When in French (Collins) - Book Reviews

Book Reviews
An exceptionally insightful meditation on how language informs culture and personality. It's a lovely read that gets better the more you sit with it.
Jason Zinoman - New York Times


A thoughtful, beautifully written meditation on the art of language and intimacy. The book unfolds like several books in one: on moving abroad, on communication in human relationships, on the history of language, and in the end, on the delights of cross-cultural fusion.
Suzy Hansen - New York Times Book Review

 
[An] engaging and surprisingly meaty memoir…. When in French ranges from the humorously personal to a deeper look at various theories of language acquisition and linguistics….There’s far more to Collins’ book than screwball comedy, and those who have weathered linguistic crossings themselves are apt to find particular resonance in its substantive inquiry into language, identity, and transcultural translation.
NPR.org

 
In her emotional, erudite memoir…[Collins] documents her linguistic labors, including the missteps–she accidentally tells her mother-in-law she gave birth to a coffeemaker–on the road to mastery. At times she expounds on the history and philosophy of language; at others, it feels like catching up with a clever friend you haven’t seen since college. But the most intriguing question posed is as much about identity as language: Are you someone else when you speak and live in a non-native tongue?
Time


A memoir of the New Yorker writer's experience falling in love with a French banker and winding up in Geneva, recounted in [Collins's] distinctive and deeply intelligent mix of insight and humor.
Thomas Chatterton Williams - Nation


We can't all fall in love with a dashing Frenchman and move to France, but that's what Lauren Collins found herself doing when she met Olivier. This delightful memoir explores the New Yorker staff writer's experience learning the French language—and the culture and people besides.
Elle.com


This smart memoir by New Yorker writer Collins is an extended essay on how the languages we speak shape who we are.... The transitions can be clunky as Collins shifts between story telling and embarking on academic discussions, but her writing is often elegant and exact.
Publishers Weekly


[A] wry memoir…[Collins] unearths other tidbits of trivia and history that will fascinate lovers of words and language…The heart of the book lies in Collins' personal story, which she tells with humor, humility and a deep affection for the people and cultures involved.
BookPage


As Collins gradually decided to commit to learning French because Olivier seemed worth the effort, she breaks from the personal narrative to share scholarly knowledge with lay readers.... Throughout, the author ably weaves together the personal and the historical. A memoir filled with pleasing passages in every chapter.
Kirkus Reviews