French Like Moi - by Scott Dominic Carpenter (Hardcover)

About the Book

In eighteen hilarious accounts, prize-winning humorist Scott Carpenter lifts the curtain on what passes for normal in Europe's most glorious capital, measuring it by the yardstick of the American Midwest.

Book Synopsis

In eighteen hilarious accounts, prize-winning humorist Scott Carpenter lifts the curtain on what passes for normal in Europe's most glorious capital, measuring it by the yardstick of the American Midwest.

Review Quotes

"Many entertaining anecdotes and worthy observations about French and American culture...Carpenter's droll take keeps the reader chuckling." -Minneapolis Star Tribune

"In this funny memoir, Carpenter has a knack for turning potential catastrophes into comedy. Readers will find plenty to appreciate in his sharp take on expat life." -Publishers Weekly

"A delightful read...essays filled with levity and grace. A winning and witty collection offering humor and insight into the French way of life." -Kirkus Reviews

"French Like Moi tours the everyday Paris that's found away from Eiffel Tower tourism. With an entertaining guide at the helm, bon mots and corny puns find a home alongside solid timing, curious anecdotes, and self-aware mocking. This quirky travel memoir uncovers lesser-known facets with verve." -Foreword Reviews, Editor's Pick, five-star review

"Carpenter captures the ironies, oddities, and attractions of the French capital in a way few writers have achieved-which is saying a lot, considering how many have tried their hand at conjuring the City of Light.... French Like Moi is a delightful romp through French life and Midwestern sensibilities, all combined in one compelling story." -Midwest Book Review

"Loaded with lacerating wit and trenchant but tender observations, Scott Carpenter's French Like Moi is also a true original: a serious memoir that doesn't take itself too seriously. It is this humility that gives Carpenter's book its undeniable strength-that, and his vivid, often hilarious storytelling." -Marcia DeSanctis, New York Times bestselling author of 100 Places in France Every Woman Should Go

"Sit back with a croissant and an espresso-or better yet, du vin et du fromage-and treat yourself to the delights and dilemmas of being a Midwesterner in Paris. Scott Carpenter's tales of life in the French capital will make you laugh, marvel, and daydream about amping up the adventure in your own life. Merci Monsieur Carpenter!" -Lorna Landvik, author of Chronicles of a Radical Hag

"Deeply French but also deeply Midwestern-and thus rather perfect." -Alethea Black, author of You've Been So Lucky Already

"The most delightful and delicious form of escapism-smart, kind, funny, and (best of all!) French. Perfect for Francophiles and dreamers alike." -K. S. R. Burns, author of The Paris Effect and Paris Ever After

"French Like Moi is not only full of spot-on cultural observations and the laugh-out-loud-yet-self-deprecating humor Minnesotans do so well, it's also beautifully written with a timeless literary flair." -Heather Stimmler-Hall, author of Naughty Paris, editor of Secrets of Paris

"I laughed until my sides hurt at Carpenter's lighthearted and self-deprecating take on living in l'Hexagone. For loyal lovers of Paris and France, and anyone who's moved abroad or is thinking about it, French Like Moi is a jovial reminder to pack your patience and your dictionary, and gobble up every single, butter-soaked morsel of the journey. -Kimberley Lovato, author of Walnut Wine & Truffle Groves

"Carpenter greets the language, cuisine, culture, and daily details of life with a wit and honesty that makes for a rollicking read. We encounter vivid characters, impossible scenarios, and such hilarious tableaus that soon we all feel French like lui!" -Erin Byrne, author of Wings: Gifts of Art, Life, and Travel in France

"Five stars." -Readers' Favorite

"Carpenter shares hilarious faux pas and cultural differences, reading with a deadpan, self-deprecating, understated tone. An affectionate, insider's look at French culture." -Booklist, Audiobook

About the Author

Minnesota-born and Midwest-bred, Scott Dominic Carpenter is the author of Theory of Remainders: A Novel (named to Kirkus Reviews' "Best Books of 2013") and of This Jealous Earth: Stories. Winner of a Mark Twain House Royal Nonesuch Prize (2018), recipient of a Minnesota State Arts Board grant, and semi-finalist for the Many Voices Project Prize, he has published work in a wide variety of venues, including The Rumpus, Silk Road, Catapult, South Dakota Review, and various anthologies. He lives 45 miles from Minneapolis in Northfield, Minnesota, and Paris.