French by Heart: An American Family's Adventures in La Belle France

Can a family of five from deep in the heart of Dixie find happiness smack dab in the middle of France?

French By Heart is the story of an all-American family pulling up stakes and finding a new home in Clermont-Ferrand, a city four hours south of Paris known more for its smoke-spitting factories and car dealerships than for its location in the Auvergne, the lush heartland of France dotted with crumbling castles and sunflower fields. The Ramseys are not jet-setters; they're a regular family with big-hearted and rambunctious kids. Quickly their lives go from covered-dish suppers to smoky dinner parties with heated polemics, from being surrounded by Southern hospitality to receiving funny looks if the children play in the yard without shoes.

A charming tale with world-class characters, French By Heart reads like letters from your funniest friend. More than just a slice of life in France, it's a heartwarming account of a family coming of age and learning what "home sweet home" really means.

Author: Rebecca S. Ramsey
Publisher: Crown Publishing Group (NY)
Published: 04/24/2007
Pages: 320
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.57lbs
Size: 7.98h x 5.28w x 0.71d
ISBN: 9780767925228

Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 01/29/2007 pg. 54
Booklist 03/15/2007 pg. 17
New York Times 06/03/2007 pg. 14

About the Author
REBECCA S. RAMSEY lived with her family in a small village in central France for four years, beginning in 1999, before returning to Greer, South Carolina.