Catherine Crawford, a mother of two young daughters, is tired of the indulgent brand of parenting so popular in her trendy Brooklyn neighbourhood. All of the negotiating and bargaining has done scant more than to create a generation of little tyrants. After being exposed to the well-behaved, respectful children of her French friends, une lumi�re went on - French children don't talk back! Why French Children Don't Talk Back is a witty and insightful look at how the French manage to bring up obedient, well-adjusted kids. It occupies a pragmatic place on the book shelf and in life - an anti-Tiger Mother approach to parenting.
Adventures in Franco-inspired American parenting—a winning mix of witty cross-cultural observation, hilariously blunt French wisdom, and one American mom’s journey to create her own hybrid parenting approach “If there is no blood, don’t get up.” This single nugget of parenting gold, offered by a French friend at the end of a long dinner party, changed everything for writer Catherine Crawford, her husband, and, especially, the couple’s two young daughters. Crawford immediately began to see that while the United States had become the land of too-involved parents forever wanting to talk through their kids’ feelings about, well, everything, France employed a far more laissez-faire attitude toward raising les enfants. Learning to sleep through the night? A few tears never hurt anyone. Food? Let them eat cake, sure, but only after they’ve sampled lamb chops, broccoli rabe, and the stinkiest of cheeses. Short of shipping her daughters off to Paris for these—and many other—invaluable early-life lessons, Crawford did the next best thing: She brought Old World–style parenting to Brooklyn. In the process, she discovered that her kids could actually hold a thought silently for two minutes without interrupting adult conversation, and that she didn’t, in fact, need to buy out half the toy store to make their birthdays special. She even found out how much her kids like lamb chops! While combining the best attributes of the approach français with what she saw as American qualities worth preserving, Crawford found a way to save her household and her sanity. Hilarious and insightful, French Twist reveals how Crawford and her family survived le grand experiment—and why they aren’t ever going back to the way things were. Advance praise for French Twist “Presented with a touch of humor and spot-on descriptions of childhood (mis)behavior, the advice, which touches on such topics as breastfeeding and school participation, is practical and useful. A refreshing approach to raising children.”—Kirkus Reviews “[A] charming and clever parenting chronicle . . . Though some may prefer their naughty kids just the way they are, this breezy, entertaining study of parenting a la Paris may prompt others to pour a café au lait and rethink their strategies.”—Publishers Weekly “French Twist describes an open-minded experiment in French-style parenting (though apparently there’s not even a French word for parenting!) and reveals itself as an honest examination of the author’s own missteps and prejudices—which we all can relate to—and the whole overparenting trend in this country. Are Catherine Crawford’s conclusions ‘French’? Who cares? They’re immensely logical and rational, and delivered with an abundance of love.”—Muffy Mead-Ferro, author of Confessions of a Slacker Mom “Ever seen a French child throw a tantrum in a restaurant or talk back to his parents? Neither has Catherine Crawford. In French Twist she uncovers the secrets of French child-rearing—and then tries them out on her own family, with remarkable results. Part memoir, part instruction manual, French Twist is hilarious, honest, and incredibly useful.”—Lori Leibovich, executive lifestyle editor of The Huffington Post “Catherine Crawford has written a great parenting book. I can’t wait to have kids and apply all I have learned here. Wait—hold on. I’m being told I already have two kids. This is incredible news! I will begin applying immediately.”—Adam Scott, actor, Parks and Recreation
French Braid lovers won’t want to miss the latest evolution of Jane Hardy Miller’s wildly popular design series. Quilters have been asking for more, and Jane delivers with a collection of 8 vivid new quilts that give the French Braid some bold and surprising twists. You’ll want to try them all—from scrappy French Braids, to braids with variable widths and lengths, and much more. Easy strip piecing and clear instructions guarantee success for quilters of all levels. Collect all four of the best-selling French Braid quilt books.
