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L'Appart: The Delights and Disasters of Making My Paris Home
Bestselling author and world-renowned chef David Lebovitz continues to mine the rich subject of his evolving ex-Pat life in Paris, using his perplexing experiences in apartment renovation as a launching point for stories about French culture, food, and what it means to revamp one's life. Includes dozens of new recipes.
When David Lebovitz began the project of updating his apartment in his adopted home city, he never imagined he would encounter so much inexplicable red tape while contending with perplexing work ethic and hours. Lebovitz maintains his distinctive sense of humor with the help of his partner Romain, peppering this renovation story with recipes from his Paris kitchen. In the midst of it all, he reveals the adventure that accompanies carving out a place for yourself in a foreign country—under baffling conditions—while never losing sight of the magic that inspired him to move to the City of Light many years ago, and to truly make his home there.
When David Lebovitz began the project of updating his apartment in his adopted home city, he never imagined he would encounter so much inexplicable red tape while contending with perplexing work ethic and hours. Lebovitz maintains his distinctive sense of humor with the help of his partner Romain, peppering this renovation story with recipes from his Paris kitchen. In the midst of it all, he reveals the adventure that accompanies carving out a place for yourself in a foreign country—under baffling conditions—while never losing sight of the magic that inspired him to move to the City of Light many years ago, and to truly make his home there.
368 pages, Paperback
First published November 7, 2017
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About the author
David Lebovitz
20books501followersDavid Lebovitz is a sought-after cooking instructor with an award-winning food blog (davidlebovitz.com). Trained as a pastry chef in France and Belgium, David worked at Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California for twelve years. He now lives in Paris, France, where he leads culinary tours of the city.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 563 reviews
November 30, 2017
Not sure if I’m giving this 3 stars because I want it to be at least 3 stars, or if it actually belongs there. Ok, I’ll say it does. It doesn’t belong in my collection of 2 star reads. But I was disappointed.
I enjoy his blog writing and enjoyed his earlier memoir well enough. This one lacked a sense of the personal.
It’s perhaps unfair to compare it to Frances Mayes� Tuscany memoirs, which are rich in personal reflection and inner life while depicting lush territory and agonizing ex-pat-making-a-home challenges. Different writers, perhaps different aims.
But I would have been a lot more engaged in the angst and successes of the Parisian home-making journey if it hadn’t felt superficial. While I sympathized with the recounting of the all the woes, I didn’t empathize even though I wanted to. He just didn’t feel real on these pages. The problems were real enough, but he and his partner felt flat, as though he didn’t want to reveal their story, only talk about what happened to them.
It didn’t help that I have a sense of him from his other writing. Here, I mostly felt tired from the recounting. I wish an editor had encouraged a deeper path with this, because I would love to read a do-over of this book. The story is there, it just didn’t come through for me.
I will read future books and continue to enjoy his blog. This one just didn’t quite hit home.
I enjoy his blog writing and enjoyed his earlier memoir well enough. This one lacked a sense of the personal.
It’s perhaps unfair to compare it to Frances Mayes� Tuscany memoirs, which are rich in personal reflection and inner life while depicting lush territory and agonizing ex-pat-making-a-home challenges. Different writers, perhaps different aims.
But I would have been a lot more engaged in the angst and successes of the Parisian home-making journey if it hadn’t felt superficial. While I sympathized with the recounting of the all the woes, I didn’t empathize even though I wanted to. He just didn’t feel real on these pages. The problems were real enough, but he and his partner felt flat, as though he didn’t want to reveal their story, only talk about what happened to them.
It didn’t help that I have a sense of him from his other writing. Here, I mostly felt tired from the recounting. I wish an editor had encouraged a deeper path with this, because I would love to read a do-over of this book. The story is there, it just didn’t come through for me.
I will read future books and continue to enjoy his blog. This one just didn’t quite hit home.
July 24, 2017
There's good material here, I think. But this needed a MUCH tighter edit. There's a LOT of repetition of phrases, and even of little anecdotes. And while I understand that Lebovitz is a noted recipe author, the recipes tacked onto the chapters didn't flow AT ALL with the story. If you're going to include recipes, talk about them in the chapters. And be consistent: either all chapters have recipes or all don't. The book really doesn't flow because of the inconsistency.
Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for the ARC.
Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for the ARC.
January 28, 2019
If you like the author David Sedaris, you will enjoy this book as well since the delights and disasters of buying an apartment in Paris are somewhat reminiscent of his work. World famous chef, David Lebovitz, decides to move to Paris from the US and make it his home.....a place to write his cookbooks and become immersed in the ambiance of the city of his dreams. But he was in for quite a surprise and his descriptions of the process of becoming a homeowner in France are priceless.
It seemed easy enough.....buy an apartment in Paris, have it renovated to your own specifications, and move in. He was unaware of the rules that governed living in France such as saving every receipt from everything you ever bought in case someone comes back four years later and asks to see it. Customer service seems to be practically unknown in Paris and merchants don't seem to want to sell you their products or will make you wait for hours to see a representative who then tells you that the item is not available. Finding a contractor for the renovations is very iffy and in Lebovitz's case, he made the wrong choice. The crew showed up only when it suited them, did the work their own way not listening to what he really wanted (such as electric plugs in certain locations) and were generally inept.
His story is a humorous nightmare (if there is such a thing) and he certainly has more patience than most people possess when faced with crooked kitchen cabinets, curling floorboards, and bathrooms that flood the lower floors. This book is a delight of mishaps and misunderstandings which will have the reader laughing and wondering what will go wrong next.......and it will. Recommended.
