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Overview
World War I has almost come to an end, but for a young Minneapolis railway employee and amateur actor named Paul Peachy, whose marriage has become one-sided, it’s time to enlist. Shipped off to France, Peachy realizes how out of his depth he is—and never more so than when he is captured. Risking everything, Peachy—who as a child of immigrants speaks German—makes the reckless decision to impersonate one of the enemy’s most famous spies.
As the urbane and accomplished spy Harry Stroller, Peachy enters a world he never even knew existed—a world of sumptuous living, world-weary men and available women. But when one of those women—Annie Breton, a young, wary and beautiful courtesan—turns out to be more than she seems, both Peachy’s and Annie’s lives are transformed forever.
Synopsis
The beloved actor and screenwriter Gene Wilder's first novel, My French Whore, set during World War I, delicately and elegantly explores a most unusual romance. It's almost the end of the war and Paul Peachy, a young railway employee and amateur actor in Milwaukee, realizes his marriage is one-sided. He enlists, and ships off to France. Peachy instantly realizes how out of his depth he is—and never more so than when he is captured. Risking everything, Peachy—who as a child of immigrants speaks German—makes the reckless decision to impersonate one of the enemy's most famous spies.
As the urbane and accomplished spy Harry Stroller, Peachy has access to a world he could never have known existed—a world of sumptuous living, world-weary men, and available women. But when one of those women—Annie, a young, beautiful and wary courtesan—turns out to be more than she seems, Peachy's life is transformed forever.
Editorials
From the Publisher
"Gene Wilder has written a remarkable period piece. It’s an elegantly woven story of intrigue, danger, sex and comedy –but for me the big surprise is that it’s a truly moving and eloquent love story.
—Mel Brooks
“A…touching debut novel…(it) takes the form of the final, eloquent notebook of a man still finding out who he is.”—Publishers Weekly
“Slender…nimble…satisfying.”—Kirkus Reviews
“It’s unavoidable: the hero of MY FRENCH WHORE simply must be imagined as a young Gene Wilder. The talented actor who wrote this enjoyable novella…makes an easy transition from stage to page.”—The Seattle Times
“Sweet fluff. If you loved ‘Young Frankenstein,’ you’ll be awfully fond of this.”—The Washington Post
“Wilder’s delightful fiction debut (is) a novel so witty, dramatic and romantic that the reader is left with an indelible mental movie.”—Los Angeles Times