Joyeuse Pâque! Joyeuses Pâques! I’ve always been amused by the fact that the French word for Passover and the word for Easter are nearly identical. What’s ironic is that, while France is historically a deeply Catholic nation, the word for Easter, “Pâques,” actually has its root in the Hebrew term for Passover, “Pesach.”
This week, we’re celebrating both Passover and Easter at Frenchly with recipes that will (hopefully) pacify your in-laws and keep anyone from being crucified over a dry roast.
Last week, I finally got around to reading The Book of Goose by Yiyun Li, which Caitlin wrote about at the end of last year. It follows two teen girls and their twisted games set against the bleak backdrop of post-war rural France. I felt that it captured something essential about the intensity of childhood friendships between girls, the way they feel eternal and unchangeable… until, that is, they change. There’s a quote I can’t stop thinking about that speaks to this: “Love from those who cannot damage us irreparably often feels insufficient; we may think, rightly or wrongly, that their love does not matter at all.”
Another element of the book that struck me was Li’s depiction of living abroad, especially as someone who comes from a small town—how it changes you profoundly. Even when dropped back into your old life, you retain a sense of displacement, of never quite being rooted in the same way.
But enough deep thoughts. It’s time for some mid-week distractions.
This week on the Internet…
Can you tell which of these baby chicks is French?
When your Parisian aesthetic becomes your entire personality.
If you liked last week’s song from the trilingual artist Saint Levant, you should give the song “Nasty” by Zeina a listen. It also incorporates French, English, and Arabic lyrics, and makes me wonder if there’s a trend happening that I should keep an ear out for…
A recent NYT article encouraged women to move abroad to find love. But do we buy it? Tell me what you think.
Did you catch John Oliver’s coverage of France this week on Last Week Tonight? How about the viral video of Parisians nonchalantly enjoying a glass of wine en terrasse a few feet from a raging fire?
Cheers,
Catherine Rickman, Managing Editor, Frenchly.us
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