Literary Quotes About France

A few of my favorite quotes about one of my favorite places in the world…more to come…

Merci et Au Revoir, Mme. Hellier…

A sad farewell to another wonderful independent bookstore..the Village Voice English-language bookshop in Paris. And a thank you to Odile Hellier, bookseller extraordinaire…

Demystifying the French: A Reading List

A reading list for those who would like to understand French people and culture better, and particularly how to bridge the cultural differences between la France and les États-Unis…

Demystifying the French: Tip #3

Why is Paris one of the most beautiful cities in the world?

Well, largely because people in France care about the way things look, and they pay close and careful attention to it–down to the smallest detail, pretty much all the time.

Demystifying the French: Tip #2

In her very helpful book, Polly Platt urged her readers to learn what she calls the “Ten Magic Words” that will open the doors of the French heart and soul, and turn potentially sour encounters into sweet ones. Here are the first five words…

Demystifying the French: Tip #1

Today’s tip is THE MOST IMPORTANT thing anyone going to France can possibly know. It will make more of a difference in how well you are treated there, and the quality of your social interactions in France than most Americans would believe possible, and it is so very simple to do…

Demystifying the French: Tips for Traveling in France

Though I love the French and admire many things about them, I think of them as “requiring special handling.” Whereas I think of Americans as being easygoing, freewheeling, and much more flexible in their approach to life. I don’t think of us as holding to a “right” way of doing things. But perhaps we’re just as difficult for them to understand as they are for us…

Cuba Bookshelf

I’ve just finished teaching “Cuba: A Literary Adventure,” in Havana, for the first time. Here are some of the titles I used in class, along with a lot more, for my students who would like to read more about Cuba, as well as for anyone else who has an interest in learning about this most fascinating and wonderful place.

rules of spontaneous prose (by jack kerouac)

Jack Kerouac’s brilliant, heartfelt advice about writing. Typically, silliness mixed in with profound wisdom. What a great mind and a loving heart the man had!

Lessons Learned in Cuba

“You’ll love it and it will break your heart,” one of my clients said to me a few days before I left on my first trip to Havana. He was so right!