This is my review of Pardon My French: Unleash Your Inner Gaul by Charles Timoney.

Classified by topical subject and listed alphabetically from "a" for "apéro", this slightly tongue-in-cheek guide sheds light on the expressions in common use which you often don't find in text books, and sets them in context.

Although informative, the choice of terms seems quite arbitrary, and I would have preferred shorter explanations and more words. After all, you can glean a great deal for nothing on the online site french.about.com. Also, the book would gain enormously from the inclusion of a CD to give the sounds of words, but I realise that would add to the cost.

Despite my reservations, with Christmas approaching this would make an appealing gift for a friend keen to understand and speak more authentic French.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 Stars