The Sweet Life in Paris: Delicious Adventures in the World's Most Glorious - and Perplexing - City

It was an okay book but I must say that Peter Mayle he's not. True, they are writing about two completely different places in France, but he's just not the storyteller that Mayle was and while I wasn't expecting a duplicate of Mayall's style, he just didn't draw me in. Also, his humor seems a little forced, as if he knew he had to say something funny to make some of the stories he told worth telling. Mayle's humor was effortless and he endearingly captured the people of Provence while pointing out cultural differences and poking gentle fun at some of the more comedic characters while Lebovitz seems at times, overly critical of the Parisians amongst whom he's made his home. He seems to dislike them enough to make me question why he even wants to live there? Some people might enjoy this book more than I did, as well as the recipes he includes, and feel the book deserves a 4-star rating. However, tastes vary and for me, it's 3 stars. .

I follow the blog that David Lebovitz publishes most days of the week (well, many days of the week any any rate) his updates come to my igoogle home page and are a welcome treat every time. So I knew David's very accessible prose style and his keen interest in food (especially the sweet things of the culinary world) so I was very interested to get my hands on *The Sweet Life In Paris.* The book does not disappoint! Part cookbook, part autobiography and part study of the cultural mores of living in Paris and living with the French - I found I could not put the book down. There are many surprising and odd observations and much wit and humor - and I have great luck with David's recipes too - which are not limited to sweets but feature all courses from breakfast to late-night snack time and all sorts of foods. I must admit I live David's life in Paris vicariously and what a gift that is!

I was looking forward to this book coming out, and it does not disappoint. As a recent American transplant to Paris, I can say that this is an incredibly accurate view of the challenges of life when making such a move. Many of which are quite humorous. I have described to friends over and over again how, in Paris, you need an address to have a bank account, but you need a bank account to have an address, and you need both to get a visa, but you need a visa to get either. David captures this in his chapter "my cle to success" about his challenges in obtaining a bank account. And brilliantly follows this with two recipes for Mousse au Chocolat! Yum! If you ever wanted to learn what it is like to move to France, this is the book. With recipes!

Great book, done in the witty, entertaining, and informative style that is the trademark of DL's popular blog (of which I am a regular reader). If you are looking for great summer reading, look no further. This book really is perfect for the beach, travel, or anywhere, really. I am glad to say that when I met David a few months back at a "meet up" here in NYC, he was as warm and personable as his writing indicates. Hopefully I will one day make it to Paris, and be a *little bit* smarter having read his work. Definitely recommend.

I absolutely adore David Lebovitz. I took a couple cooking classes from him several years ago and am a fan for life. His recipes are the absolute best plus he is smart and hilarious. So I had to have his book which shares incidents from his life since his move to Paris. It's a quick fun read that will ring true to anyone who's spent time there. David spares no one, from the French men in their religion revealing bathing suits to the American tourists in their fanny packs and plastic flip flops. David shares incidents which will have you laughing and glad you live in the U.S. yet earning for the unique charm and culinary delights of Paris. The book is filled with Parisian shopkeepers who would rather smoke outside or text their friends than sell you cheese that you are unworthy of; the mindless buracuracy needed to return an item that broke with its first use; and the endless strikes that usually start right outside his apartment. While David can be acerbic and slightly misanthropic, he's always endearing. Of course, the recipes look amazing and I can hardly wait to try them.