5 thoughts on “Le Dauphin”

1. Dear Caroline

   I tried to keep my own politics out of the book but most people picked up on my futile nostalgia for pre-Thacherite Britain and my embedded fear that France might go the same way.

   The ideas in the chapter about Sarkozy the Sex Dwarf were not driven by admiration for the man or his politics (such as they are). They were born of puzzlement: how could such an absurd little man, trumpeting opinions so contrary to the prevailing myths of French society (more work v. less play; more money v. less leisure) have been brought so convincingly to power? It didn’t make sense. The answers, it seemed to me, could only be found in mass psychology rather than politics.

   If you look again, you’ll find that Sarkozy’s Jewish blood does in fact come from his mother’s side (Mallah) and not his father’s.

   Best wishes

   Lucy

2. Just finished reading your book and as a girl of the same age as you who came to Paris the same year and married a french man from the haute bourgeoisie, brought up three boys and now lives in the french countryside writing cookery books, thinks our worlds must be somewhat alike. But the Paris I lived in for 20 years, ressembled nothing like you lived through. I cannot remember one person of my entourage ever having an affair, apart from when a couple was actually splitting up, nothing out of the ordinary as far as dinner party conversations were concerned. I never noticed that any of my friends, whether writers, artists or musicians talking more about sex than my irish or british friends. Maybe you just lived with strange, sex crazed people who don’t really sound much like parisians to me. And as for your politics, I think you have some great nostalgia for the Thatcher years in Britain because Sarkozy’s plan for France are little different to the divisive and aggressive politics of la Dame Fer. One more thing, Sarkozy’s mother was not a jew – his father was! So forget all this anti-semitic drivel that you accuse the french people of and look closely at our presidents racist attitude right now.

3. ‘I can also only assume that your “reviewers” are also your friends, as the book is poorly written, particularly from someone who went to Oxford.’

   Thus spake the authentic voice of lower-middle class Angst with attitude.

4. This is the most irritating book I have read for a long time. I can only assume that if your life consists of dinner parties and “witty” conversation, then infidelity, and some idealistic philosophy behind that, alleviates the boredom and vapidity of your existence. I can also only assume that your “reviewers” are also your friends, as the book is poorly written, particularly from someone who went to Oxford.

   This is a book written by a middle class person, probably went to public school, who believes their cherry piked opinions matter.

   Get a job (a real one).

5. I like it, too!