Paris to the Moon: Family in France: A Family in France

Adam Gopnik on The Table Comes First: France, Family, and the Meaning of Food

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I was certainly interested in the subject matter: But the author's style is rather long-winded and unnecessarily dense; some passages reminded me of esoteric literary criticism I used to have to read in college, not particularly suited to light observational journalism. Perhaps I'm too critical as I just finished a Bill Bryson book of travel essays that were thoroughly entertaining and This book was fine, but I didn't particularly enjoy it.

I don't mean to say that I didn't like this book at all or that it was totally uninteresting. It just wasn't much fun. Gopnik often reiterated that New York was really home. He lived in Paris five years, which is certainly long enough think of a place as really home, especially when that's all your child has ever known.

So for him to keep reminding us that his real home was in New York and this Paris "experience" was just a temporary experiment, I, as an expat myself, felt this made his "expat" experience seem more like an extended vacation. It's a different mindset when you know that you'll be going back to your "normal" life, home, job, friends after a few years as opposed to leaving nothing behind and having no firm plans to return. I kept wondering if he would have seen and written about Paris differently if he wasn't on a temporary assignment but thought of it as his real, long-term home.

Lastly, it felt very dated. So much of his experience was influenced by his job as a journalist, documenting of-the-moment events. Many times, I'd read something that seemed so off, but then I'd remember that he lived in Paris from It may not seem like things can be so different in only years, but they are.

Jun 24, Reid rated it really liked it. I am one of those people and we are legion who have an unrequited love affair going with Paris.

Paris to the Moon

It's not that Paris disdains or rejects me, of course; Paris has no idea I exist and wouldn't care less if she knew. Adam Gopnik's book is one more love letter from another lover of Paris, and his is an articulate, cultured, experienced voice indeed. He is mostly fluent in French and his love affair has stretched over nearly the whole of his life. This is a book written during and after a five I am one of those people and we are legion who have an unrequited love affair going with Paris. This is a book written during and after a five year stint of living in Paris full-time with his wife and their young son who, while born in New York, remembers only Paris as his home by the time he is old enough to remember such things.

Because of his curious nature and the entree assumed by his status as a reporter for The New Yorker, Gopnik has access to people and things that most of us would be hard-pressed to pull off.

So much the better, as the stories he tells are fascinating yet down-to-earth. Not that he spends all of his time in the clouds; much of this book details the challenges of being an American living in Paris, the differences that enthrall and needle, and the little failures of everyday life that are somehow amplified by being in a country other than one's own. If you already have your own affair of the heart going with Paris, or have ever wanted to begin one, this is a great read.

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If not, you may enjoy it anyway, as Gopnik could likely write a word essay on a turnip and make it interesting. The first reason this book was written, I believe, was so the author could impress all us ignorant English speakers with his knowledge of French. Actually, he should have just written this book in French and not annoyed us English speakers at all.

The second reason was to greatly impress us with having the most perfect and nauseatingly adorable son ever and to tell us about every minute detail of that adorable son's day-to-day existence! Then, of course, we could all just slap our own children s The first reason this book was written, I believe, was so the author could impress all us ignorant English speakers with his knowledge of French.

Then, of course, we could all just slap our own children silly for being so entirely ordinary in comparison. This book is so pretentious, I had trouble getting through the first few chapters, and once I reached his discussion of the variety of different wall plugs that exist in this world which went on for PAGES , I'd had enough! Anyone who believes themselves to be so self-important that they can pass off the discussion of different wall plugs as great writing, and believes that THIS is the drivel that keeps the readers turning the pages, needs a severe reality check. He seems to have two tasks here: The first is pretentious, difficult to read; the latter is arduous to even skim over, impossible to stomach.

With American twits like this in France, no wonder the French hate us. The writing style was also annoying and jumped from one random thought to another. View all 6 comments. May 30, Stefanie rated it it was amazing. I can't say enough positive things about this book. Such intricate descriptions of such small things It's a story of a beautiful life in a far away place-- but Gopnick tells it in a way that makes it so accessible sometimes even ordinary that he achieves an intimacy that I have not experienced in most books I've read.

He also offers a social lens that is stimulating as well as enlightening.

I purposefully took forever reading this book I can't say enough positive things about this book. I purposefully took forever reading this book because I didn't want my trip to France to end! A fun book that gives you a sense of living in Paris as an expat and what to appreciate about French culture. Narrated by the author so definitely recommend listening. Great read while on vacation in France.

I loved many of the annecdotes were hilarious - eg the one about how the gym had no plan for visiting every day they only had a once a week plan. Or the one comparing the French fax error codes to French culture. May 23, Kelly rated it really liked it Recommends it for: This book is actually a collection of essays from the New Yorker, and they're very insightful.

