a complete waste of time. I found Ms. Platt's writing 'style' to be tiresome and boring. Her constant namedropping and bragging is annoying. If you are not already biased towards the French you will be after reading this book. I just returned from 6 weeks in France and found almost everything she said to be untrue. Save your money and buy a Rick Steves Back Door book instead.
Rating:
Summary: A Must for Travel to France
Review: Having just returned from France two weeks ago, "French or Foe?" in hand, I'm happy to have found a forum to share my delight that I'd bought and read this book. Having lived in France, briefly, 20 years ago, I'm happy to say that with the help of this book and perhaps some increased tolerance on the part of the French, my experience was a wonderful one, and I can't wait to return. In particular, her suggested :"Excusez-moi de vous deranger, mais..." got me through several difficulties and turned them into productive and enjoyable encounters. In particular, when driving through a town in southern France, I had difficulty in finding the correct road out of town...I consistently returned to the same place and was getting quite embarrassed that my lack of progress was witnessed by a local woman sitting on her stoop, stoney-faced. When I used those magic words, she leaped to the side of my car with a huge smile on her face, told me what I needed to know, and made me feel as though I'd made not only my day, but hers! I used this phrase several other times, and along with many other tips and word of encouragement from Polly Platt, I made friends in France, cooked for them, and may even send my daughter to stay with some of them next summer. I recommend this book to everyone planning a visit to France.
Rating:
Summary: Heavily americanized, but it has some good points
Review: Polly Platt is american, no doubt about it. This reflects her view on the french culture and can be felt all through the book. This been said, the book does have some good points. There is a lot of examples of daily situations that seems obscure if you do not know why people here in Paris are doing it - these examples Polly Platt hits very well. The bad side of the book is the subjective view Mrs. Platt gives of the french. The book seriously lacks objectiveness and I constantly encountered places where the personal attitude of Mrs. Platt was shining through so clearly that the reality got totally obscured. The attitude given was often the "The US method is better and the French are, of course, wrong". Also, in quite a lot of places the facts given are wrong. Nonetheless, I will recommend the book with 4 stars for the content but with only 2 stars for the presentation. It is a good book to read if you can see through the subjective view of Mrs. Platt and stick with the facts, and will surely give you a good start on how to act in France.
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