It seemed easy enough.....buy an apartment in Paris, have it renovated to your own specifications, and move in. He was unaware of the rules that governed living in France such as saving every receipt from everything you ever bought in case someone comes back four years later and asks to see it. Customer service seems to be practically unknown in Paris and merchants don't seem to want to sell you their products or will make you wait for hours to see a representative who then tells you that the item is not available. Finding a contractor for the renovations is very iffy and in Lebovitz's case, he made the wrong choice. The crew showed up only when it suited them, did the work their own way not listening to what he really wanted (such as electric plugs in certain locations) and were generally inept.
His story is a humorous nightmare (if there is such a thing) and he certainly has more patience than most people possess when faced with crooked kitchen cabinets, curling floorboards, and bathrooms that flood the lower floors. This book is a delight of mishaps and misunderstandings which will have the reader laughing and wondering what will go wrong next.......and it will. Recommended.
July 25, 2017
Will blow away your House Hunters International fantasy! Lebovitz is an American chef and cookbook author who moved to Paris to advance his career. I have read his previous books, and he is a talented and engaging author. This particular book is about his search for, purchase of, and renovation of a home in Paris. And what a great story it is!I found myself surprised at the difficulty in even locating a property for sale in Paris (House Hunters International makes it look so easy and fun on TV!). Upon finally finding the property, the author experienced the infamous Paris bureaucracy in the purchase of it. And then, just when you think it should all be smooth sailing, the real trouble begins in the renovation stage! I cannot believe what Lebovitz went through. His stamina and perseverance are amazing. I am sure that I would have gave up many times, escaping back to the safety of the United States. Kudos to him for his overcoming of all the obstacles thrown at him. I found the book to be fascinating, and could not put it down. I literally devoured it in two evenings. The author is very engaging, writes extremely well, and manages to keep the reader "pulling for" him. I highly recommend this book, even if it does lay to rest my "House Hunters International" fantasy of moving to France!
October 2, 2017
I really liked David Lebovitz's first book set in Paris so I was looking forward to reading this advanced copy. Unfortunately I did not enjoy this book and found it very forced.
Lebovitz recounts his adventures in buying an apartment in Paris. He starts off by telling us that looking for an apartment in Paris is different than looking for an apartment in the U.S. Then he tells us buying an apartment in Paris is different from buying an apartment in the U.S. We hear the same about buying flooring, stoves, dish drainers etc. For more than 10 chapters it is a constant whine.
Then he starts in on the French language and how difficult it is to ask for things when you don't have a full grasp of the language. This is when I felt he stretched the story to make it more funny or interesting but it comes across as a big whine and very 'ugly American'.
He has a French boyfriend who I would imagine would have helped him out with the language issue.
To be honest I only read a little over half of this book because when his struggle with the language made buying a sink difficult because the word for dish drainer is similar to the word for a woman's halter top; he commented and I quote: "The only connection I could see between the two was they both had racks". I was done and DNF'd it. The one star I gave the book is for the recipes after every couple of chapters.
Lebovitz recounts his adventures in buying an apartment in Paris. He starts off by telling us that looking for an apartment in Paris is different than looking for an apartment in the U.S. Then he tells us buying an apartment in Paris is different from buying an apartment in the U.S. We hear the same about buying flooring, stoves, dish drainers etc. For more than 10 chapters it is a constant whine.
Then he starts in on the French language and how difficult it is to ask for things when you don't have a full grasp of the language. This is when I felt he stretched the story to make it more funny or interesting but it comes across as a big whine and very 'ugly American'.
He has a French boyfriend who I would imagine would have helped him out with the language issue.
To be honest I only read a little over half of this book because when his struggle with the language made buying a sink difficult because the word for dish drainer is similar to the word for a woman's halter top; he commented and I quote: "The only connection I could see between the two was they both had racks". I was done and DNF'd it. The one star I gave the book is for the recipes after every couple of chapters.
January 17, 2021
Prieš kelis metus papuolė į rankas pirmoji leista Lietuvoje David Lebovitz knyga "Saldus gyvenimas Paryžiuje". Knyga skaitėsi lengvai bei šmaikščiai, o dažniausiai kiekvieno skyriaus pabaigoje būdavo ir kokio deserto ar patiekalo receptas. Autoriaus perskaityta knyga tada užkėlė aukštą kertelę...
David jau 15 metų gyvena Paryžiuje (atvyko iš San Francisko) ir atsiranda jam noras visiškai įsitvirtinti šiame mieste - tik tereikia įsigyti būstą. Labai ilgai užtrunka paieškos, vis neatsiranda tinkamas būstas, o dar reikia gauti paskolą iš banko... Tai viskas užtrunka, o Prancūzijoje gali dar ilgiau...
Pirmieji 20 puslapių tiesiog įtraukė ir per tą laiką, kai skaičiau - tiek daug buvau šyptelėjusi ar nusijuokusi. Bet kuo toliau - tuo knyga, atrodė, ištęsta, per daug detalu, pavyzdžiui, aprašomi kokie 20 puslapių kaip ieškoma kriauklė... Bet dažnai skaitant - toliau knyga keldavo ir geras emocijas, nemažai dar sužinojau niuansų apie prancūzus ir gyvenimo bei kūrimosi ypatumus Prancūzijoje.
Šiandien vis galvojau kiek skirti žvaigždučių knygai - 2,5 ar 3. Tokia jau man pasirodė vidutinė ir vis norėjau dėti į šalį. Bet David pasidalinęs "Citrininio jogurto pyrago" ir "Šokoladinio suflė" receptais - labai sudomino, tad būtinai pabandysiu ateity pasigaminti ir todėl skirsiu knygai didesnį balą.
