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Au Contraire! - A Review Witty, concise and insightful, Au Contraire! is a must for anyone interested in French culture and the French-American interface. It provides a deep and constructive analysis of French and American intercultural relations which ends with a series of guidelines for expatriate populations. The French and American bicultural authors, both based in the US, go beyond simplistic "do's and don'ts" to provide us with a thorough analysis of the "why" behind French and American assumptions and behaviours. Interestingly, their book will appeal to an international readership-the subtitle of the book is "Figuring out the French"-as well as to French people themselves who, by reading in or between the lines, can get a clear picture of who they are in contrast with Americans. Au Contraire! is a very informative and entertaining book that reads like a roman. It provides up-to-date information -about the PACS and the shaping of French regional and European identities-- that can be put to use immediately in business and social situations. At the same time, the material presented provides a solid foundation for deeper reflection and discussion of what happens when Americans and French come together at work, at home and in a variety of social settings. In addition to well-documented chapters on business, work, politics, society, etc., Part II or "Face-to-face" offers some fascinating insights into the attitudes towards self, family and friends in both cultures. The "Romance" chapter uncovers some mysterious cultural areas and the explanation about the art of French séduction or the subtlety of the dating game will please (or warn for pitfalls!) more than one. The book goes beyond the primary French-American bicultural level and can serve as a model of how to approach other cultures comparatively. It presents an attractive format from "Far Away" to "Face-to-face" and finally "Coming Together" and brings new concepts to intercultural relations, for example, our "default mode". This makes the book certainly complete and not simply an excellent guide for conducting business successfully on both sides of the ocean. I wish you Bon Appétit! as the authors say to conclude their Introduction. Vincent Merk "Don't leave home without it!" by Jean-Claude Balland from Beaverton, OR, United States French and American cultures are so close on the surface and so different underneath that if you plan to live in France for some time, or if you live there already, you will never cease to bump into obstacles that you couldn't anticipate because they are cultural in nature. To paraphrase and old French/American saying "the closer it is, the more opposite it is". If you go work there as a manager or as a professional, this will definitely limit your success unless you are open to change your behavior. But which changes are necessary? Companies spend millions of dollars transferring employees and making mergers and acquisition but they have historically underestimated the importance of cross-cultural training and support. As a French native who was transferred to the US headquarters, I wish I had received this kind of support instead of the "sink or swim" approach. I since read a lot of books on French and American cultures to help me adapt and also make sense of my experience to share it with others. In one word, I wish I had "Au Contraire!" "Au Contraire!" should be required reading for anybody planning to live in France for some time or interacting with French people on a regular basis, or for any French expatriate who wants to make sense of what it is to be French. Companies should give it to the employees they transfer and their families. Actually, they should give it to all employees who have to deal with French counterparts. French-born people planning to live in the US or working with US counterparts will also appreciate it immensely but I wish the authors had a version made for them. This is a gem. This is THE reference. "Don't leave home without it!" Buy it. Read it, and enjoy the culture shock. You will get out of it transformed and stronger.
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