Stephen Clarke: What I love and hate about the French

[yoe91]

Good points...fair enough.

But pop sucks all over the world; I would substitute the word 'pop' with 'rock'. It's a typically anglo-saxon thing to write good rock, in France it's just - not - in - the - culture.

[Avray1967]

Hmm. The 35 hour week is tricky. We can compare professional parisians (ludicrous 70 hour weeks) freelance writers (yeah right) and shop assistants, waiters at minimum wage (30-35 hours as and when just to be messed around). I will stick my neck out and declare that freelance writers (even if starving and freezing from poverty) will declare themselves happy with their 'lifestyle choice'. Every time. The other employess, not so much.

[Avray1967]

@Avray1967 I should addHis books are really good, and I even love France. I just really wish people didn't talk about the 35 hour week in such glowing terms. I know we have to support the socialist party line or get tainted by Sarkozy-ism, but the 35 hour week has been a nasty nonsense. Sorry.

[excusez1992]

man he is hot

[lineswine]

He appears to have missed a salient point.

The French have a massively inflated view of their own relevance in the world.

This in contrast to their craven surrender TWICE to the Germans in world wars.

The resistance were brave, but contrast that with the French giving half of their country to the Vichy govt in the south of France, 100% in collusion with the Nazis.

DeGaulle insisted in marching into liberated Paris, when in reality he's run away to England to run a "govt. in exile"? Arrogance!

[Nawel0807]

England has resisted to germans far as she could, but France has been surprised by an attack. Since this moment, France has resisted as she could You make laught about De Gaulle, but what do you want than he must have had to make? He has tried to promote the resistance to the frensh but sometimes, it's most intelligent to wait the good moment for to do something, rather than "rush down head" It will be stupid to just remember this period, Frensh' s History is so much richer than that. =P

[unclemort1960]

his books are very good

[BernardProfitendieu]

he has no idea what the debate about the 35 hour work week is about in France

also, why has he picked up the french error of calling everyone who speaks english "Anglo-Saxon?" they use it, incorrectly, as the English language equivalent of la francophonie - makes me cringe every time I hear it or, worse, see it in a bookshelf for as a classification for what invariably turns out to be American literature

he sounds like a loser running away from something in his life

[dezboss]

@BernardProfitendieu And I think you sound like someone with a chip on your shoulder.

[dezboss]

Stephen Clarke rocks. I love his books.

[fortpflanzor]

he's definitely right about pop music, yet i'm french

[gaberdoodle]

The 35h in france has nothing to do with wanting free time. Shut up.