David jau 15 metų gyvena Paryžiuje (atvyko iš San Francisko) ir atsiranda jam noras visiškai įsitvirtinti šiame mieste - tik tereikia įsigyti būstą. Labai ilgai užtrunka paieškos, vis neatsiranda tinkamas būstas, o dar reikia gauti paskolą iš banko... Tai viskas užtrunka, o Prancūzijoje gali dar ilgiau...
Pirmieji 20 puslapių tiesiog įtraukė ir per tą laiką, kai skaičiau - tiek daug buvau šyptelėjusi ar nusijuokusi. Bet kuo toliau - tuo knyga, atrodė, ištęsta, per daug detalu, pavyzdžiui, aprašomi kokie 20 puslapių kaip ieškoma kriauklė... Bet dažnai skaitant - toliau knyga keldavo ir geras emocijas, nemažai dar sužinojau niuansų apie prancūzus ir gyvenimo bei kūrimosi ypatumus Prancūzijoje.
Šiandien vis galvojau kiek skirti žvaigždučių knygai - 2,5 ar 3. Tokia jau man pasirodė vidutinė ir vis norėjau dėti į šalį. Bet David pasidalinęs "Citrininio jogurto pyrago" ir "Šokoladinio suflė" receptais - labai sudomino, tad būtinai pabandysiu ateity pasigaminti ir todėl skirsiu knygai didesnį balą.
May 17, 2021
So this was much better than the last memoir that I read by Lebovitz. As someone who had to deal with a kitchen/basement renovation that went on forever he has my sympathies. I can't imagine dealing with buying a place and renovating it in a foreign country. The main reason why I didn't give this 5 stars though is that the book in the end feels a bit unfinished in places. And Lebovitz at times comes across painfully naïve, but based on the last memoir I read, he came across painfully aware of things and was actually kind of exhausting to read about. So the book flipped my opinion of him a bit.
"L'Appart" follows Lebovitz after he has lived in Paris for more than 10 years and decides to buy a home. He loves his weird place that he is staying at, but the owner wont' sell, so he sets off to find a place. We get to read the ins and outs of how real estate works in Paris (it sounds exhausting) and how Lebovitz wants to stay close to an area he already knows since he already knows the vendors and other people who live around him. Frankly I would too. But then of course we start to have the first of a series of things that occur that show that Lebovitz should have had his long-time partner Romain with him at all times. He finds a place (finally) that is a bit unusual, but doesn't think through all of the work that is going to be done and doesn't factor that into things. Things come to a head when it's found out that home can't be sold as is, and from there it's just a series of things that begin to befall Lebovitz as he goes about trying to purchase a home and renovate it.
I think about 50 percent through I just felt bad for Lebovitz. As someone who had a contractor that barely showed up to the point I had to call and tell the office manager about the fact that I was not going to be paying for a guy who barely showed up, and when did, did an hours of work and had to go to his next job, bah. It just felt like I had to be around constantly to make sure he was actually doing the things I paid him for. Thank goodness I finally found a reliable contractor who fixed my outdoor spaces, floors, and my half bath. A good contractor is worth their weight in gold.
Back to Lebovitz, the book also includes recipes which actually work in this case. Lebovitz ties the food into what is going on with him at the moment, emotionally, and what food speaks to him. I would have been eating a lot of cake.
The ending made me feel a bit sad though. Lebovitz in the end gets his place, but it's a huge emotional and financial cost. Plus not everything is perfect and I would have lost it over the sink/overflow hole thing. That's just me.
"L'Appart" follows Lebovitz after he has lived in Paris for more than 10 years and decides to buy a home. He loves his weird place that he is staying at, but the owner wont' sell, so he sets off to find a place. We get to read the ins and outs of how real estate works in Paris (it sounds exhausting) and how Lebovitz wants to stay close to an area he already knows since he already knows the vendors and other people who live around him. Frankly I would too. But then of course we start to have the first of a series of things that occur that show that Lebovitz should have had his long-time partner Romain with him at all times. He finds a place (finally) that is a bit unusual, but doesn't think through all of the work that is going to be done and doesn't factor that into things. Things come to a head when it's found out that home can't be sold as is, and from there it's just a series of things that begin to befall Lebovitz as he goes about trying to purchase a home and renovate it.
I think about 50 percent through I just felt bad for Lebovitz. As someone who had a contractor that barely showed up to the point I had to call and tell the office manager about the fact that I was not going to be paying for a guy who barely showed up, and when did, did an hours of work and had to go to his next job, bah. It just felt like I had to be around constantly to make sure he was actually doing the things I paid him for. Thank goodness I finally found a reliable contractor who fixed my outdoor spaces, floors, and my half bath. A good contractor is worth their weight in gold.
Back to Lebovitz, the book also includes recipes which actually work in this case. Lebovitz ties the food into what is going on with him at the moment, emotionally, and what food speaks to him. I would have been eating a lot of cake.
The ending made me feel a bit sad though. Lebovitz in the end gets his place, but it's a huge emotional and financial cost. Plus not everything is perfect and I would have lost it over the sink/overflow hole thing. That's just me.
March 4, 2019
Prisipažįstu, kad įvairūs skaitiniai apie Paryžių ir prancūzus bei jų kultūrinius ypatumus yra mano guilty pleasure, man jie visad pakelia nuotaiką ir, vargu, ar kada atsibos. Tai nėra literatūros viršūnė, bet tokios kartelės niekada ir nekeliu šio tipo skaitiniams.
