Outside reading

I read an article on how French culture used to influence the whole world, but that today barely gets noticed. It is interesting that the French had very influential writers which everyone knows like Flaubert and Proust, but less than 30% of French books even get translated into English today. Years ago, French artists started the movement of Impressionism, but no one really even knows who the famous artists are in France anymore. The new French President wants to promote and expand French culture, but I think he is going to find that a difficult thing to do.

It is like the world moved beyond the French. It seems like the world evolved and the French still stayed insular within themselves which really didn't interest anyone beyond the French. I think if they really had been doing anything which was relevant to other people in other countries that their culture would be shared more with other people throughout the world.