Oh Merde!

Merde Happens is the third installment in the highly-addictive Merde series by Stephen Clarke (If you're not familiar with the term merde, you may want to look it up so you can appreciate the humourous titles). This clever and funny series narrates the adventures of Paul West, a Briton living in France. As Paul tries to adapt to the French way of life, he finds himself in many strange and hysterical situations.

In my opinion, Merde Happens is the best of the series thus far. In this novel, Paul finds himself in a financial tight spot and, in desperation, he takes on a dubious job. Wearing a kilt and driving a Mini (painted with a Union Jack of course), Paul travels across the United States in an attempt to persuade Americans to visit his homeland. Add a liberalist French girlfriend, sabotageurs and competitors, Britain-haters, outsourcing to India, and certain racy photos of Paul in a mini-kilt, and you've got a very funny book.

Stephen Clarke gives the French a (little) bit of a break in this novel, poking fun at Americans as only non-Americans can do. Fellow Canadians will enjoy the author's commentary as Paul encounters guns, silicone, super-sized meals, freeways, red necks and patriots. Americans who have the ability to laugh at themselves will enjoy this too. I found myself giggling aloud at several scenes in the book.

I am looking forward to reading the rest of this series, as well as Stephen Clarke's non-fiction title: Talk to the Snail: The Ten Commandments for Understanding the French.



 Merde Happens Talk to the Snail: Ten Commandments for Understanding the French