In the Merde for Love

The latest episode in Stephen Clarke's almost-true account of his adventures as an expat in France is just as winning as the first. This "anti-Mayle" will have readers chortling over their croissants and café au lait while Paul West struggles to solve the mysteries inherent in life in France. What is the best way to scare a gendarme? Is it really polite to sleep with your boss's mistress? And why are there no public health warnings on French nude beaches? Paul discovers how to judge a French vacationer by the rustiness of his bicycle; opens his English tearoom; and finally understands why Parisian waiters are so cranky. Just in time for spring in Paris, find out if Paul finds the perfect French mademoiselle or if it all ends in merde!

The sequel to the international bestseller A Year in the Merde continues the hilarious saga of Paul West's misadventures in l'amour (this title was originally published as Merde, Actually in the UK).

The latest episode in Stephen Clarke's almost-true account of his adventures as an expat in France is just as delightful as the original—and already a #1 bestseller in the UK. A year after arriving in France, Englishman Paul West is still struggling with some 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 ripe garden vegetables? Paul discovers how to judge a French vacationer by the rustiness of his bicycle; opens his English tea room and finally understands why Parisian waiters are so cranky; 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. Will Paul find l'amour éternel, or will it all end in merde?

Library Journal

The title of this fake memoir-as-novel should alert readers as to what they're in for: lots of puns, jokes, wordplay-and playing around in general, with people, events, and feelings. British journalist Clarke's predecessor to this volume, A Year in the Merde, has become an international best seller and a favorite on airplane travelers' reading lists. With this sequel, you will not find yourself in the midst of a guide to Paris and some French garden spots; rather, you will see Paris and the French countryside through the eyes of a smart, late-twentysomething Englishman attempting to open a British tea room in the heart of Paris and win the heart of-or at least a night with-a beautiful young woman named Alexa. Those who enjoyed Clarke's first book will certainly delight in his newest production. However, if you easily tire of vivid bedroom escapades, descriptions of binge drinking, and negative assessments of the French, you may wish to find your amusement elsewhere. Recommended for the fiction rather than travel sections of large public and academic libraries.-Olga B. Wise, Austin, TX Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Stephen Clarke is a British journalist, currently working for a French press group in Paris. He has previously written comedy sketches for BBC Radio 4. He is the author of the international bestseller A Year in the Merde.