Tag Archives: France

The Yellow Dog – Georges Simenon (translated by Linda Asher)

Posted on July 29, 2025 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) Originally published in 1931, in English in 1939, and now re-released in English, The Yellow Dog offers readers a taste of Georges Simenon’s signature crime storytelling. Set in the small seaside town of Concarneau, France, a … Continue reading →

The Propagandist – Cécile Desprairies, translated by Natasha Lehrer

Posted on October 10, 2024 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) Our protagonist had to navigate between truth and lies, reality and denial for her entire childhood. Now as an adult and a historian, she must face these truths and the role her mother played in Fance … Continue reading →

Posted in French Literature, Historical Fiction | Tagged anti-antisemitism, France, Nazism, propaganda, WWII | Comments Off

Are We French Yet? Keith & Val’s Adventures in Provence – Keith Van Sickle

Posted on January 3, 2019 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by Don Jung) What would happen if you decided to divide your family life between two countries and live six months of the year in each place? Well, that’s what author Keith Van Sickle has done as he tells … Continue reading →

Posted in Bios and Memoirs, Culture, Non-fiction, Travel | Tagged culture, France | Comments Off

Hôtel Inspiré – Douglas Warren

Posted on December 21, 2018 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) “Without realizing it at the time he would be unable to crawl back into his former ‘safe’ life. He had emerged like a butterfly, le papillon. Now he would learn to fly, in fact soar.” Though … Continue reading →

Posted in Modern Literary Fiction | Tagged France, Paris, short books | Comments Off

F Is for France: A Curious Cabinet of French Wonders – Piu Eatwell

Posted on December 16, 2017 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) Did you know that French president Félix François Faure was the only known head of state to have died while having an orgasm? How about that at one time in history male impotence was considered a … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Non-fiction | Tagged book reviews, culture, France, French history, Non-fiction | Comments Off

The Hideout – Egon Hostovsky (Translated from the Czech by Fern Long)

Posted on July 28, 2017 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) “I keep having the feeling that a good half of the human race got drunk in a kind of gigantic space where the air is all breathed out. The born fighters and brawlers started to … Continue reading →

Posted in Historical Fiction, Lost and almost forgotten, Slavic Literature | Tagged adultery, Czech, France, introspection, loyalty, short books, WWII | Comments Off

A Lucky Day – Carlos J. Server (Author), Annie Crawford (Translator)

Posted on March 23, 2017 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) Sainte Marie D’Azur, a small village of 712 inhabitants in the French Riviera was considered to be the “luckiest” town in Europe by the media. The winning ticket of the EuroMillions lottery, the largest prize offered … Continue reading →

Posted in Humor & Satire, Spanish Literature, World Literature | Tagged book reviews. fiction, France, lottery | Comments Off

One Sip at a Time: Learning to Live in Provence – Keith Van Sickle

Posted on March 7, 2017 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) Have you ever dreamed of quitting your job and moving to Europe to live part time? That’s exactly what Keith Van Sickle and his wife, Val, did. While working on a long-term assignment in the French-speaking … Continue reading →

Posted in Bios and Memoirs | Tagged book reviews, expatriate, France | Comments Off