| | |  | Books | Home » » » My French Life | | | | | | | Description: | | A beautifully photographed romantic book about French style and culture?and making a new home in Provence
In 1999, Vicki Archer, with her husband and three children, made a lifelong dream a reality when she bought a seventeenth-century property in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. She spent three years lovingly restoring the farmhouse, bringing back to life the abandoned apple and pear orchards, and planting an olive grove of more than two thousand trees. In My French Life, Vicki shares an insider?s view of life in France? from its landscapes, delicious food, and scents to its charming people. And she offers an intimate portrait of what it?s like to adopt a new home on the other side of the globe. It?s a personal tale of taking risks, facing challenges, and the joyous experience of falling in love with all things French.
With lavish four-color photography that captures the essence of French style, My French Life is a book to cherish. It is the perfect gift for the holidays.
| | | Product Details: | | | Author:
| Vicki Archer | | Hardcover:
| 240 pages | | Publisher:
| Studio | | Publication Date:
| November 01, 2007 | | Language:
| English | | ISBN:
| 0670018775 | | Product Length:
| 11.67 inches | | Product Width:
| 9.05 inches | | Product Height:
| 1.18 inches | | Product Weight:
| 3.07 pounds | | Package Length:
| 11.5 inches | | Package Width:
| 8.8 inches | | Package Height:
| 1.5 inches | | Package Weight:
| 2.9 pounds | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 32 reviews |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 32 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
56 of 57 found the following review helpful:
 Ahh, FranceJan 07, 2008
By Barbara Turner
I just returned from two weeks in Paris. As I was dreamily describing my adventure, someone asked, "Have you read My French Life?" I thought, just another book about I bought a house in France (or Italy) and this is how I dealt with the locals fixing it up, but this book is different. First of all it is so tastefully decorated, from its padded cover to its lovely photographs. In other words, so artistically French! I found myself reading it quickly when I opened it, and then I thought, slow down and savor this like an afternoon in a cafe. I buy a lot of books, read them and then pass them on, but this one I will keep to dip into over and over when I need a boost of French art, civility, and culture.
67 of 75 found the following review helpful:
 Great photos - horrible writingDec 15, 2007
By L Sherriff
"California Girl"
The photos are absolutely gorgeous - no question! Due to it's size and the beautiful photographs, it would make a wonderful coffee table book.
Unfortunately, as for the text, it is shockingly bad. It is disjointed, uninteresting, and the writing style reminds me of the overly flowery writing of a high school student who gets extra credit for every "unique" adjective they use.
It's a rather expensive book, so if you are purchasing it solely for the photos, by all means, it is recommended. If, however, you were hoping to be inspired to visit France, gain some insight into the country or way of life, or just be entertained.... then please save your money.
42 of 46 found the following review helpful:
My French Life, a review from NZNov 29, 2007
By W. B. Whitfield
"Frenchbruce"
My French Life is one of those book gems....good looking not only on the coffee table but also a book capable of providing a wealth of easily read information on just what the good life in France can be like. In fact my partner has one copy and we also have another copy that we have placed in our Le Petit Hotel here in New Zealand for guests to enjoy. We are a long way from France but having a book like My French Life simply enables francofiles and others who value the best of French life, to dream of that far away land with its distinctive and quite different culture. Recommended reading.
37 of 41 found the following review helpful:
A Real DisappointmentAug 09, 2008
By Laura MacDonald
I remember doing a search quite a while back for French Life (or something similiar) and found this book right before it's release. I immediately put it on my Wish List and kind of forgot about it.
A few months later, I found it again (going through my list) and decided I didn't want to spend $35 for this book so after much waiting it became available thru inter-library loan.
Let me tell you that I am so glad I was able to get it this way rather than pay for this overly-plush, terribly written book. Such a letdown..boring writing with heady photographs.
You will not learn anything new about the French in this book. It's the same thing: French style, food, politeness, slow pace, etc. And I got really sick of the author's constant referrals to her olive farm.
Best book on French style: Veronique Vienne's French Style: How to Think, Shop & Dress Like a Frenchwoman...magnificient OOP book but absolutely worth the inflated price.
Best book on French cuisine and life: Robert Arbor's Joie de Vivre.
Don't waste your time with this one. You'll just be paying for padded fluff.
47 of 54 found the following review helpful:
 PRETENTIOUS, PRETENTIOUS, AND BEYOND PRETENTIOUS!!!Aug 07, 2008
By ENTRE NOUS
I have never read anything so utterly pretentious -- how wonderful that Ms Archer found this paradise and, at untold cost, restored it brick by brick, stone by stone, using the best local craftspeople,artisans, antiquarians and the like (and who all, along the way, became her new best friends)-- and telling us in the most mundane style how lucky she is to be able to sit and watch the olives grow while also tripping off to Paris or London (her now home).
Her ultimate coup, it seems, and which Ms. Archer proudly tells us she has received, was recognition,by the French Security person at the airport,of her HERMES BERKIN handbag. He informed her that she had bought the most perfect item in the whole world, made with utmost craftsmanship at Hermes-- and she has the privilege of owning it! MON DIEU!!!
Luckily, I got this book from my local library and thus have not added a centime to her rather full coffers. SAVE YOUR MONEY! BETTER TO DONATE IT TO A WORTHY CAUSE!!!!
See all 32 customer reviews on Amazon.com
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