Through French Windows: An Introduction to France in the Nineties

by James Corbett

Overview

Through French Windows is a journey into contemporary French culture and society. By describing the country's education, religion, politics, finances, technology and telecommunications, and social and ethical issues, Corbett draws a portrait of present-day France.

The author provides background information necessary for understanding the changes that continue to evolve. Corbett conscientiously avoids the traditional and simplistic means of portraying France that emphasizes the cultural heritage of the country. Instead he provides an insider's view of France, separating that mythic image from the current reality. Further, he presents an accurate portrayal of the diversity of France by moving beyond the typical dichotomy between Paris and the rest of the country or the oversimplification of dividing the country into north and south.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780472064694
Publisher:	University of Michigan Press
Publication date:	04/26/1994
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	426
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.30(d)

Editorial Reviews

"Through French Windows will thus be welcome by American readers who have a desire or need to be acquainted with recent social changes in France. Written by an American who is a longtime resident of France, it provides a highly readable synthesis of evolving issues in many areas of contemporary French life."
—Alice J. Strange, French Review

French Review - Alice J. Strange

"Corbett's view does not reply the romantic image American tourists have of France. . . . a lively guide to a more chic, modern France. . . . This is a thorough but not impartial observation; in looking at the business of everything, even elitism, Corbett proffers a distinct, knowledgeable, and current view of France. Business competitors and pleasure travelers alike can learn a great deal . . . ."
—Booklist

Booklist

"Through French Windows achieves a dual purpose of appealing both to newcomers and to experienced observers of French culture. It provides a survey of recent developments together with an interpretive dimension that brings the subject alive. While it is a work of general interest written for the non-specialist, it is also a perceptive and insightful resource useful to those teaching about contemporary France."
—French Review

French Review

"Corbett's is that rarest of all books: a sociological treatise that is also entirely readable. . . . The book is as enjoyable as it is informative, but by far its greatest strength is Corbett's careful and spirited description of even the most mundane subject. No other author has, for example, outlined France's baffling educational system with such intense clarity and caution. For these reasons it is recommended to all readers interested in modern France."
—Choice

Choice

"Corbett's view does not reply the romantic image American tourists have of France. . . . a lively guide to a more chic, modern France. . . . This is a thorough but not impartial observation; in looking at the business of everything, even elitism, Corbett proffers a distinct, knowledgeable, and current view of France. Business competitors and pleasure travelers alike can learn a great deal . . . ."
—Booklist

Booklist

Scholar Corbett digs beneath the surface of cliches and stereotypes about France to reveal the naked realities of a country whose modernity has been overshadowed by myth and misrepresentation. France in the '90s, maintains Corbett, is more than a fetching synonym for romance, rich living and cultural heritage. Instead it is in the European vanguard of such things as technological excellence and state-funded AIDS research. Corbett purposefully steers away from French literature, music and arts, focusing on the country's economic, political and social underpinnings. The result is iconoclastic and rewarding. In his attempts to provide an objective overview of French contemporary life, Corbett masterfully weaves together statistics, surveys, demographics and reports through accessible writing and a somewhat inconsistent wit. In his chapter on the sexual revolution, Corbett cites several surveys on the sexual behavior of French teenagers (who are not as promiscuous as many think) and surmises craftily that ``Love is one of the main values of young people according to all the surveys--but that is hardly a major discovery.'' Comparisons between France and the United States are frequent and enriching if unevenly distributed, but this is a minor faux-pas in a globally informative work. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly