A Year in the Merde [Paperback]

Stephen Clarke (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 2, 2006

Based on Stephen Clarke's own experiences and with names changed to "avoid embarrassment, possible legal action, and to prevent the author's legs being broken by someone in a Yves Saint Laurent suit," A Year in the Merde provides perfect entertainment for Francophiles and Francophobes alike.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Take a self-assured Brit with an eye for the ladies, drop him in the middle of Paris with a tenuous grasp of the language and you have Clarke's alter ego, Paul West, who combines the gaffes of Bridget Jones with the boldness of James Bond. Hired to oversee the creation of a French chain of British tearooms, Clarke, aka West, spends nine months—the equivalent of a French business year—stumbling his way through office politics à la française. Clarke's sharp eye for detail and relentless wit make even the most quotidian task seem surreal, from ordering a cup of coffee to picking up a loaf of bread at the boulangerie. Luck is by West's side as he moves into a stunning apartment (with his boss's attractive daughter), but he has to be careful where he steps, as he finds he "began to branch out from literal to metaphorical encounters of the turd kind." Between conspiring colleagues, numerous sexual escapades (he deems French porn "unsexy" since "Being French, they had to talk endlessly before they got down to action") and simply trying to order a normal-sized glass of beer, West quickly learns essential tricks to help him keep his head above the Seine. Originally self-published in Paris, Clarke's first book in a soon-to-be-series is funny and well-written enough to appeal to an audience beyond just Francophiles. Agent, Susanna Lea at Susanna Lea Associates. (May) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Brit Paul West escapes his homeland to take a job in Paris marketing English tearooms to the French. Over a year's cycle he discovers that the French way of doing business thrives on maneuvering nimbly through a minefield of unique, demanding personalities. An inveterate womanizer, he finds plenty of skirts to chase and conquer. After a comic search for an apartment, he settles in the city's trendy Marais district. Urban stress in general, combined with a need to escape the upstairs family whose every move reverberates to distraction, forces West to escape to a Norman getaway featuring all the bucolic charms and a cast of neighbors and townspeople to rival Peter Mayle's Provencal rustics. West disdains French food for its love of organ meats and its fascination with revoltingly smelly cheeses. Francophobes will find much here to reinforce their prejudices; more balanced observers will find Clarke's caricatures of the French simply very funny reading.

Mark Knoblauch
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Bloomsbury USA (May 2, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1582346178
• ISBN-13: 978-1582346175
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (87 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #186,540 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

78 of 84 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Funny and accurate, April 23, 2005

By 

Sigrun (Iceland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Year in the Merde (Hardcover)

As someone who lived for a year in France as an exchange student this book brought back memories of how it was to discover France and french culture.
Paul West, a young englishman, comes to Paris to work there for a year, establishing english tea-houses for a french business. During this year he explores french culture and describes his experience one month at a time.
And what a read. The author is extremely witty without taking it too far and manages to point out some striking differences between english culture and the french one without sounding condescending.
The french people loath America and american culture and England and all things english are only a notch less despised. In spite of that they have embraced some things american and/or english such as McDonalds with a fierce passion that would put the average American to shame. Taking the family for a Macdo on a Saturday is a ritual for many and the Happy Meal is loved like it belongs to french cuisine.

Of course, this book doesn't give you a complete understanding of french society but it does provide a pretty good insight. It mentions the importance of the shrug, for example. The shrug is heavily used in France, in fact I don't think anyone has mastered conveying such strong emotion (total indifference) like they have. The book also tells us, for instance, about the importance of using the right language when ordering something at a french restaurant/bistro (of course, speaking in english is strictly forbidden) to get exactly what you want, how you must throw away notions of being liked and embrace being rude in a polite way, how wishing somenoe Bonne journee (Good day) can drive people mad and how you never ever cut the lettuce on your plate.

Whether you are going to dwell in France for a shorter or longer time, are interested in France or are just looking for an amusing yet interesting read this is a good book to pick up.
The text flows easily, the anecdotes are totally believable and there is something to make you smile or even laugh out loud on every page.