Sukiotis virtuvėje nemėgstu, bet turiu per siūles braškančią kulinarinių knygų lentyną. Emm, įkvėpimui - jei kada kiltų noras pagaminti ką nors nekasdieniško :))) David Lebovitz man yra vienas tų kulinarų, kurį skanu skaityti tiek makaluojantį sūdytos karamelės ir šokolado putėsius ar besidalijantį įžvalgomis apie produktų receptams rinkimąsi Paryžiaus maisto turguose, tiek įsirenginėjantį savo svajonių virtuvę su komišku prancūzų biurokratijos prieskoniu.
Sukiotis virtuvėje nemėgstu, bet turiu per siūles braškančią kulinarinių knygų lentyną. Emm, įkvėpimui - jei kada kiltų noras pagaminti ką nors nekasdieniško :))) David Lebovitz man yra vienas tų kulinarų, kurį skanu skaityti tiek makaluojantį sūdytos karamelės ir šokolado putėsius ar besidalijantį įžvalgomis apie produktų receptams rinkimąsi Paryžiaus maisto turguose, tiek įsirenginėjantį savo svajonių virtuvę su komišku prancūzų biurokratijos prieskoniu.
July 24, 2021
When I put in my offer on the apartment, I had thought it only needed to be rafraichi, merely "refreshed." I had been concerned with oven clocks, removing paper from the wall, and the toilet paper holder I found on Pinterest that I became obsessed with, a no-nonsense, utilitarian curve of white porcelain where the roll rests, and the paper hangs perfunctorily through a slot in the bottom. She was now telling me the apartment needed to be rénové . . . complètement.. My stomach felt as if it had suddenly turned to lead, dropping in disappointment.
Like David Lebovitz, my fellow American expatriate and patisserie enthusiast, I decided to take a punt and buy a property in France. Unlike Monsieur Lebovitz, I have not yet come out on the 'other side' - meaning in possession of a habitable home. I am perhaps one-third through a renovation project that I thought might take one year. Nearly one year in, it is obvious that it will be taking closer to three years. And three times my original budget. Therefore, I found MUCH to identify with in this book. Despite Lebovitz's admirable sense of humour and charming writing style - not to mention the bonus of many delicious-sounding recipes - I found it a rather stressful read. Even if you are NOT buying or renovating a property in France, you will probably find it a stressful read, too. Be forewarned.
Unlike David Lebovitz, I am not living on the spot during the renovation. Knowing my limitations - both in terms of my French and my knowledge of construction - I hired a project manager. I am hoping to avoid many of the pitfalls he experienced in this book - most of them because he had a shoddy and incompetent contractor, but some of them because of cultural differences. Reading Lebovitz describe how he made major mistakes with his building crew - spoiling them with baked treats, and attempting to be too friendly with them (tutoyering them) - I recognised my own American instincts and realised that I had dodged a bullet. I'm a little worried now, though, about how promptly I have paid all of my bills. I had assumed that such promptness would build trust (and even gratefulness); Lebovitz has now acquainted with me a different interpretation. Apparently, Money is never handed over until it's absolutely necessary.
I did learn a lot from this book. It's full of useful French terms and it is - as the author points out - a guide in the 'real life' of Paris as opposed to the more romanticised version. Lebovitz is a wonderful guide to French culture, and still in love with his adopted city despite his horrendous experience of buying and renovating an apartment there. This book is many things, chief amongst them is a cautionary tale. I wish that I had read it a year ago, but if I had done so, I probably wouldn't have had the courage to buy a house in France.
(Cooking note: my daughter made the mojito sorbet recipe the other night. Not very French, but delicious.)
A few useful things that I have learned about French culture:
Americans are results-oriented, and when we want something, we find the easiest and quickest way to make it happen. If there is a problem, we figure out how to make it work. In France, the process takes precedence. Things first begin with working on understanding existentially why the problem exists.
The French have an unusual relationship with rules. They have a lot of them and they provide a fixed order to life that reassures the French. Most people are quick to invoke the rules, but those rules don't necessarily apply to them. Thus, skirting the rules is a national pastime.
Going into situations with a dzܱçDzof cynicism is the key to living in France. It manifest itself by being exigeant (demanding). If you take what's first offered, there's a good possibility that you're getting duped.
January 4, 2018
Obviously my friends and family know I adore memoir in general and chef/food/cookery memoir maybe most of all. I got two such for Christmas. (Will review the second shortly.)
The author of L'Appart is David Lebovitz whose blog, Living the Sweet Life in Paris, is one of the best food sites on the net, and I am a frequent visitor and a faithful reader of his newsletters. Add to that the fact that I too was an American expat for many years, and I've bought and remodeled property in a foreign language, not once but three times, and you'll know I was predisposed to love this book.
I almost did.
Bottom line, I didn't love it, but I liked it a lot.
David, or Daveed as his Paris friends (and enemies) have it, moved to Paris a decade before the misadventure he describes in these pages: buying an appartment in Paris, and having it remodeled to suit the needs of an American (a dryer and a large refrigerator and a decent shower being must-haves). Just finding and acquiring the property--he settled on the up-and-coming but not yet fashionable eleventh arrondissment--took a couple of years, complicated by their being no such thing as multiple listing services, nor real estate agents with any interest in hustle. But at last he acquired a large two level space and set about hiring a contractor.
I was with him 100 percent up to that point.
What seems hard to believe given that he'd been doing things the French way for some time, and had a French partner (a long time relationship but not one where they shared a roof), is that he hired the first guy who was recommended by a friend and began paying him upfront - definitely not how one operates in France, or with contractors anywhere else, come to that. But that's what he did.
