French Bred: Growing Up Provincial in a Bygone France

French Bred is a recollection of post-war France and a reflection on a search for wider horizons. The book tells of growing up in a small Catholic town before finding emotional release in London. It explores the delights of childhood, the frustrations of adolescence, and the hopes of early adulthood, with anecdotes recounted by family members evoking earlier aspects of provincial life. The tone is wistful, upbeat, and reflective. The book will charm, inform, and challenge preconceptions about all things French. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Paul Bruthiaux was born in France. At eighteen, he moved to London to learn English and lived there for two decades. He has a PhD in linguistics and has taught in universities in the USA and Southeast Asia. His work on language has been published by Oxford University Press and in various scholarly journals. In French Bred, he draws a straight line through the meanderings.