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December 2, 2022 37 mins

Our guest today is British author Stephen Clarke who lives in Paris. 

He has sold more than a million books world-wide including the hugely popular and hilarious Merde series which began with a Year in the Merde based on Stephen’s own experiences in France and with names changed to "avoid embarrassment, possible legal action, and to prevent the author's legs being broken by someone in a Yves Saint Laurent suit…". 

He talks about how a job as a translator at a French dictionary company led to becoming a best selling writer. He shares his tips for how to find a good restaurant in Paris, get a Parisian attitude with just one word and how the hero of his Merde books, Paul West, is perpetually 27 years old!

We also answer listener's question - do French people hug... find out the surprising truth! 

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