Une Livre Qui N'est-ce pas Merde

I just finished reading A Year in the Merde, by Stephen Clarke.



At first I really did not like this (fictitious) account of a British man's year of living in Paris. Then it started growing on me, and I couldn't put it down! The main character, Paul West, is hired by a company in Paris to spearhead the opening of several British tea rooms. Initially I found his assessment of french people (and women!) biased and sexist rather than humorous; everything seemed a bit too caricatured. But I guess I grew to accept the author's shortcomings with characterization, because as the book went on, I really became engrossed with the story itself. The best thing about this book for anyone who has ever dreamed of living in Paris is the little vignettes of what it is like, such as the fact that some vital group is always on strike (such as the street/sidewalk cleaners, which is why Paul is often stepping in merde, i.e, poop!), or how to not look like a tourist (very useful!). I don't want to get too into the stroyline, because there are some twists and turns I wouldn't want to spoil.

I definitely recommend this to all francophiles! Great beach reading, so hurry up cause summer is almost over! (thank god; could it have been much more unpleasantly hot?)