I’m a real Francophile and I lived there for a couple of years, albeit over 30 years ago. This is a light hearted look at some of the idiosyncrasies of French culture.

Sadly, I ran out of time to read this book and I've changed from one iPad to another and now I can't read this arc - sorry! I always try to read every netgalley arc I'm very kindly sent but now I can't access this read.

A fun, light guide to France in easily digestible bits--like a tray of petit fours for the Francophile mind. Delightful.

On a sunny day, lie back in the park with some cheese and a glass of wine and laugh with your friends about all these fun little frenchisms. Enjoy reading the longest sentence in French literature and how a chief tricked the borish English into eating snails by calling the dish 'Thighs of the Dawn Nymphs'. Best to do it with others since it is poor ettiquette for women to pour their own wine (!!!!)

A really cute collection.

Simply, a must-have for every Francophile's shelf!!

Anyone who likes trivia, or France, or both, will enjoy this book. It is entertaining and you learn a lot in the process. You can skip around or work your way straight through the alphabet of entries. As I read, I kept telling my family some of the interesting bits and wanting to eat French foods!

Really random factoids about that country everyone, especially Belgians, likes to make fun of.
The rooster is the national animal of France: yep, loud and cocky. See what I mean? Easy.
What is there to say? Some of the stuff was hilarious, just as many miss the mark. I skipped stuff like recipes and which wine goes with what, but for the most part it was entertaining enough. Certainly learned a few things, like the best baguette competition, which is ironic considering France is the #2 market for McDonald’s.

This was a fun upbeat look at Francophile trivia. I found it to be entertaining and pretty accurate! Well-written and an enjoyable read.
My thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Somewhat interesting trivia book set under the guise of all things French. Some are interesting; others deserved more of a skimming. Many are things that even the French don't know, like their consumption of garlic compared to that of Korea. There are non-French things like a list of the top ten longest novels of all time (only two were French) and top five most expensive weapons in the world (Napoleon's gold sword was sold at the highest price in an auction, so the author put this at the top of the list). Lots of footnotes.

A highly enjoyable, fact-filled book. It is one that you can pick up and read a few entries, then set it aside until you have more time. Broken down alphabetically, it covers SO many subjects. Everything from absinthe (what it is, it's history, and how to prepare it), to wine (descriptions, history, types of wine glasses, and serving it). And much more! Ever wonder if you can get fast food in France (you can)? French perfume? This book will explain it.
I could go on and on, but you get the idea. This is a really fun, easily readable book. If you have any desire to visit France, or are just curious, this is a great book for your nightstand!

Fun to read and really enjoyable. A list of fun facts and curiosities that is very humourous.
I really liked it.
Recommended.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Thistle Publishing

This was a fun, quick read. The author clearly did quite a bit of research. The book hits on many aspects of French culture and serves as sort of an intro to some of the more quirky aspects. Knowing a lot about French culture going in, I'm not really sure I learned anything truly new, but I would recommend it for people that are less familiar with the country.

F is for France by Piu Eatwell
F is also for fascinating! This really is an interesting collection of assorted facts about France, many of them quirky. It will give you plenty of interesting things to bring up in conversations. “Did you know that it takes half a mile of Merino wool to make a beret? Did you know that the Eiffel Tower was only intended to be a temporary construction? Did you know that 95 pizzas are eaten every second in France? Did you know that the 100 billionth Bic pen was sold in September 2006?”
This little gem of a book is packed full of such rich snippets, covering culture, literature, history, language, art, nature, beauty, food, everyday life, eccentricities to give just a few examples. They’re presented in A to Z format. The author has put many, many hours of research into this book, and I think she must have had a ball while she was doing so. She shares plenty of quirky, delightful, and occasionally macabre bits of information that really do give you a good idea of what France and Frenchness is all about.
The author has a lively style and you quickly become thoroughly engrossed in what she’s saying. It’s a book you can dip in and out of, but it’s very hard to put it down once you pick it up.
In conclusion, I have to give this book another F word - ‘formidable’!

I really enjoyed this short excerpt of the book. I didn't realise that it wasn't the whole book and felt disappointed that I didn't get chance to read the whole alphabet. Surely a good sign.
I love france and we go every year and have done since we have had children.
I was astounded at some of the figures! I knew that the French liked their bread but wow!
Thanks to NetGalley, Piu Eat well and Thistle publishing.

A nice steady stroll through an A-Z of a collection of french wonders, it doesn't take long to read but that's not the point, it's a lazy sunny sunday in Paris, you're sitting in front of a cafe watching stereotypical french people pass by before you ignore all of them and read this while drinking your cafe au lait.

I enjoyed it but that might be because there's the word 'cheese' in it.

*Huge thanks to Piu Marie Eatwell, Thistle Publishing and NetGalley for this copy which I chose to read and all opinions are my own*

A fun read specially if you are interested in France. I have visited France and am planning a another visit, so definitely this book caught my attention and I enjoyed the interesting way it gives you information , it’s a trivia/ wiki . The author definitely has done her due diligence with the research. It was a fun and interesting read.

You do not have to be a Francophile to enjoy this entertainingly delicious quirky A to Z miscellany of the uniqueness and essence of the French. Fascinating and amusing with so much trivia and genuine information conveyed this is a light and informative read and certainly some of those facts will certainly be remembered. As can be expected much of the content is of a culinary nature but other themes include literature, history, paintings and of course Paris.

You do not know what is coming next as you turn the page, one moment you are actually reading the longest sentence in literature composed by Marcel Proust and the next you are reading how to make a Salade Nicole. As you go from one theme to the next you begin to realise the contribution that the French have made. It's a book that can be dipped into and returned to and would be an ideal starting point or accompaniment to further reading.

An ideal book for the lovers of all things French or for those with a sense of curiosity.

Collections of miscellaneous facts can be lots of things: fun, enlightening. quirky, but easy to review is not one of those things. This books, loosely organized alphabetically, is exactly that kind of book. It's an assortment of mostly French facts covering every aspect of life from etiquette to history and recipes.

The author, who lives in France, will, more often than I would prefer, relay on lists from other sources or material from other countries.

Even so it's a pleasant diversion.

A fun and fact filled A-Z of Francophilian Frolics! Not a run of the mill information filled guide by any means - rather a very readable and enjoyable delve into the more unusual and the often bizarre. Well researched and well written. A recommended read.

F is for France, A Curious Cabinet of French Wonders by Piu Eatwell

First published June 2016
February 2018

Book of trivia and miscellany about French culture. Fascinating and fun facts about those little things of which we wonder. Organized neatly in a humorous A to Z format. I have always had an interest in France and enjoyed this book which provided history and explanation for common myths. I learned many new things and history of other trivia.
A perfect for the Francophile and those who love trivia.