His arguments mostly stem from his own family's experiences and are naturally just small scenes from which he draws grand conclusions. Like most other authors.

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However, his awareness of the political scene and the major infighting going on culturally speaks of a very sharp mind. His essays have enough political analysis to show his intelligence, but then will transition into a colorful story about his s This book is actually a collection of essays from the New Yorker, and they're very insightful. His essays have enough political analysis to show his intelligence, but then will transition into a colorful story about his son. One essay is about Adam Gopnik and his wife's attempts to keep Barney out of his son's life, and it's absurd, but it makes its point.

In other words, a lot of it is fanciful, but in a charming almost fin de siecle style that I just adore. If you know anything about French culture, you'll laugh many times. Aug 15, Cayt O'Neal rated it it was amazing Shelves: One of my very favorite reads of all time. Adam Gopnik has a lovely way with words, specifically words that detail everyday, real life.

I have found very few writers who have such power to keep me enthralled no matter what the subject matter. I had the privilege of hearing him lecture a few years back here in Chicago, his topic "The American Dream of Paris.

Hearing him speak only made me wish I could read the book over and over again and forget it each time, so that I One of my very favorite reads of all time. Hearing him speak only made me wish I could read the book over and over again and forget it each time, so that I would once again have the pleasure of that first read.

Oct 18, Paula rated it liked it Shelves: My husband and I decided to be appropriately literary on our last trip to Paris -- he took Hemingway, I took this book because I love travel memoirs. The basic premise is that Gopnik, a writer for the New Yorker, flees to Paris with his family to save his young firstborn from the insidious influence of Barney the dinosaur.

It's well written, more complicated sentence structure than my usual vacation reading but engrossing. It travels an arc beginning with successfully conveying his naivete about My husband and I decided to be appropriately literary on our last trip to Paris -- he took Hemingway, I took this book because I love travel memoirs. It travels an arc beginning with successfully conveying his naivete about the French and ending with his acknowledgement that he now understands very little about the French but more than when he started.

It was a lovely accompaniment to a trip in which I think we learned a teeny bit more about the French, or at least about their obsession with reservations for lunch. It would also be a different, more sophisticated choice for an armchair traveller.

May 30, Thomas rated it it was ok Shelves: A very uneven book - some essays are excellent, heartfelt, incisive, clever - others are smug, condescending, boring - the book does not ultimately come together as a unified whole. And, in the end, I just don't entirely trust Gopnik - in some of his other New Yorker essays when he touches on subjects about which I have some in-depth knowledge such as C.

Aug 08, Cristin Curry rated it really liked it. Adam Gopnik's memoirs of his times spent in Paris is a Sex and the City for grown ups. Seen through a male perspective, Gopnik's Frasier-like love of France, the arts, fine food and wine and a hatred for cheesy American pop culture AKA Barney allows anyone who's ever dreamed of dropping everything and leaving for a more romantic lifestyle the ability to do so vicariously through his family. What's refreshing about Gopnik's writing is that he realizes he's living a ridiculously privileged life Adam Gopnik's memoirs of his times spent in Paris is a Sex and the City for grown ups.

What's refreshing about Gopnik's writing is that he realizes he's living a ridiculously privileged life where his only problem is keeping his favorite restaurant safe from being taken over by a mass corporation of restaurant buyers. What keeps him grounded is knowing that he can't live this lifestyle forever and must return to NY after five years and get back to the real world.

Paris to the Moon brings the reader into the lives of the Gopniks as you experience their everyday Parisian lifestyle and their fantasy lives by visiting them at Christmas time in French department stores, summertime swimming at the Ritz pool club, mingling at Parisian fashion shows, playing pinball at the local cafe, and riding the carousel at the Luxembourg Gardens. I loved this book and would highly recommend it to anyone looking to get away from it all and slip into a snobby fantasy without losing yourself completely.

Adam Gopnik on The Table Comes First: France, Family, and the Meaning of Food | Westport Library

Enjoyed this more and more as it went on. I've always like Gopnik, but early in this book, he seems overly fixated on sounding clever, which is unnecessary—he's naturally clever. As the book progresses, his tone is more relaxed and funny. Also, it begins as a series of fairly disjointed essays, but knits together nicely later when he spends more time on his family and personal experiences in Paris. Feb 06, Aaron rated it did not like it Shelves: There's some valuable stuff in this book, but mostly it's a lot of New-Yorker-house-style pseudo-profundity from a writer who's not particularly aware of his own privilege.

