The Secret Life of France

Written by Lucy Wadham

Narrated by Ros Stockwell

Everything you wanted to know about France but were too afraid to ask...

At eighteen Lucy Wadham abandoned England and fell into the arms of a Frenchman. Twenty-five years later, having married, had children, and divorced in France, Lucy is perfectly placed to explore the differences between our two countries. Here she examines every aspect of French life - from sex and adultery to money, happiness, race and politics - in this funny and engrossing account of our most intriguing neighbour.

• Language: English
• Publisher: W. F. Howes Ltd
• Release date: Jun 1, 2011
• ISBN: 9781407483825

Reviews for The Secret Life of France

[opinionated_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I often wonder why the English still have this obsession with trying to decode "Frenchness". Are there books by French authors that attempt the same thing about Britain? After all London is famously the 5th biggest French city; are there books about the quirkiness of living in Peckham? The secret life of Wandsworth? Somehow I doubt it. So why this perpetual fascination with the otherness of France? Anyway this is an interesting enough read which doesn't reveal any secret life but is an entertaining enough memoir of the differences in attitude Ms Wadham encounters amongst Parisians of certain intellectual class compared to what she experiences in England. Its quite funny if a little stereotypical on the subject of French attitudes to sexual morality; a private matter Ms Wadham believes. One wonders what she would be making of the current Hollande scandals?So a fairly light but worthwhile read. Now - where did I put that copy of "Life Among the Cockneys"?

[lyzzybee · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Interesting member of the English-in-France genre, taking a more serious, socio-political viewpoint than many (although still funny and talking a lot about gender relations etc. as well as racism, war and geopolitics!) and involving the author's own story only really as a framing device and to illustrate one of her points. Very interesting on racism and attitudes to WWII and the role of the French in their own fates at that time.