The blurb says:
Paul West arrives in Paris to start a new job - and finds out what the French are really like. They do eat a lot of cheese, some of which smells like pigs' droppings. They don't wash their armpits with garlic soap. Going on strike really is the second national participation sport after pétanque. And, yes, they do suppositories.

Paul's experiences in Paris are for the most part hilariously funny although it's a rather crude sort of humour most times. I liked the misunderstandings resulting from language problems best. I was eyed quite suspiciously once or twice when I just couldn't stop giggling.

Arrived today - thanks a lot for sending it to me!
I had wanted to read this one for quite a while, but it has to wait on Mt. TBR together with all the other ones for now, because I don't really have time to read much right now (NaNoWriMo is taking up all my time). I hope I will get to it in December (here's to hoping I won't get swamped with bookrings again).

I got to it faster than I thought. Must say I wasn't too impressed, though.
It is mildly funny in some places, very funny in a few places, and just dragging on the rest of the time. Paul West seems like the kind of guy that would bore me to tears with his sex obsession and narrow interests. I know that was probably meant to be funny, but it's not my kind of funny. But at least the book confirmed my assumption that I have no affinity whatsoever to either the french lifestyle, or the french language. So maybe that was part of the reason why I didn't fall over laughing. I think, Bill Bryson's writing style is a lot more up my alley.
I'll try to find a new home for this book now.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

This book travels to Finland now as a RABCK.

This book had arrived while I was out of the country. Thanks a lot!

I have to say I was disappointed with this book. I was expecting something more like Bill Bryson. Instead the humour felt quite rude especially at the beginning and I was even thinking of not finishing the book. Decided to keep it in my handbag anyway and read a bit of it every day in the train on my way to uni.

I think it's ok to laugh at cultural differences but you don't have to be mean. I also hated the main character. I wonder how he can be so good at his job when all he ever thinks about is sex.

I got the book at the meet-up in Helsinki.
I heard earlier something about this book, but do not remember what. Well, let's see if I like it or not. Thank you, Silkki!

My daughter took the book first. She read it already. Soon it will be my turn.

I was rather disappointed with the book. I don't like humour which is as rude as this.
I took the book to the meeting in Länsisatama and did not notice who took it.

The book will travel with me to Texas.
I remember seeing the book in some stores when I lived in Ireland... will be interesting to read it finally. And let's see what the folks over in the States will think about it too :)

After seeing this book and the sequel for so many times in Waterstones in Ireland, now I finally read it...
I expected first the book to be a bit like Jaywalking with the Irish, sort of autobiography with occasional funny parts. This was far from that, but I actually enjoyed parts of it quite a lot. Paul reminds me quite a lot of an Irish equivalent, Ross O'Carroll-Kelly - if you'll ever run to any Ross's stories, give them a try. His stories are usually defined as "dicklit" and that quite well nails it. Ross is more annoying than Paul, but perhaps he can pull it off better and more often. (Ross's books are usually anywhere to be found just in Ireland, so send some friends to hunt for the books when visiting the island..)
There were quite a few enjoyable (or hateable) characters in the book. I kind of liked (and really didn't like) his boss, Jean-Marie.
A nice refreshing read between my usual thrillers and detectives. I think I'll have to take this to the next Austin BC meet, I'd love to see what the locals think of it...

Taken to the monthly Austin bookcrossers meeting - if not taken will wait for you on the bookshelf.

Safe journey little book - I hope you'll make many new friends on your travels!

"Don't ever apologize to an author for buying something in paperback, or taking it out from a library (that's what they're there for. Use your library). Don't apologize to this author for buying books second hand, or getting them from bookcrossing or borrowing a friend's copy. What's important to me is that people read the books and enjoy them, and that, at some point in there, the book was bought by someone. And that people who like things, tell other people. The most important thing is that people read... "
— Neil Gaiman

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Fun, fast rollicking read. Part travel log, part political satire, part bodice ripping romance set in lovely gay Paris. Traveled from Austin, TX to San Juan Islands, WA to Vancouver, Canada where it will be left for the next curious reader to pick-up, read and pass on.