Following her white-hot debut novel, Tropical Getaway, Roxanne St. Claire captures the passion and intrigue of France in a dazzling romantic suspense adventure. Janine Coulter has just gotten her big chance to prove herself, managing a prestigious exhibit at the Palace of Versailles -- and Luc Tremont, the security specialist, is clearly trouble. He's making decisions without her, under-cutting her authority. He's also too smooth, too virile, too dangerously handsome, too...well...French! And Janine has the uneasy suspicion he's not all that he seems. Luc resolutely ignores the powerful sizzle of attraction he feels when he meets Janine -- the quintessential California girl with her blond hair, blue eyes, and legs that seem to go on forever. But when thieves steal priceless treasures from the exhibit, and Luc and Janine give chase across the lush Burgundy countryside, their forced intimacy ignites the passion both have tried to ignore. Luc wonders what will happen when Janine learns his true identity -- but with dangerous men pursuing them, they may not live to find out....
With wit and wisdom, this exploration of the French attitudes shows how to revere and respect food and dining. Based on a desire to take the American obsession with weight in a new direction, it exposes the shortcomings of quick-fix, fad diets and encourages readers to examine their unique connections to food.
With easy-to-follow illustrations for 60 projects--ranging from caf curtains to reupholstered chairs and down-to-earth directions--readers will return to this volume as a cherished reference again and again. Its blend of clear instruction and chic design is an instant lesson in French style.
From the restaurateur and television personality Alex Hitz comes this cookbook of more than 175 all-time favorite Southern dishes. In My Beverly Hills Kitchen, Hitz blends the home cooking of his mother’s Atlanta kitchen with lessons he learned from some of the world’s great chefs and hosts to come up with classic, satisfying comfort food. These step-by-step recipes are so clear that anyone can do them. Hitz shows you how to prepare a meal for two or twenty and that quality is achievable on any budget. He reimagines best-loved dishes and adds that little something extra to make them more delicious than you ever dreamed possible. The twelve chapters include such signature recipes as Sweet Potato Vichyssoise, Cold Pea Soup with Mint, Scrambled Eggs with Caviar, Dorothy’s Baked Cheddar Grits, Millionaire’s Macaroni and Cheese, Salmon Pot Pie, Perfect Roast Tenderloin of Beef, Dorothy’s Fried Chicken, Salted Caramel Cake, Apple Pear Crumble, and Molten Chocolate Cake with Bourbon Whipped Cream. There are also recipes and stories from Hitz’s famous friends who were known for their simple but fantastic food—Bill Blass’s Sour Cream Soufflé, Nan Kempner’s Bacon Sticks, Connie Wald’s Penne with Vodka Sauce, and Betsy Bloomingdale’s Peach Ice Cream. Hitz suggests perfect menus for every season and will show you how to make every day a special occasion. He shares his secrets about entertaining, ingredients, and cookware that guarantee the best results and will make a difference as you become a great chef and host on your own. Comfort food has never been this irresistible—or easy.
On your mark, get set, sew! Looking for a fabulous assortment of prints, colors, and styles? Fat quarters are the most economical way to fulfill that desire! Measuring 18" × 21" (which is a half yard of fabric cut in half at the fold), fat quarters afford the opportunity to cut pieces large and small. According to author Doug Leko, fat quarters are the cream of the precut crop! Inside you'll find a dozen fat quarter-friendly quilt patterns to make cozy throws and bed-size quilts, plus an eye-popping 21 different colorways to jump-start your palette. Whether you have a stash filled with fat quarters to choose from or buy a new array of them when you're ready to sew, the fun begins from the moment you start combining, shuffling, and arranging them to your heart's content. Let's quilt!
American detective Dan Elliot and his wife, Caroline, have traveled to Nice, France, to witness the wedding of their special friend, Kate Kennelly, and the wealthy Jack Boulanger. Caroline's daughter, Ruth Mannering, is serving as the maid of honor for this elegant wedding. But when Ruth and Kate don't arrive at the church for the start of the service, concern sets in. Hours later, Ruth regains consciousness on a seedy side street in Nice, and she's able to alert her parents that Kate has been kidnapped. From the moment the two women disappear, someone taunts and terrorizes the groom and his family. The culprit is called the "hyene" because of the childish song and nursery rhyme parodies that have been sent to Jack. Dan and Caroline share their unique crime-solving expertise with France's premier detective, Emile LaGrange. When kidnapping escalates to murder, Caroline does not let her disability hold her back as she, Dan, and LaGrange seek to reveal the identity of the kidnapper and murderer. Tension escalates as other deadly incidents unfold, and the detective trio must determine if this case revolves around ransom, jealousy, or revenge.
