This book is a good start to understand how we the French are so different..of course to us the "Americains" are the different ones...I wish there were more books like this one about all cultures.Even for a native it is always good to revisit some of the history and to understand how behaviors and cultures are shaped by past experiences. It is true for individuals as well as for nations.I am a French living in the states married to an american and finally understood some of the cultural differences my husband and I have been arguing about for the last few years thanks to 60 million Frenchmen can't be wrong!If you plan on living in France, are living with a French or just interested in knowing why French can be so annoying read on! You won't be disappointed.Excellent job on the not so known Algerian war which I agree with the authors has contribute to shape contemporary France as much as WWII.