I'll Never Be French (No Matter What I Do): Living in a Small Village in Brittany

When Mark Greenside--a native New Yorker living in California, political lefty, writer, and lifelong skeptic--is dragged by his girlfriend to a tiny Celtic village in Brittany at the westernmost edge of France in Finistère, or what he describes as the end of the world, his life begins to change. In a playful, headlong style, and with enormous affection for the Bretons, Greenside shares how he makes a life for himself in a country where he doesn't speak the language or understand the culture. He gradually places his trust in the villagers he encounters--neighbors, workers, acquaintances--and he's consistently won over and surprised as he manages to survive day-to-day trials. Until he came to this town, Greenside was lost, moving through life without a plan, already in his 40s with little money and no house. So when he settles into the rhythm of this new French culture not only does he find a home and meaningful relationships in this French countryside, he finds himself. I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do) is both a new beginning and a homecoming for Greenside. He has never regretted his journey and, as he advises to those searching for their next adventure, neither will you.