Through French Windows: An Introduction to France in the Nineties - Softcover

Corbett, James

Softcover

ISBN 10: 047206469X ISBN 13: 9780472064694

Publisher: University of Michigan Press, 1994

Synopsis

Through French Windows is a journey into contemporary French culture and society. By describing the country's education, religion, politics, finances, technology and telecommunications, and social and ethical issues, Corbett draws a portrait of present-day France.The author provides background information necessary for understanding the changes that continue to evolve. Corbett conscientiously avoids the traditional and simplistic means of portraying France that emphasizes the cultural heritage of the country. Instead he provides an insider's view of France, separating that mythic image from the current reality. Further, he presents an accurate portrayal of the diversity of France by moving beyond the typical dichotomy between Paris and the rest of the country or the oversimplification of dividing the country into north and south.

About this title

About the Author

James Corbett is Assistant Professor and Head of Foreign Languages, Ecole Supérieure des Affaires, Université des Sciences Sociales de Grenoble, Domaine Universitaire, Grenoble, France.

Reviews

Scholar Corbett digs beneath the surface of cliches and stereotypes about France to reveal the naked realities of a country whose modernity has been overshadowed by myth and misrepresentation. France in the '90s, maintains Corbett, is more than a fetching synonym for romance, rich living and cultural heritage. Instead it is in the European vanguard of such things as technological excellence and state-funded AIDS research. Corbett purposefully steers away from French literature, music and arts, focusing on the country's economic, political and social underpinnings. The result is iconoclastic and rewarding. In his attempts to provide an objective overview of French contemporary life, Corbett masterfully weaves together statistics, surveys, demographics and reports through accessible writing and a somewhat inconsistent wit. In his chapter on the sexual revolution, Corbett cites several surveys on the sexual behavior of French teenagers (who are not as promiscuous as many think) and surmises craftily that "Love is one of the main values of young people according to all the surveys--but that is hardly a major discovery." Comparisons between France and the United States are frequent and enriching if unevenly distributed, but this is a minor faux-pas in a globally informative work.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: University of Michigan Press
• Publication date: 1994
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 047206469X
• ISBN 13: 9780472064694
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 426