For anyone who has lived in France, visited France, or even has the slightest knowledge of stereotypical France, this book will not disappoint! A Year in the Merde by Stephen Clarke is a witty, hysterical travel narrative of a 20 something British guy who moves to France to open English Tea Rooms. Naturally there are many bumps along the way that include but are not limited to French bureaucratic snafus, translation issues, and women (a whole lot of women).
The chapters are months of the year, starting in September because as Clarke points out, the year begins in September when all French people return from their month long vacations and go back to work. From there, the protagonist goes through all sorts of obstacles. For one thing, he cannot understand half of the words that come out of his co-workers mouths. Clarke does an amazing job with the phonetics of someone speaking English with a French accent. Read those parts out loud to yourself, it's more fun! Besides his problems in comprehension, Paul has to find a place to live, work on getting a visa, defend the English people and their customs to every French person he meets, and figure a way out of buying a little cottage in Normandy. All while meeting new people, and overcoming problems in translation along the way.
This book had me laughing out loud at outrageous scenarios but more so at how perfectly Clarke describes living in France. After living in France for a year myself, I completely understand what this poor guy is going through especially when it comes to bureaucratic nonsense and the French lifestyle of "ehh, it will get done."
Bravo, Stephen Clarke. The outrageous and raunchy tales of an American living in France make this book too good to put down!
*Picture from Wikipedia. Found here.