Sep 19, Susan Wands rated it liked it Shelves: What a priviledged crank. His recent column in the New Yorker about eating locally makes me glad that he is aware of the effects of the world around him but he doesn't seem to appreciate so much of what he has. He was involvement in the bistro takeover and the gym were the highlights of the book, with his difference as the American, but really were these the only times he actually did anything in Paris, other than go to the carousel with son and eat out?

I want the New Yorker to sponsor me to li What a priviledged crank. I want the New Yorker to sponsor me to live in Florence for five years! I would probably enjoy meeting him as he is very entertaining but he's a lot of work. Apr 15, Margaret rated it really liked it Shelves: Gopnik spent five years living in Paris with his wife and his small son, writing articles for the New Yorker on life in Paris; this book collects many of those articles along with some of Gopnik's personal journals from that period.

I found Paris to the Moon finely written and frequently witty, and I quite liked the mix of personal reminiscence and social and cultural commentary. Though I can see how those expecting a book about Paris might find that there's too much of the former, I thought it Gopnik spent five years living in Paris with his wife and his small son, writing articles for the New Yorker on life in Paris; this book collects many of those articles along with some of Gopnik's personal journals from that period.

Though I can see how those expecting a book about Paris might find that there's too much of the former, I thought it was nicely balanced. Jun 24, Val rated it did not like it. An utterly boring scope of minute differences between New York and Paris life. A definite sleeper, unless you consider this author's writing to be witty, which I did not. I have written alot about this previously so I will just try and summarize why one should read this book and why I give it 5 stars.

It is intellectually stimulating. Secondly it doesn't just describe Paris' external beauty but also its inner beauty. Thirdly it gives a very accurate analysis of the French culture often juxtaposed the American culture. Fourthly, it is terribly amusing to read if the reader has himself emigrated to a land with a "French culture". Finally, if one is going to visit Paris as a tourist, read this to know where to go to see some unusual spots. You will get a lot more out of your trip.

Even with my stiffer demands for a five star book, this gets all 5. In the following are all my comments as I read throough the book.

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So now I have reached page and I am still loving it, but there is so much to think about that really one should read one chapeter at a time and then stop and think so that you really have time to absorb the thoughts. I am reading it too quickly. Each chapter is an essay on a different topic. It is just amazing that I like it so much since I don't like essays or short stories usually!

He talks about "haute couture" and French cuisine and even these topics which usually have no interest for me were very, very interesting. His struggles with French keyboards made me laugh. You know the French have changed the position of just a few letters. Just aenough to make typing really a mess until your fingers have been re-educated. There has to be some class for those books that are and will remain amazing months after you have read them.

Along with the author, I hate Barney too - read the book and you will know what I am talking about. The similarity between the French in Paris which actually can be quite different from provincial French behavior and the French speaking people of Belgium is amazing.. Oh, the phrase "C'est normal. Also body language is identical. Problems are ahead, and there is nothing you can do to alleviate them. They are NOT responsible, it is the way of life. You hear it many times a day. There is so much in this book that captures the French way of looking at life, experiencing life.

From my point of view, I like alot of it although some bits are infuriating. OMG, the bit about sports centers really made me laugh. I have had very similar experiences. And yes lotions are expunded as the ultimate answer to weight loss, not exercise. Every pharmacy advertises them. Christmas tree lights, girlander, yup, they are not strings but circles.

This makes putting them on the tree so difficult. But this is the same everywhere in Europe, Sweden too! If you are born a Swede, you know how to deal with it. To an American it is the most idiotic system ever thought up. There is no way an American and a European will see eye to eye on this.

I could go on and on, but if you want to see life from another perspective, read this book.

If you are born in the US but have moved to a "French culture" you will laugh and laugh and laugh. I am on page now, but GoodReads' "status box" is gone Anyhow you are allowed more space to write here than in the teeny status comment boxes. Back to the book.

This is a good author - he writes for the New Yorker. Some people might be put off, but I love it. Aug 08, Evan rated it really liked it. On the cover of Paris to the Moon , Alain de Botton lauds the work as "the finest book on France in recent years," but of course he can't say why in the space of that sentence.

Lincoln in the Bardo. Between the World and Me. A Plane Tree in Provence. Moyer Bell and its subsidiaries. The Truth According to Us. The Magic of Provence. The Ministry of Utmost Happiness. The Road to Little Dribbling. A Gentleman in Moscow. The Lonely Hearts Hotel. Sleeping in the Ground. The Little Paris Bookshop. The ultimate romantic escapist beach read.

Crying for the Moon. The Emperor of Paris. Super Sad True Love Story. A Parrot in the Pepper Tree. The Marriage of Opposites. A Year in Provence. When the Music's Over. At the Water's Edge. The Reason You Walk. In the Unlikely Event. Everything I Never Told You. Two Kinds of Truth. Through The Children's Gate. How to write a great review.

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