France is a country renowned for its cultural influence on the world, but Gopnik argued that such influence had declined by the end of the 20th century, when he lived there. Good taste had become the culture of the people. Explain what he meant by that, especially with regard to influences on France from America and other countries.

The author often seemed annoyed in this book by the officiousness of people working in government positions, yet that problem exists in America, too. What did his irritation tell you about his experience as a foreigner in French society?

Gopnik wrote about a current of anti-Americanism running through French society, but he concluded that it wasn't as real as French mistrust of the British. Discuss the difference in the French attitude to these two nations, as explained by the author.

The author embraced Paris, but did...