There followed a long and so-awful-it's-funny series of disasters, detailed here in Lebovitz's easy-going and disarmingly frank writing style. Spiced up with his knowledge of food and cooking/baking, evocation of Paris markets, and a recipe at the end of each chapter. It all ends happily, though apparently at great expense.
I read the book in an afternoon (snowing and cold and huddling under a duvet reading about someone else's troubles was exactly what I needed) and enjoyed it enough to give it four stars. If this kind of thing is to your taste (as it is mine) you'll probably enjoy it as well. But I felt cheated by the lack of pictures -- a glaring ommission since his excellent photography is one of the reasons his blog is so terrific -- and a little more creative effort to entwine his food and food philosophy with the saga would have gotten me to go for five. That latter complaint may be a bum rap. Lebovitz is about straightforward and down-to-earth baking and cooking so expecting a more cerebral approach to that aspect is probably my hang-up not his. But the pictures...
I suspect the publisher is the reason for there absence; including photography considerably increases the cost of making a book. But they sprang for endpapers (also an expensive extra in publishing) and he's got a wide following which probably wouldn't be put off by an extra couple of bucks on the price. Maybe it's something to do with the labyrinthine legal system in France. Or Lebovitz's unwillingness to give up still more of his privacy. In any case, it seems to me a bad decision. But read the book and decide for yourself.
The author of L'Appart is David Lebovitz whose blog, Living the Sweet Life in Paris, is one of the best food sites on the net, and I am a frequent visitor and a faithful reader of his newsletters. Add to that the fact that I too was an American expat for many years, and I've bought and remodeled property in a foreign language, not once but three times, and you'll know I was predisposed to love this book.
I almost did.
Bottom line, I didn't love it, but I liked it a lot.
David, or Daveed as his Paris friends (and enemies) have it, moved to Paris a decade before the misadventure he describes in these pages: buying an appartment in Paris, and having it remodeled to suit the needs of an American (a dryer and a large refrigerator and a decent shower being must-haves). Just finding and acquiring the property--he settled on the up-and-coming but not yet fashionable eleventh arrondissment--took a couple of years, complicated by their being no such thing as multiple listing services, nor real estate agents with any interest in hustle. But at last he acquired a large two level space and set about hiring a contractor.
I was with him 100 percent up to that point.
What seems hard to believe given that he'd been doing things the French way for some time, and had a French partner (a long time relationship but not one where they shared a roof), is that he hired the first guy who was recommended by a friend and began paying him upfront - definitely not how one operates in France, or with contractors anywhere else, come to that. But that's what he did.
There followed a long and so-awful-it's-funny series of disasters, detailed here in Lebovitz's easy-going and disarmingly frank writing style. Spiced up with his knowledge of food and cooking/baking, evocation of Paris markets, and a recipe at the end of each chapter. It all ends happily, though apparently at great expense.
I read the book in an afternoon (snowing and cold and huddling under a duvet reading about someone else's troubles was exactly what I needed) and enjoyed it enough to give it four stars. If this kind of thing is to your taste (as it is mine) you'll probably enjoy it as well. But I felt cheated by the lack of pictures -- a glaring ommission since his excellent photography is one of the reasons his blog is so terrific -- and a little more creative effort to entwine his food and food philosophy with the saga would have gotten me to go for five. That latter complaint may be a bum rap. Lebovitz is about straightforward and down-to-earth baking and cooking so expecting a more cerebral approach to that aspect is probably my hang-up not his. But the pictures...
I suspect the publisher is the reason for there absence; including photography considerably increases the cost of making a book. But they sprang for endpapers (also an expensive extra in publishing) and he's got a wide following which probably wouldn't be put off by an extra couple of bucks on the price. Maybe it's something to do with the labyrinthine legal system in France. Or Lebovitz's unwillingness to give up still more of his privacy. In any case, it seems to me a bad decision. But read the book and decide for yourself.
September 27, 2017
I have one of David's previous books, "The Sweet Life" but I haven't gotten around to reading it. So this is my first book that's been written by him. I am a total sucker for all things French and especially Parisian, so of course I was thrilled to read a memoir set in Paris.
Overall, I thought the book was okay. L'Appart is all about the trials and tribulations of buying and renovating a Paris apartment when you are an American. Of course I, like countless others, would gladly move to Paris but this book has me thinking otherwise. Most of the book focuses on David having to deal with a shady contractor and the endless workings on his apartment. Sometimes it got hard for me to want to read the endless ways things went wrong. I know it must have been awful for him but it really doesn't make for fun reading when nothing goes right. And it doesn't matter whether it's in Paris, France or in some small town in the US, renovations rarely go smoothly. I was kind of frustrated that David let the lazy work go on for as long as he did. I ended up skimming some pages after awhile.
I did like some of the recipes that are at the end of almost every chapter. And even though it got to be too much somewhat, I did like seeing what it takes to buy an apartment in Paris. So it wasn't complete l'amour for me but I didn't hate it either.
*Book received through the Amazon Vine Program*
Overall, I thought the book was okay. L'Appart is all about the trials and tribulations of buying and renovating a Paris apartment when you are an American. Of course I, like countless others, would gladly move to Paris but this book has me thinking otherwise. Most of the book focuses on David having to deal with a shady contractor and the endless workings on his apartment. Sometimes it got hard for me to want to read the endless ways things went wrong. I know it must have been awful for him but it really doesn't make for fun reading when nothing goes right. And it doesn't matter whether it's in Paris, France or in some small town in the US, renovations rarely go smoothly. I was kind of frustrated that David let the lazy work go on for as long as he did. I ended up skimming some pages after awhile.
I did like some of the recipes that are at the end of almost every chapter. And even though it got to be too much somewhat, I did like seeing what it takes to buy an apartment in Paris. So it wasn't complete l'amour for me but I didn't hate it either.
