A Year in the Merde
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Written by Stephen Clarke and Paul West.
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Editorial Review (from Amazon.com)
Paul West, a young Englishman, arrives in Paris to start a new job - and finds out what the French are really like They do eat a lot of cheese, some of which smells like pigs' droppings. They don't wash their armpits with garlic soap. Going on strike really is the second national participation sport after petanque. And, yes, they do use suppositories In his first novel, Stephen Clarke gives a laugh-out-loud account of the pleasures and perils of being a Brit in France. Less quaint than A Year in Provence, less chocolatey than Chocolat, A Year in the Merde will tell you how to get served by the grumpiest Parisian waiter; how to make perfect vinaigrette every time; how to make amour - not war; and how not to buy a house in the French countrysideUser Reviews (1) Login or create an account to write a review.
Colin thinks this book is Good.
A very entertaintaining read. Somehow, Stephen Clarke managed to pin down exactly the experience of being a foreigner in France. Many pages in this book recount the exact same events that I had to go through and his description of the French echo my own impressions. Those that have not lived in France at all may think that the description of France in this book is exagerated, but it is not.
The book may not be a great literary classic, but it is a heck of a lot of fun to read and gives a very real and faithful account of life in France of a foreigner.