France - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture - Paperback

by Culture Smart! (Author), Barry Tomalin (Author)

The French are "different." You'll often hear this in conversations among the "Anglo-Saxons," as the French like to call English-speakers. "Different" means charming, challenging, questioning, stylish, and doing things in their own way and to their own advantage. So what qualities make them so distinctive? And how do you get through to them?
By looking at the attitudes and values of the French, and explaining how French life and business works, Culture Smart! France shows you how to fit in as a foreigner. It gives practical advice on how to avoid faux pas and how to behave in different contexts. It takes you through French history, festivals, and traditions, and describes the French at home, on the road, in the restaurant, and at work. Above all, we show you how the French communicate, and how to get the best out of this idiosyncratic and brilliant people.

Author Biography

Barry Tomalin, M.A. is an English writer, trainer, and public speaker specializing in cultural awareness and international communication. He was Director of Cultural Training at International House, London, and Visiting Lecturer at the London Academy of Diplomacy, University of East Anglia. A former producer and presenter with the BBC World Service, he has worked in more than sixty countries worldwide, including France, Algeria, and Francophone West Africa. He is also the author of Culture Smart! Germany and Italy.