*Book received through the Amazon Vine Program*
October 27, 2017
I'm sorry to say so but this is a terribly dull book, and I'm frankly amazed that a good editor didn't collar the writer and get him to tell a better and less willingly self-involved story.
November 19, 2018
I have read a number of "My Life in Paris and or France" books and cookbook combinations over the years, but this is the first that has not painted the City of Lights with glassy eyed adoration. This is also the first story that gave me a close-up look at Parisian society and culture beyond raving about boulangeries, patisseries, charcuteries, name your "ies".
And I appreciated the book all the more for it.
Premise of the book is David moved to Paris from San Francisco, and after 10 years of renting an apartment, he's ready to buy. Wanting to prove to himself and Paris he's ready for this transition, he embarks on what becomes nearly three years of heartache, headache, and painful lessons in navigating the bureaucracy known as Paris. He admits his naivety, cultural expectations, and language barrier played a huge part in the trials and tribulations. Interspersed between the chapters are a fun assortment of recipes.
I found this a fascinating and painful read. When authors wax poetic about Paris, it's about the bakeries, the butchers, the cheese shops, the cafes, the wine, and more. I came to realize with David's story, there is a whole aspect of Paris that is never written about: how to actually live there as an expat. Where customer service is first in the US, the customer is there at the convenience of the service in France (I wasn't clear if this was the whole of France or mostly Paris). Where we have legal protections against fraudulent builders, David had...nothing. Where the nuances of the language is something you have to be grow up learning. This was facinating.
Where it was painful, was watching David write check after check, knowing that this is a baaaaddd idea. Wanting to reach through the pages and shout - "Listen to Romain!" I wanted to pull a blanket over my head as one thing after another went wrong, as costs kept accumulating, as deadlines were pushed back yet again.
I also suspect David has some of the worst luck imaginable when it comes to renovating... be it in San Francisco or Paris.
Do I still want to visit Paris? Maybe. It is a city rich with culture and history. Do I want to up and move there after reading this? No. Frickin'. Way. The grass (and thus the butter) is NOT always greener on the other side of the fence.
Thank you for sharing your story, David! It was delightful, mesmerizing, painful, and insightful.
Recommended if you enjoy those "my life in Paris or France" type books.
And I appreciated the book all the more for it.
Premise of the book is David moved to Paris from San Francisco, and after 10 years of renting an apartment, he's ready to buy. Wanting to prove to himself and Paris he's ready for this transition, he embarks on what becomes nearly three years of heartache, headache, and painful lessons in navigating the bureaucracy known as Paris. He admits his naivety, cultural expectations, and language barrier played a huge part in the trials and tribulations. Interspersed between the chapters are a fun assortment of recipes.
I found this a fascinating and painful read. When authors wax poetic about Paris, it's about the bakeries, the butchers, the cheese shops, the cafes, the wine, and more. I came to realize with David's story, there is a whole aspect of Paris that is never written about: how to actually live there as an expat. Where customer service is first in the US, the customer is there at the convenience of the service in France (I wasn't clear if this was the whole of France or mostly Paris). Where we have legal protections against fraudulent builders, David had...nothing. Where the nuances of the language is something you have to be grow up learning. This was facinating.
Where it was painful, was watching David write check after check, knowing that this is a baaaaddd idea. Wanting to reach through the pages and shout - "Listen to Romain!" I wanted to pull a blanket over my head as one thing after another went wrong, as costs kept accumulating, as deadlines were pushed back yet again.
I also suspect David has some of the worst luck imaginable when it comes to renovating... be it in San Francisco or Paris.
Do I still want to visit Paris? Maybe. It is a city rich with culture and history. Do I want to up and move there after reading this? No. Frickin'. Way. The grass (and thus the butter) is NOT always greener on the other side of the fence.
Thank you for sharing your story, David! It was delightful, mesmerizing, painful, and insightful.
Recommended if you enjoy those "my life in Paris or France" type books.
January 6, 2018
More David Lebovitz on life in Paris. L'Appart concerns exactly what the title suggests - his experiences in buying and renovating a Paris apartment. It's a years-long process that he occasionally regrets embarking on, but it's told with humor and interesting details and portraits of real estate agents, builders, and contractors. He is completely taken advantage of by all of these parties, and the building contractors are so awful - so lazy and hostile, even - that I was feeling actual physical anxiety by the later chapters. C'est incroyable! I am glad that this was not read by the author, because I don't know how he could have relived his trauma - yes, I'd call it trauma! - by rereading the book for an audio production. Instead, reader Matthew Halstead strikes just the right tones of fatigue, worry, incredulity, and at the end, anger, all without displaying rancor.
I enjoyed this more than The Sweet Life in Paris because this memoir didn't try as hard to be amusing or to cover everything about French life; it felt less forced, and the subject matter was more focused (recipes notwithstanding, and the dishes usually had something to do with the prose).
I enjoyed this more than The Sweet Life in Paris because this memoir didn't try as hard to be amusing or to cover everything about French life; it felt less forced, and the subject matter was more focused (recipes notwithstanding, and the dishes usually had something to do with the prose).
January 23, 2019
I did not enjoy this book, I read about 40% before switching to the audiobook..didn’t help at all.
I love reading expat accounts of their trials abroad whether it’s traveling, romance or like this book, buying/renting a home. This book was a long whine about things being different. The author spent 80% of the book explaining how different Parisians and Paris is from the USA and how much of a struggle it was getting on without knowing the language. The whole time reading I thought “How dare French people want you to speak French!� “How dare things in Paris be difficult to understand if you don’t know the language!� Why the author didn’t take the time to get a better grasp on the language of his personally chosen destination...I don’t know.
