Merde Actually

Stephen Clarke

Find this book at buch7.de | eurobuch.com | buchhandel.de | books.google.com ASIN=0593054776, Category: Political Philosophy, Language: E, cover: PB, pages: 368, year: 2005.

New available from 01-Sep-2005:

Book Description
From the bestselling author of A YEAR IN THE MERDE, the next instalment in the hilarious adventures of Paul West.

Synopsis A year after arriving in France, Englishman Paul West is still struggling with some fundamental questions. What is the best way to scare a gendarme? Why do French job applicants put sexually transmitted diseases on their CVs? Why are there no public health warnings on French nudist beaches? And how do you cope with a plague of courgettes? Paul also mutates (temporarily) into a Parisian waiter; samples the pleasures of typically French hotel-room afternoons; and, on a return visit to the UK, sees the full horror of a British office party through Parisian eyes. Meanwhile, he continues his search for the perfect French mademolselle. But will Paul find l'amour eternel, or will it all end in merde?

From the Back Cover
A year after arriving in France, Englishman Paul West is still struggling with some fundamental questions.

What is the best way to scare a gendarme? Why are there no health warnings on French nudist beaches? Is it really polite to sleep with your boss's mistress? And how do you cope with a plague of courgettes?

Paul opens his English tearoom and mutates (temporarily) into a Parisian waiter; samples the pleasures of typically French hotel-room afternoons; and, on a return visit to the UK, sees the full horror of a British office party through Parisian eyes.

Meanwhile, he continues his search for the perfect French mademoiselle. But will Paul find l'amour éternel, or will it all end in merde?

Author's apology: 'I'd just like to say sorry to all the suppository fans out there, because in this book there are no suppositories. There are, however, lots of courgettes, and I see this as progress. Suppositories to courgettes - I think it proves that I'm developing as a writer.' Stephen Clarke

About the Author
Stephen Clarke is a British journalist and writer working for a French press group in Paris. A Year in the Merde is an almost-true account of things that may or may not have happened to him in the ten years he has lived in France, depending on who is asking the question. He originally published the book in an edition of 200 copies, with the intention of selling them through his website, giving them away to friends or offering them as fuel for his neighbour's Bastille Day barbecue. However, after a reading in a Canadian bookshop in Paris and a write-up in a French newspaper, the book turned into a surprise hit. He has previously written comedy sketches for BBC Radio 4 and jokes for a stand-up comedian. He is currently working on the next volume of Paul West's adventures. Stephen would like to thank the French government for introducing the 35-hour week and giving him time to do more interesting things on a Friday afternoon than work. Merci.