Reviews
Hundreds of resources to help you teach yourself
Flatbush, Brooklyn
French, Neighborhoods
I went here one day looking for Haitian French. I found a lot of Creole. And maybe a few cuss words. It was fun to walk around, though, and one could certainly see the influence of French on business names…
Modern Language Association
Arabic, Dutch, English, French, General, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Yiddish, Websites, Organizations
This eminent 130-year-old organization “provides opportunities for its members to share their scholarly findings and teaching experiences with colleagues and to discuss trends in the academy.” The Modern Language Association publishes prolifically, academics congregate annually at their annual convention,…
French Institute Alliance Française
French, Museums/Cultural, Organizations, Classes/Conversation, Kids
FIAF, as it is known, is a wonderful New York City institution offering diverse cultural events and resources for Francophile New Yorkers. I have gone to a conversation event there, seen French movies, visited the library, taken a few French…
Strand Bookstore
English, French, General, Bookstores/Libraries
This independent bookstore is a fantastic place to visit for a variety of book needs. The foreign-language section is not huge, but it is there. When I inquired about the source of their non-English books, an employee told me they…
Idlewild Books
French, Italian, Spanish, Bookstores/Libraries, Kids
This Chelsea bookstore, which opened in 2008, radiates bibliophilia. You can buy books in French, Spanish, or Italian here, and also take classes at the store in any of those three languages. The owner, David Del Vecchio, previously worked at the…
La Maison Française of New York University
French, Museums/Cultural, Conferences/Lectures
Founded in 1959 and housed in a 19th-century red-brick carriage house, La Maison Française offers lectures, symposia, films, exhibits, and other French cultural events. It is described on its website as “the most active center of French-American cultural and intellectual…
New York Public Library (Mid-Manhattan)
Arabic, Dutch, English, French, General, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Yiddish, Bookstores/Libraries, Kids
The Mid-Manhattan Library, at 40th Street and Fifth Avenue, is the main language-learning repository of the New York Public Library. I used it a lot in 2009 and 2010, mostly for Pimsleur audio lessons, but also borrowed books and other resources as…
CafePress
Arabic, Dutch, English, French, General, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Yiddish, Shopping, Kids
According to its website, CafePress has “the world’s largest selection of artist-designed t-shirts, clothing, accessories, housewares and gifts.” I have included this company here because they happen to sell numerous foreign-language items, such as mugs, hoodies, posters, clocks, and…