Another reviewer commented, “This reads very ugly American� I completely agree. It got especially painful when he began to renovate his apartment and struggled with all of the French appliances. He mentioned his dismay at having to iron clothes -_- ugh if it wasn’t on my iPad I’d throw this book in the trash.
I love reading expat accounts of their trials abroad whether it’s traveling, romance or like this book, buying/renting a home. This book was a long whine about things being different. The author spent 80% of the book explaining how different Parisians and Paris is from the USA and how much of a struggle it was getting on without knowing the language. The whole time reading I thought “How dare French people want you to speak French!� “How dare things in Paris be difficult to understand if you don’t know the language!� Why the author didn’t take the time to get a better grasp on the language of his personally chosen destination...I don’t know.
Another reviewer commented, “This reads very ugly American� I completely agree. It got especially painful when he began to renovate his apartment and struggled with all of the French appliances. He mentioned his dismay at having to iron clothes -_- ugh if it wasn’t on my iPad I’d throw this book in the trash.
March 8, 2018
This was described to me as "the book that will ruin your House Hunters International Fantasies", and boy, did it ever! Leibovitz does a great job taking you through the process of procuring� and creating� his Paris home, which is alternatively delightful and, well... a little boring. I love foodie and travel memoirs, but this one was just too much home reno to be a home run for me. Still, I found his writing engaging and his Parisian food and lifestyle/culture bits totally immersive and fun. If you're a Francophile with home reno-fever, this is the book for you. Thanks to Blogging for Books for the review copy!
November 10, 2017
Love his writing and his recipes and was so excited for this book, but reading for chapters on end about his largely self-induced renovation nightmares made me want to tear my hair out. Not for me.
July 3, 2020
A nice visit to living in Paris! Love David Lebovitz, always funny, down-to-earth, and fun. I wouldn't want to do a renovation in Paris, though! :)
January 1, 2018
After having read Lebovitz's "The Sweet Life in Paris," I couldn't wait to read "L'Appart." Sadly, it was a disappointment, though only in part because it's just not a very good book. Let me explain:
I adore Paris, speak French fluently, work with French expats and have a fairly good understanding of the charms and foibles of the French. I have seen how "soupe au lait" French people can be. They can have a tendency to blow a gasket if they feel they have been wronged and, to say the least, hell hath no fury like a French person scorned. A recent experience with someone from France, who has lived in North America for thirty years or so, has made me rethink ever wanting to go back to a country I had once loved so much. Sadly, Lebovitz's experience buying and renovating his apartment in Paris has confirmed my recent experience. The book is nothing more or less than a litany of woes, and nastiness. It is not a pleasant read, even though he does take a page and a half to explain at the absolute end of the book why he still loves Paris. In a book that's over 300 pages long, it's not very convincing. So that's my own personal reason for not having enjoyed the book very much.
Then there's the book itself. As mentioned above, it's more or less one long whine about how this poor, naive American, who only wanted a nice home with a great kitchen, was taken for an expensive, horrific ride by the worst people France has to offer. I don't blame Lebovitz, and I understand his disbelief and hurt at being treated so poorly, but it makes for a very depressing read. Whereas "The Sweet Life" was full of charming and hilarious experiences, "L'Appart" just makes you want to flee in horror.
I adore Paris, speak French fluently, work with French expats and have a fairly good understanding of the charms and foibles of the French. I have seen how "soupe au lait" French people can be. They can have a tendency to blow a gasket if they feel they have been wronged and, to say the least, hell hath no fury like a French person scorned. A recent experience with someone from France, who has lived in North America for thirty years or so, has made me rethink ever wanting to go back to a country I had once loved so much. Sadly, Lebovitz's experience buying and renovating his apartment in Paris has confirmed my recent experience. The book is nothing more or less than a litany of woes, and nastiness. It is not a pleasant read, even though he does take a page and a half to explain at the absolute end of the book why he still loves Paris. In a book that's over 300 pages long, it's not very convincing. So that's my own personal reason for not having enjoyed the book very much.
Then there's the book itself. As mentioned above, it's more or less one long whine about how this poor, naive American, who only wanted a nice home with a great kitchen, was taken for an expensive, horrific ride by the worst people France has to offer. I don't blame Lebovitz, and I understand his disbelief and hurt at being treated so poorly, but it makes for a very depressing read. Whereas "The Sweet Life" was full of charming and hilarious experiences, "L'Appart" just makes you want to flee in horror.
November 30, 2017
As charming as it is informative, L’appart offers a chef’s eye view of the beauty and bureaucratic madness that is France.
After moving from San Francisco to Paris, Lebovitz spent a decade living in a tiny top-floor flat with a magnificent view of the City of Light. When he finally decided to buy his own place, he had no idea what he was in for. In this fresh, funny memoir, sprinkled with insider knowledge about Paris life (sales only happen once a year, for example, and baguettes always come wrapped in tiny paper "because excess is ground upon in France"), Lebovitz chronicles his attempt to buy and remodel a Paris apartment amidst miles of red tape and misunderstandings. Each chapter ends with a recipe, which, for the culinarily untalented among us, may prove as daunting as dealing with the Parisian real estate agents and electricians. Even if you can't imagine pulling off a pain perdu caramelise, you'll be happy to learn that pain perdu got its name because it "takes lost (Peru) bread and turns it around, making it something marvelous."
Leibovitz’s love of his adopted city, as well as his passion for the bounty of the Parisian marche, comes through loud and clear. An utter delight.
