I always enjoy Wharton's writings. Her novels bely her study of human nature. So, not surprisingly, a non-fiction book about the French people and culture would be all about human nature.

This book was written nearly 100 years ago, so certainly some aspects have changed for both cultures. Women in the US routinely work alongside men. My social circle is not limited to other women as would seem to have been the case in America a hundred years ago for married women. I cannot "partner" with my husband in his work as Wharton describes for the French women -- I am not a rocket scientist -- but I can and have influenced decisions he has made within his career. So, either the US has "grown up" a bit as a nation and within its culture, or I have been deeply affected by my French maternal grandmother.

I found the title extremely fascinating. In few day, I am going to France for three weeks and thought this might be a good book to read, even though it was written in 1919.

It is a small book. The writing is always powerful but somehow I did not enjoy reading what she has to say about the French. Her take on the French is full of admiration and appreciation. Consequently, I found the text, at least in parts, hilarious. In the preface, she writes, ''one can imagine the first Frenchman born into the world looking about him confidently, and saying: Here I am; and now, how am I to make the most of it.'' Later in the book, she compares the French woman to the American woman and claims that the French woman is fully evolved and grown-up, while the American woman is still in Kindergarten. She gives, not so satisfying reasons, for such a blunt distinction.

As she goes on to describe the French history and its traditions, she just sees greatness everywhere. She is superbly selective, and only through this careful selection she supports what she has to say. One is aware of the greatness of French art, culture and so forth. Paris, for instance, has always attracted artists, writers, young people from every corner of the world. However, page after page Wharton chants paeans of what is good about the French. The book has some wonderful descriptions of the French landscapes. One cannot help thinking how is this different (or superior) from some other European landscapes. I can see in her words European cities and landscapes.

Only in the last chapter, she says a few negative things about the French, and then gently dismiss them. For instance, She writes, ''The French it must be repeated, are a race indifferent to the rights of others.'' She further adds some popular stereotypes about the French such as they are ''mean and cannot be trusted.'' But according to Wharton, these cliches about the French, if there is any truth to them, only reflect the lower classes ( as if the lower classes are not French). The aristocratic (or the right sorts) French are always democratic, laborious and even ascetic. Elsewhere she says they are pleasure seekers and knows how to be joyful.

Wharton right in the Preface warns the reader that her views on The French are not definitive in any way, and refers to her book as desultory that contains a series of disjointed notes on the French.

The book in terms of language is far from disjointed. And not desultory by any standards.

Some interesting thoughts. Like this one about French ant their respect of La Patrie: “Far different is the lot of the dishonest man of business and of the traitor to the state. For these two offenders against the political and social order the ultimate horrors of the pit are reserved”
After all the French are daring bring to court their ex-President who got money from a foreign country Libya hopefully Americans will do the same with our present buffoon and its Russia monies

There were quite a few remarks which had still apply but the analysis is generally outdated compared with the modern French society.

I finished my MA thesis on Wharton last night. Can't...read...more...Wharton.....

In spite of my shortcomings, I did enjoy reading this. French Ways and Their Meanings is a collection of essays and articles Wharton wrote during World War I. This collection is brilliant and reveals Wharton's thoughts on women, culture, and equality. Her comparison of French and American societies still rings true today, especially her discussion of marriage, Wharton's signature topic. She claims that when an American woman is married, she ceases to be part of society and have any influence on the men in her community. The whole time I read this, I kept thinking about how true this still is: women are still expected to become "the good little woman" really from the point they become engaged. The wedding day is the ceremony that symbolizes this transition. Especially interesting is the fact that Wharton is making the same argument as Gayle Rubin in "The Traffic in Women," but a good 60 years before her! I am a die hard Wharton fan, and this collection is part of the reason. A must read for anyone interested in Wharton, feminism, or the early twentieth century.

This delightful little volume is a compilation of articles written for American troops bound for France in World War One. While their effect on the average doughboy may be questionable, they give a powerful and invaluable insight into one of the most perceptive minds of the age.
Wharton, in her most engaging and always readable style, discusses First Impressions, and examines issues of Reverence, Taste, Intellectual Honesty, and Continuity, and, in her essay on the New Frenchwoman, reveals perhaps more about herself than her subjects.
Highly recommended as a fine introduction to the author.

Obviously some of it is dated but much of the collection stands strong.

There is a healthy amount of early 20th century racism, heads up

Wharton's prose is beautiful as always but what is most interesting about this meandering account is her comparisons of England, France and America - discussing the French and Angl0 Saxons as two races. This was indeed a reminder that race is a social construct that continues to evolve and is always defined by those who consider themselves the superior race. I also found her take on French women amusing but not so sure I would if I were a French woman (I doubt French Canadian counts!).

This little volume is worth the read if you are interested in a very specific point-of-view of a slice of the world in 1919. Of course, reading from a first-edition with its striking cover adds to the experience.

Edith Wharton wrote three of my all-time favorite novels and I will happily read anything she writes. I enjoyed this short volume immensely, especially the latter half. Her observations on the French people in the early 20th century is fascinating on so many levels. Having recently read 'Custom of the Country', I saw several of her points from that novel reflected in this book. For Wharton enthusiasts it is worthwhile to read 'French Ways' for a glimpse into her thinking and her values. Also many of her observations on the differences between France and America continue to resonate, and it's intriguing to think about the hardiness of national characteristics throughout a country's history. I was particularly struck by her thoughts on the maturity of the French versus the immaturity of Americans, the differences between married women of each country, and the reasons for France's reverence for institutions and tradition. Would recommend for those who love France, Edith Wharton, or students of the historical period in which she was writing. It's a pity she never met Proust, I feel they would have been kindred spirits.