Our French Connection

The United States and France have always had a special relationship. For some Americans, the French way of life is a model to admire. Others think we're better off sticking to "freedom fries." One thing's for certain: The French provoke strong reactions in America—but why exactly? And can you find a decent croissant in the heartland? TMN editor and author Rosecrans Baldwin spent two weeks traveling around the U.S.—specifically a handful of towns called Paris—and the result is an enthralling, rip-snorting quest into what Americans really think about France. Rosecrans Baldwin is the author most recently of PARIS, I LOVE YOU BUT YOU'RE BRINGING ME DOWN. His debut novel, YOU LOST ME THERE, was one of NPR's Best Books of 2010, a TIME and Entertainment Weekly Best Book of Summer, and a New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice.