The Bonjour Effect

‘This book confirms what the English have suspected for many years, that French is not so much a language as a dance, a ritual, a code to be cracked. The Bonjour Effect cracks it’ David Boyle, author of How to be English

‘An indispensable linguistic roadmap. A highly enjoyable romp through French culture and its language, written with wit and aplomb’ Debra Ollivier, author Entre Nous: A Woman’s Guide to Finding Her Inner French Girl

‘Whether you’re an expat in France, or simply dream of living there one day, The Bonjour Effect is a helpful resource to cracking the arcane cultural code. Engaging and often funny, filled with examples drawn from the authors’ experiences, this is a guide to the most essential of French arts: conversation’ Ann Mah, author of Mastering the Art of French Eating

‘Whether ‘bonjour’ is the beginning or the end of your French vocabulary, you’ll find something fascinating, surprising, or just plain fou on nearly every page. Before reading this invaluable codebook to French language and culture, I feared that I’d somehow insulted every French waiter, shopkeeper, and clerk between Paris and Nice. Now I know I did, but at least I know why!’ William Alexander, author of Flirting with French

‘The ability to speak French doesn’t mean you know how to have a conversation in French in France. Journalists Julie Barlow and Jean-Benoit Nadeau break down the ‘rules’ of French conversation in their new book The Bonjour Effect’ CBC

‘A lively and informative description of the country’s cultural habits…’ Lysiane Gagnon, The Globe and Mail

‘Julie Barlow and Jean-Benoît Nadeau unravel the mysteries of French conversation. They take readers beyond what the French are actually saying to explain what it is they really mean’ Shannon Broderick, Gonomad.com

‘Very funny’ Rudy Maxa’s World with the Careys

‘Packed with fascinating insights’ 49th Shelf

Julie Barlow and Jean-Benoit Nadeau are the award-winning and bestselling authors of The Story of French, The Story of Spanish, and the bestselling Sixty Million Frenchmen Can’t Be Wrong. They currently work as journalists based in Canada.