Rating: 
Summary: Warm reflections on an agrarian interlude
Review: "French Lessons" is a warm memoir of the author's year long sojourn in a rural village in Southern France. Unlike the recollections of other foreign visitors who have written of their experiences in France, Goodman gives scant attention to the region's food or wine. Goodman's tale is primarily spiritual -- the satisfaction he derives from communing with nature as a gardener, and his persistent efforts to gain acceptance and approval from this close knit, closed community of French farmers. The book is reminiscent of Chris Stewart's "Driving Over Lemons" in the latter respect. Goodman's passion about his gardening experiences does become a bit cloying, and is somewhat saccarine, with almost forced profundity. A passage where he describes getting emotional over cutting bamboo, for example, definitely makes your teeth hurt. Although I derive a considerable amount of satisfaction from gardening myself, I found Goodman's anecdotes somewhat breathless and gushing, particularly his striving to "measure up" in the eyes of a helpful, friendly, apparently very strong 20 year old named Jules. This is a pleasant book; however, I expected more, in light of the potential. "French Dirt" is mostly a recollection of Goodman's spiritual journey devoting himself to a garden one summer.
Rating:
Summary: Warm reflections on an agrarian interlude
Review: "French Lessons" is a warm memoir of the author's year long sojourn in a rural village in Southern France. Unlike the recollections of other foreign visitors who have written of their experiences in France, Goodman gives scant attention to the region's food or wine. Goodman's tale is primarily spiritual -- the satisfaction he derives from communing with nature as a gardener, and his persistent efforts to gain acceptance and approval from this close knit, closed community of French farmers. The book is reminiscent of Chris Stewart's "Driving Over Lemons" in the latter respect. Goodman's passion about his gardening experiences does become a bit cloying, and is somewhat saccarine, with almost forced profundity. A passage where he describes getting emotional over cutting bamboo, for example, definitely makes your teeth hurt. Although I derive a considerable amount of satisfaction from gardening myself, I found Goodman's anecdotes somewhat breathless and gushing, particularly his striving to "measure up" in the eyes of a helpful, friendly, apparently very strong 20 year old named Jules. This is a pleasant book; however, I expected more, in light of the potential. "French Dirt" is mostly a recollection of Goodman's spiritual journey devoting himself to a garden one summer.
Rating: 
Summary: Like a garden on a sunny day...
Review: ... this book is a pleasure for the senses and a gentle adventure for the spirit, chronicling the author's year in Southern France and his dream of raising a garden there. It's part travelogue, part gardener's journal, part pilgrimmage and wholly enjoyable. A feast of a book!
Rating: 
Summary: Instead Read Peter Mayle
Review: A better title would have been American Dirt, because that's about what this book is worth. The story is mighty weak and told, not shown, in platitudes designed to pander to the popular taste. The characters are shadowy and one-dimentional. We don't even get to know the author or Iggy, his wife, nor do we learn about their marriage or why or how they broke up or if indeed they were married in the first place. The background landscape, which is supposed to be a little village in the south of France seems fake to me, or is rendered fake, one or the other. I should know since my Mom was French and my family lived in St. Jean de Cornices, a small village 27 kilometers north of Montpellier. Also, I am an avid gardener here in Texas as a I was in Provence. So I know Goodman's knowledge of gardening is superficial, silly, and even at times stupid. He wouldn't know a determinate tomato from an indeterminate tomato. He certainly doesn't know that bamboo in the wild doesn't grow beige. It's green and thus the author's (too)long description about harvesting beige bamboo is baloney. Here's what I think happened: He had to write about something to justify the stay so he picked gardening to try to cash in the way Peter Mayle did. Unfortunately, he doesn't have the personality, wit, or the language skills (French or English) to approach Mayle. Consequently, the writing is flat, forced, and spiritless. Do yourself a favor and read something else. How about Mayle's now classic A Year in Provence?
Rating:
Summary: i read it four times in two days
Review: I borrowed this book from a library a few years ago and haven't seen it since. During the two weeks I had it, I walked around the house repeating Richard Goodman's pungent phrases, causing my roommate to wonder what I was babbling about "crisp, dirty carrots". His imagery brings his garden to life before your eyes. Now that I am a gardener myself, I appreciate his vision and his bright words more than ever. A real jewel for anyone who enjoys gardening or France.
Rating:
Summary: french dirt
Review: i read the customer reviews for this book and thought i was in for a real treat. 4 stars , 5 stars--what in the world were these people reading. the book was boring, silly and a pretty much waste of time. one review, which much to my chagrin, blasted the book for what it is, was not available before i made my purchase. this guy goes to the south of france -why? he's bored with the big city? makes a few friends and grows his first ever veggie garden. so what!!! the book has no point. forget about it!!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Little Old Gardenmaker, Me
Review: Richard Goodman and his Dutch girlfriend Iggy rent a two hundred year old stone house in the south of France for a year. Located in a small village of about 200 without a cafe, store or any kind of city center, they have a tough time figuring out how to connect with the locals. They do make one set of friends--a Spanish couple also living the expat life there. But finally Richard decides to trade his labor for some firewood. Through working in the fields he begins to mix with the villagers. He is very much struck by Jules, a handsome 25 year old, and through that relationship eventually secures a small plot of land and determines to grow a vegetable garden. And that really is the focus of the book. A longtime city dweller, Richard harkens back to the Michigan gardens of his youth and enjoys discovering the adult joys of gardening. Sometimes the writing gets to be a bit much--pretty sappy. And, if the truth be told, Richard isn't really very good at growing his garden. But the rivalries among the other village gardeners, the disparate and conflicting advice he receives and the hours spent in the sun tending his garden make this a light, likable read. And truly any book set in the south of France makes for a relaxing summer read!
Rating:
Summary: A delightful read!
Review: Richard Goodman's year in France produced more than a beautiful garden, it also produced a wonderful book! Needing a break from the hustle and bustle of New York, Goodman and his girlfriend Iggy rent a house in a tiny village in France for a whole year to just get away. Wanting to connect with this town and its' people, Goodman offers his help to those who will take it. In doing so, he comes in close contact with the land itself which leads him to decide he will grow his own garden. What follows is this man's love affair with the people, the land and the simple act of creating and nurturing life in his small plot of earth. Wonderfully told in beautiful prose, Goodman's story will leave you feeling happy and content and, oddly enough, wanting to grow your own garden although perhaps in your own backyard.
Rating:
Summary: Skillfully written and heartfelt,...
Review: Skillfully written and heartfelt, I found Richard Goodman's
sundrenched first novel "French Dirt" a true feast on every
level. A must read - I literally could not put this novel down.
I was transported into Mr. Goodman's village, St. Sebastien de Caisson - where the earth, sun and love interweave with one another like a summer salad - filled with fresh tomatoes that burst in your mouth from the heat of the sun, and a love story that will stir your soul. You won't want to miss a word, or a moment, of this enchanting journey!
Rating:
Summary: Skillfully written and heartfelt,...
Review: Skillfully written and heartfelt, I found Richard Goodman's
sundrenched first novel "French Dirt" a true feast on every
level. A must read - I literally could not put this novel down.
I was transported into Mr. Goodman's village, St. Sebastien de Caisson - where the earth, sun and love interweave with one another like a summer salad - filled with fresh tomatoes that burst in your mouth from the heat of the sun, and a love story that will stir your soul. You won't want to miss a word, or a moment, of this enchanting journey!
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