About this title: A #1 bestseller in the United Kingdom and an urban antidote to "A Year in Provence," this laugh-out-loud account of a year in the life of an expat in Paris is the almost-true story of the author's own experiences.
Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Description: Good. No dust jacket as issued. Binding leans, spine creased some. A little edge wear. Clean pages. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 276 p. Audience: General/trade. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA
Date Published: 2006
ISBN-13:9781582346175ISBN:1582346178
Description: Good. A copy that has been read, but remains in clean condition. All pages are intact, and the cover is intact (including dustcover, if applicable). The spine may show signs of wear. Pages can include limited notes and highlighting, and the copy can include "from the library of" labels. read more
Description: Good. Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Description: Very Good. Great condition for a used book! Minimal wear. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Description: Very Good. Great condition for a used book! Minimal wear. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA
Date Published: 2005
ISBN-13:9781582345918ISBN:1582345910
Description: Good. Used item may show library stamps, stickers and marks. Buy with confidence-your satisfaction is guaranteed at B-Logistics! Due to the large scale of our operation, we do not have access to the specific contents/condition of our items. Please note that Expedited shipping is not available at this time. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA
Date Published: 2006
ISBN-13:9781582346175ISBN:1582346178
Description: Good. Used item may show library stamps, stickers and marks. Buy with confidence-your satisfaction is guaranteed at B-Logistics! Due to the large scale of our operation, we do not have access to the specific contents/condition of our items. Please note that Expedited shipping is not available at this time. read more
Edition: Second Printing
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Bloomsbury Pub Plc USA, New York, New York, U.S.A.
Date Published: 2006
ISBN-13:9781582346175ISBN:1582346178
Description: Very Good. 8vo-over 7 3/4"-9 3/4" Tall 1582346178 Used. read more
"Hilarious but also really intelligently put together. If you're looking for an idealized, dream version of an expats year in France, this ain't it. But if you have even a slight knowledge of Parisian life and culture, this book is wonderful. Some reviewers said they found it too mean and insulting, but I dont think the author hates the French. In fact, in the end his character remains in Paris. this is really a book about learning to navigate a very complex, highly developed, very subtle and very foreign culture. In the end, the author succeeds - and, to use his metaphor- learns to walk down the streets of Paris without stepping in dog poop (la merde) every time out."
"Books about cultural shock are always very amusing no matter, which nation encounters which. The point is in total misunderstanding each other and national pride, which can be very ridiculous. I wonder why English and French are often picked as the target of such novels. However Brit who went on supposed project to Paris and met the reality of French firm and greedy soon to be polititian who taught him important lesson about life in general. Book and plot is filled with twist that are like from very bad drama but in a good way and approach to the French is little bit merciless but even author is not nice to himself. The main plot device was marketing soon to be chain of English tearooms by author, but his project was killed in the beginning and he faced the truth about his new home. Not happy one indeed. His boss slimy methods, boss daughter who was happy with supply of men folk and drugs, various girlfriends and coworkers made colorful characters, who are everything but not nice people. The end of the book is bit of surprising and I think I will look out for another book from this serie ."
"I like it despite the fact it wasn't good. A trashy read about a simple englishman trying to fit in and understand France and its people. He screws up his love life more or less, as well as his cushy advertising job but meh, it all turns out alright in the end. There are a few very choice quotes:
"Red lights are like queues. They are for people who have time to waste."- Jean Marie (the protagonist's boss, while driving)
"The Communists were promising retirement for all state employees at age 35. The centre-right parties were promising employers that they would no longer have to pay workers and would be exempt from prosecution for any industrial pollution that killed fewer than 100,000 people. The far right was proposing, less realistically, to have immigrants barbecued...on Friday nights. And in a similar vein, the rural party promised to change the law on endangered species so that hunters could now shoot dodos, unicorns, mermaids and American tourists.""
"Perfect companion to any trip to France. Stephen Clarke masterfully describes typical anglophone experiences and misadventures in Paris. Reading this book you will find a lot of material that you can relate to whether as a tourist just visiting or better yet as a resident ex-pat. Though the author does exaggerate for the story's sake on a few points though the core of the book, the main character Paul, stirs true as a likable guy with honest misadventures. Definitely the best book of Clarke's series staring Paul West, at least that I've read. The author has also written some books in French I believe that I am interested in checking out.
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