Let Them Eat Pancakes: One Man's Personal Revolution in the City of Light

by Craig Carlson Narrated by Tim Campbell

Overview

Craig Carlson set out to do the impossible: open the first American diner in Paris. Despite never having owned his own business before-let alone a restaurant, the riskiest business of all-Craig chose to open his diner in a foreign country, with a foreign language that also happens to be the culinary capital of the world. While facing enormous obstacles, Craig and his diner, Breakfast in America, went on to be a great success-especially with the French.



By turns hilarious and provocative, Craig takes us hunting for snails with his French mother-in-law and invites us to share the table when he treats his elegant nonagrian neighbor to her first-ever cheeseburger. We encounter a customer at his diner who, as a self-proclaimed anarchist, tries to stiff his bill, saying it's his right to "dine and dash." We navigate Draconian labor laws where bad employees can't be fired (even for theft) and battle antiquated French bureaucracy dating back to Napoleon.



When Craig finds love, he and his debonair French cheri find themselves battling the most unlikely of foes-the notorious Pigeon Man-for their sanity, never mind peace and romance, in their little corner of Paris. For all those who love stories of adventure, delicious food, and over-coming the odds, Let Them Eat Pancakes will satisfy your appetite and leave you wanting even more.

Editorial Reviews

New York Post

"Hilarious. In addition to the menu, which serves only American food, introducing French customers to diner traditions — bottomless cup o’ joe, anyone? — is half the fun."

"New and Notable" New York Times

"Charming. Let Them Eat Pancakes explores Carlson’s unexpected success operating an American diner in the capital of France, with plenty of colorful anecdotes and personal detours."

Lisa Anselmo

All the wit and heart of Pancakes in Paris, but even wittier and heartier. Craig Carlson serves up yet another delightful, dizzying account of life in the City of Light. He truly understands the imperfect yet inescapable love of expat life. You root for him on every page.

Kirkus Reviews (starred)

A pleasant, witty memoir from an American diner owner in France.

Whats The Buzz New York - Nancy Lombardo

Craig Carlson’s “Let Them Eat Pancakes” is a feast for your funny bone. It is clever, informative, and filled with outrageous characters that make up the intoxicating appeal of the cuisine and people of Paris. It’s also an authentic insight into the bureaucracy of living and working in France.

Stephen Clarke

"This second helping of stories about the author's life in Paris is as cheering as an all-day American breakfast."

Janet Skeslien Charles

"Eat. Love. Paris. Craig Carlson shares his passion for food and France in this charming, thought-provoking collection of essays. With heart and humor, he shows us the best of America and France, and how we can learn from one another. Whether delving into cultural differences or the challenges and rewards of running a business, Craig is the perfect guide. Let Them Eat Pancakes is a delicious, satisfying dish about following your dreams."

Betty Taylor

“Let Them Eat Pancakes gives the reader delightful essays on living, working, eating, and loving in France. The writing made me feel as though I were sitting across the table from him enjoying a glass of wine as he regaled me with story after story of his experiences. He made me smile, and even elicited a few (well, more than a few) laughs. . . . This is the perfect book for these times when we need some lightness in our lives, a time when armchair travel is the best we can do."

New York Times, "New and Notable"

"Charming. Let Them Eat Pancakes explores Carlson’s unexpected success operating an American diner in the capital of France, with plenty of colorful anecdotes and personal detours."

Jennifer Coburn

"Hearty and delicious.”

The Huffington Post (Praise for PANCAKES IN PARIS)

Funny, inspiring, and moving.

Powell's Book Blog (Praise for PANCAKES IN PARIS)

If you are a foodie and Francophile, and if you like rags-to-riches stories, you should curl up on an armchair with a strong cup of coffee and a croissant and tuck into Crag Carlson's memoir. A quintessential American tale, big and brash and filled with charm.”

Roger S. Christiansen

"Carlson tells his story with an openness and an ironic sense of humor. A great success story and will inspire readers to never stop trying to achieve their goals."

author of WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE PARIS (Praise for PAN Jennifer Coburn

"Hearty and delicious.

Kirkus Reviews

★ 2020-04-06
More tales from the owner of the Breakfast in America diners in France.

In this follow-up to Pancakes in Paris, Carlson shares more intimate and engaging stories of how he fell in love with France and a Frenchman while running his well-known diners. Although he starts out slowly, reminiscing about his childhood, the author quickly ups the tempo as he regales readers with the comical story of Pigeon Man, an older gentleman who insisted on feeding hundreds of pigeons in front of Carlson’s building. In addition to describing the physical mess the birds created, the author discusses the bureaucratic red tape he had to cut through to get the Pigeon Man to move. Carlson then shares memories of how he learned French and gives readers advice on how to learn the language more efficiently than he did (the text features French words and phrases sprinkled throughout). As a business owner, Carlson spends a good portion of the text discussing the ways in which French employers differ from Americans when it comes to their employees, from providing far more vacation time and maternity/paternity leave to the near impossibility of firing someone even due to poor performance. The author ponders the French fondness for smoking and the love locks placed by tourists on the bridges in Paris, and he explains the importance of Thanksgiving to him, which motived him to provide Thanksgiving dinner for more than 100 people. “Every year,” he writes, “BIA was featured in magazines and social media as one of the places in the world where Americans could celebrate Turkey Day abroad….For me, what I loved most about the holiday was its simplicity; just dining and drinking with loved ones for hours on end.” Of course, Carlson explores both French and American food, whether cooked at his diner, at a high-end French restaurant, or by his mother-in-law.

A pleasant, witty memoir from an American diner owner in France.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940172854835
Publisher:	Tantor Audio
Publication date:	10/27/2020
Edition description:	Unabridged

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