Book description
What are the French really like?
Paul West, a young Englishman arriving in Paris to start a new job, is about to find out.
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They do eat a lot of cheese, some of which smells like pigs' droppings.
They don't wash their armpits with garlic soap.
Going on strike…
Why read it?
1 author picked A Year in the Merde as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
In A Year in the Merde, Stephen Clarke walks the line perfectly between berating the country he's in and making it clear he is, in truth, really enjoying himself. When I discovered the book, I (a Brit) was living in Grenoble in France so it was particularly relevant. At the time, I was desperately trying to complete my Masters - in engineering! - but Clarke's book opened my eyes to a world where you can earn a living by documenting your travel experiences.
Within six months, I had completed my Masters (by the skin of my teeth), turned my…
From Bradt's list on The best books that inspired us to go travelling.
If you love A Year in the Merde...
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