Highly recommended, I couldn't put it down.

41 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Don't take it too literally..., May 25, 2006

By 

G. Eymard "ge" (Paris, France / Dallas, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Year in the Merde (Hardcover)

I'm French and I read this book because an American friend lent it to me. I spent a lot of time in the US where I studied and worked and it took me a lot of time to understand why I felt so lost in this country just like most Americans feel upon moving to France. I just felt Americans were so welcoming but at the same time seemed so rude to me. Obviously I was the one who should try to understand and adapt and after a while and some introspection things went very well.

I was first intrigued by this story but I enjoyed reading it. However, you should know this book isn't to be taken too seriously. It made me laugh because I could recognize typical French reactions to what we see as rude and arrogant British behavior. But everyone wouldn't act like that although at times I would have done the same because the character deserved it for being such an ass. He unconsciously realizes he is not going anywhere acting like that and gradually adapts to the French way of life. For sure, French are never going to change because foreigner don't understand them, which is quite normal after all, even if they should sometimes. In fact what is striking about the relationship between French and Brits or Americans is how much everything looks the same on the surface but is different underneath, in the details. Obviously one has to concede the character isn't trying his best to adapt to the codes and, unfortunately, gets what you would expect a (stereotypical) Frenchman would do to a foreigner acting that way: a revenge for not trying to act French in the form of rudeness and aggressivity. So if that book seems to illustrate your feeling about your last trip to France try to read a few tips on how to get the best of French people. Here are mine: be polite, not intrusive, and say it when something is wrong... French people also hate it when a waiter or store clerk is rude, they just go to another café or store or if they can't, they put up with it with a "C'est la vie" (It is life). French people will suffer the same hardships, they are just brought up to suffer them philosophically. There are some things that can be shocking to Americans. It is indeed OK to talk about sex, but slippery to talk about money. Well, that's just the way we are, it doesn't mean you HAVE TO talk about sex. French people will correct your pronounciation, but don't be mad at them, they just want to help you become more French. If they make you mad they'd probably make another Frenchman even more mad. French people can be really generous and welcoming provided they don't see you as the "Ugly American" or Briton and it doesn't take a lot: don't talk overly loud and when they offer wine don't ask for a coke. Everybody drinks coke in France, just not with their cheese. In a word, do not refuse to taste their culture. That's supposedly the reason of your trip. Although not everything is correct or accurate in this book, most is BUT you shouldn't take everything too literally. Most of the characters or the situations have been exaggerated a bit so as to make it more funny.

Enjoy it, it's a fun book and will definitely show you how bad it can get, but don't form an opinion about France based only on this book. It doesn't have to be that bad.

28 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars COLORFULLY WRITTEN - JOYFULLY READ, May 26, 2005

By 

Gail Cooke (TX, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Year in the Merde (Audio CD)

Here's a fun frolic not just for Francophiles but for all armchair travelers who like their globetrotting mixed with whimsy. Stephen Clarke presents the fictional experiences of an ex pat living in France with large servings of humor, contagious enthusiasm, and a sharp eye for laugh provoking detail.

Paul West is an almost thirty something Britisher who is in Paris to open a string of very English tearooms. He has ignored the advice of his pal, Chris, who told him in no uncertain terms not to go to Paris. Chris said the French had a great lifestyle, terrific food, totally uninhibited women, but, and this is the biggie - they were impossible to get along with.

"It's permanent payback time," Chris warns, reminding Paul that the French don't like the British one bit. Nonetheless, Paul is in the Eiffel Tower city where he runs into any number of obstacles, whether it be recalcitrant employees or a tyrannic boss. On the plus side he also enjoys a bevy of willing beauties.

All of this is related with colorful asides as listeners learn how to fend for themselves in Paris, and laugh at Paul's mishaps.

Voice performer Gerard Doyle's voice is spot on Paul - he's a bit husky with a tint of Upper Class British accent. It's a pleasant slightly sophisticated reading with no overplaying of the almost non-stop comedy.

Listen, laugh, and enjoy.

- Gail Cooke