A Year in the Merde cover art

A Year in the Merde

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A Year in the Merde

By: Stephen Clarke
Narrated by: Justin Edwards
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About this listen

What are the French really like?

Paul West, a young Englishman arriving in Paris to start a new job, is about to find out.

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 really is the second national participation sport after petanque.

And, yes, they do use suppositories.

Less quaint than A Year in Provence, less chocolatey than Chocolat, A Year in the Merde will tell you how to get served by the grumpiest Parisian waiter; how to make perfect vinaigrette every time; how to make amour - not war; and how not to buy a house in the French countryside.

©2005 Stephen Clarke (P)2005 Penguin Audio Literature & Fiction France Funny Comedy

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All stars
Most relevant  
Just finished 1,000 years of annoying the French and wasn't quite ready to let the author and narrator go yet so bought this book. Essentially a short story about an English man's adventures in Paris with the same wry observations of the French, their morals, French hypocrisy, their love of striking and not working for whatever reason they can invent.
Lots of laughs, interesting observations and a wonderful description of having sex but using marketing language.

Essentially a short story with chuckles and romps

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Switch your brain off funny. Sit back and listen to the trials and tribulations of an Englishman trying to do his best in Paris.

Really enjoyed listening to this book (having read it twice before).

The only downside is that book 2 is not available as an audio book.

Read twice listened once! Love it

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A brilliant, uplifting, funny, sarcastic year in France. The English protagonist Paul experiences all sorts of French culture and has plenty of teasing wry observations on it and gets plenty back on English quirks from the (many) girls he meets en route.

The narrator here has to be the best I’ve ever listened to, communicating the tone of the prose perfectly as well as the French accents, and various Gallic huffs and puffs. Outstanding.

Wonderful

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Great book, great reader what a shame The Merde Factor wasn't read by Justine Edwards

Great reader.

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really enjoyed this book. Well read, funny, makes you want to live in Paris.

Great

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When the story opened there was a distinct risk that this story might simply revolve around the protagonist’s ignorance of cultural differences. Mercifully this changed to provide a fascinating insight and take on one man’s fictional journey through Paris life. Good fun.

Vive la difference

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a light hearted entertaining and informative tale of a young English man working and meeting girls in Paris, some bits are laugh out loud which is rare for me!

very entertaining

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I love anything that is funny about the French and this is right up there.
Stephen Clarke writes superbly about French life and captures their funny ways.
I am sure a French Stephen Clarke would make the British funny ways hilarious too.
His other books are great too.
This was a light and entertaining listen, relaxing and funny.

Good Merde

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This book captivated me from the first chapter onwards. Brilliant British humour with actual facts. I finished it within a few days even though I was exceptionally busy with work.

Witty and intelligent from beginning to end

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