On my bookshelf - Dessine-moi un Parisien
I get asked a lot of questions about what it is like living in Paris and about the Parisians themselves. If there is one indispensable guide to both these things, it's Olivier Magny's 'Dessine-moi un Parisien'.
Sommelier Olivier Magny is a bit of a man about town. At the tender age of 23, having graduated from one of Paris' Grandes Ecoles (the city's elite private universities, which gets its own chapter), he opened O Chateau, a popular Paris-based wine school and has since gone on to pen a couple of books, open a fabulous wine bar near Les Halles and make numerous TV appearances.
This is the bible of French, or more particularly Parisian, life told from his witty Parisian perspective. Each chapter takes on a very French subject matter, from idiosyncrasies like Chaussettes Blanches (white socks), to the more general, like the Parisian take on Drink driving ("the Parisian is greater than others, he is also greater than the law") and Moderation ("if qualities were illnesses, moderation would be the Parisian plague").
Each chapter concludes with a funny conseil utile ("the cut of your jeans says a lot about your sexual preferences, choose with precaution") and an accompanying Parisian façon de parler (manner of speaking).
The French edition is ideal for anyone learning the language; it's an easy, astute and fun read for anyone wishing to get a glimpse into the Parisian mindset.
Dessine-moi un parisien (10/18) (French Edition)
There's also an English translation:
