Customer Reviews

Merde Actually

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The book "In the Merde for Love" occurs along with other books in Amazon's "customers who bought this item also bought" list. I am one of those customers. Thinking that "Merde Actually" was a different book, I ordered it and waited for it to arrive from England.

It is the exact SAME book under a different title. It was not mentioned in the book description that there are two titles one for the USA and one for the UK. Since both countries speak the same language this is a mystery.

I enjoyed the first two books in the Merde series, but I didn't want a duplicate under a different name.

I read Stephen Clarke's "Merde Actually" and laughed so many times that I had to read the prequel "A Year in the Merde". Both are hilarious, colored with stories that will have expats shaking their heads in agreement. I'm not sure that you'll find these books funny if you've never spent time in France, but I'm certain you will enjoy them if you have.

I took this book for a flight and I could not stop laughting/smiling. I am French and I really enjoyed the way Stefen Clarke describes us.

A must of if you want to learn more about French and having fun...

I love every one of Stephen Clarke's books. I have never laughed so hard reading. Looking forward to getting his newest. I wish these books would also go to the big screen. Hugh Grant?

Merde Actually,like all of Stephen Clarke's other novels, is light and frothy, the kind of book you want to read on a plane or train. The protagonist, Paul, a misplaced and hormonally charged Englishman, is trying to make a living in France. He takes the reader to both venues when the reader might not be able to get there on his own.

Merde Actually (called In The Merde For Love in the US) is nowhere near as good as Clarke's first book on his forays into French culture. The title is an obvious grasp at hanging on the coattails of the hit UK movie "Love Actually." It doesn't work.

Basically, it's too much of the same. It's also way too focused on his love life and actually I could frankly care less. I found the adventures with the opening of the tea shop in Paris and the adventures with the townsfolk in his ex's hometown far more interesting.

If you read the first book (A Year In The Merde), that's enough really for your fill of Clarke's adventures.

In this second book of a series, we meet Englishman, Paul West, moderately successful advertising executive, who went to France for a job as the liaison for a Paris based, French company trying to break into the English market. He spends a year dodging French office politics, trying to improve English-French relationships with the Parisian femmes, incurring the wrath and hostility of haughty french waiters, and slip, sliding his way through the local dog merde, which is freely deposited on the Paris sidewalks. At the start of this book, Paul is bringing to fruition, his dream of the first English Tea Room Cafe in Paris. This, of course, is interrupted with the nightmare of dealing with pompous French officials, the reality of trying to hire help who will not be inattentive, inept or outright rude, and all this while trying to wend his way through the arms of various mademoiselle's, looking for his one true love. This is a lighthearted romp through France, with a quick jump across the Channel to London, which will leave you laughing at a transplanted Englishman's travels in La Belle France. The first book in the series is A Year in the Merde one of the latest isDial M for Merde

After reading both of American editions, I looked forward to seeing more of his excellent writing and observation of French life. I saw the "Merde Actually" at a bookstore in Germany and thought it was third edition. I was quite disappointed when I realised that I had actually read the same story albeit different titles in the English edition. What's more, the book cover on American edition is so much beautifully designed and matches the content so much better than the amateurishly done English edition.

I've decided not to purchase the English edition anymore American editions! Europeans might be so good in fashions, films, cars, etc., but they are SO horrendous when it comes to book cover designs!

Merde Actually might not be just as funny as A Year in the Merde, but I still could not stop laughing all the way. Highly recommended even if you are French.

This is the 2nd part of "A Year in the Merde", but it's not as good as the 1st one. Perhaps most of the hilarious stuff and surprises have appeared in the 1st one. Again another eg of difficulty in making attractive sequels.