After moving from San Francisco to Paris, Lebovitz spent a decade living in a tiny top-floor flat with a magnificent view of the City of Light. When he finally decided to buy his own place, he had no idea what he was in for. In this fresh, funny memoir, sprinkled with insider knowledge about Paris life (sales only happen once a year, for example, and baguettes always come wrapped in tiny paper "because excess is ground upon in France"), Lebovitz chronicles his attempt to buy and remodel a Paris apartment amidst miles of red tape and misunderstandings. Each chapter ends with a recipe, which, for the culinarily untalented among us, may prove as daunting as dealing with the Parisian real estate agents and electricians. Even if you can't imagine pulling off a pain perdu caramelise, you'll be happy to learn that pain perdu got its name because it "takes lost (Peru) bread and turns it around, making it something marvelous."
Leibovitz’s love of his adopted city, as well as his passion for the bounty of the Parisian marche, comes through loud and clear. An utter delight.
December 3, 2017
delightful read for Paris lovers and foodies and anyone crazy enough to attempt renovations in France!
January 7, 2022
Imagine renting a tiny apartment in Paris for a decade and then finally deciding to buy a bigger place of your own, one with “American� touches like a large open kitchen and a clothes dryer. Imagine searching for years and finally finding your place, only to have it take a year for it to finally become yours. And then need to renovate it. That’s the situation @davidlebovitz found himself in, and then things really started to go to merde, as they say in French.
We complain about home renovations here, but I haven’t heard a single story that holds a candle to the odyssey of catastrophes Lebovitz was on for literal years of his life. EVERYTHING that could go wrong did, from an insane search for apartments in a city with no MLS and a sleazy realtor to a terrible contractor and electrician to cultural differences and language barriers (imagine dealing with hardware and construction minutiae in your second language). You think our bureaucracy is a pain? From Lebovitz’s experiences, French bureaucracy is ten times worse.
This was an almost painful read because of all of the crazy-making nonsense that Lebovitz endured, and yet I kept flipping pages late into the night. I just love his voice, his perspective, his sly humor. And his recipes, which end many chapters. This book could have been trimmed and been given a more hawk-eyed edit � there were lots of repetitions of phrasings, stories, and even words in the same sentence. But I feel about this writer how I feel about a friend or family member: I love you so much I’ll listen to you tell the same damn story for the 50th time, because I delight in your voice telling it.
I recommend for Francophiles, home-makeover junkies, and disaster voyeurs.
We complain about home renovations here, but I haven’t heard a single story that holds a candle to the odyssey of catastrophes Lebovitz was on for literal years of his life. EVERYTHING that could go wrong did, from an insane search for apartments in a city with no MLS and a sleazy realtor to a terrible contractor and electrician to cultural differences and language barriers (imagine dealing with hardware and construction minutiae in your second language). You think our bureaucracy is a pain? From Lebovitz’s experiences, French bureaucracy is ten times worse.
This was an almost painful read because of all of the crazy-making nonsense that Lebovitz endured, and yet I kept flipping pages late into the night. I just love his voice, his perspective, his sly humor. And his recipes, which end many chapters. This book could have been trimmed and been given a more hawk-eyed edit � there were lots of repetitions of phrasings, stories, and even words in the same sentence. But I feel about this writer how I feel about a friend or family member: I love you so much I’ll listen to you tell the same damn story for the 50th time, because I delight in your voice telling it.
I recommend for Francophiles, home-makeover junkies, and disaster voyeurs.
November 10, 2020
I have loved David Lebovitz’s voice from reading his blog and following his Parisian life on Instagram so this book felt like following along with an old friend. If you’re curious about life as an expat/life in France, this book is perfect for you. It goes into a lot of detail about his renovations, which I loved, but might not be for everyone. The perfect escape when a trip to France feels very far away...
September 4, 2018
I won an uncorrected proof advanced reading copy of this book during a ŷ giveaway. I am under no obligation to leave a review or rating and do so voluntarily. So that others may also enjoy this book, I am paying it forward by donating it to my local library.
April 26, 2020
L'Appart: The Delights and Disasters of Making My Paris Home was an honest and anxiety-inducing read about an American chef's frustrations of buying and renovating an apartment in Paris. My takeaway from the book was to never, ever, ever buy or renovate an apartment in Paris.
June 4, 2023
Reading an honest account about someone making a home in a different culture was cathartic. It also, weirdly, made me thankful to live in Jakarta - it seems like living in Paris is not for the faint of heart but it also seems like their food could be worth it.
July 29, 2023
I really just love David’s style of writing. In this particular book, I found David’s humour astounding given all he had to go through with his renovation. Any book he writes I’ll definitely read (I guess it doesn’t hurt that there are pastry recipes too)!
November 27, 2017
Lebovitz's roller-coaster tale about purchasing and then renovating an apartment in Paris does not inspire me AT ALL to ever buy property in a foreign country. The US is bad enough. It unfortunately also made this a rather repetitive book and the recipes Lebovitz included at the end of almost every chapter didn't always feel connected to the chapter (and complicated, these are not for inexperienced cooks).
March 15, 2021
I think I enjoyed this book so much because I was reading it as a firsthand experience of something that is personally relevant to me. Not sure how much I would've loved it if I wasn't also an American living in Paris, though, with all the context about how Paris works to support me.
February 18, 2018
I found the looking for the apartment section better than endless details about a stove handle, ah - no spoilers here! But an overall delight. And memories of my five years in a Paris apartment. A dishwasher with such complicated instructions that I used it to store rarely used dishes or pots, and a clothes dryer with a secret water drawer - info given only to guests I wanted to stay on longer.
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