Awards
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2013 Powell's Staff Top 5s
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Staff Pick
This is a quirky little novel about French President François Mitterrand's hat, and the life it leads when separated from the man himself. He accidentally leaves it in a restaurant, and for the lucky souls who will next wear it, it is a good-luck charm of immense proportions. Thoroughly engaging, this unlikely story is a quick, fun read. But don't misconstrue "fun" for "insubstantial"; there are clever layers of allegory and meaning to discover here. Making sweeping statements on love, work, art, politics, self-worth, and family, Antoine Laurain's story of one man's hat and how it changes several lives is a trip definitely worth taking. Recommended By Dianah H., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
This prize-winning French bestseller is a charming fable about the power of a hat that takes the reader on a roller-coaster ride through French life during the Mitterrand years.
Dining alone in an elegant Parisian brasserie, accountant Daniel Mercier can hardly believe his eyes when President François Mitterrand sits down to eat at the table next to him.
After the presidential party has gone, Daniel discovers that Mitterrand's black felt hat has been left behind. After a few moments' soul-searching, Daniel decides to keep the hat as a souvenir of an extraordinary evening. It's a perfect fit, and as he leaves the restaurant Daniel begins to feel somehow... different.
Has Daniel unwittingly discovered the secret of supreme power?
For two years the iconic item of headgear plays with the lives of the men and women who wear it, bringing them success that had previously eluded them. Antoine Laurain's brilliantly orchestrated tour captures entertaining portraits of a rich gallery of characters.
Shot through with a delicious, wicked sense of humor, The President's Hat is a vivid re-creation of the everyday life of an era.
Review
"As entertaining as it is original, this is a story to enjoy like a chocolate with a surprise centre." Marie France
Review
"An enjoyable trip into the heart of the 1980s." Le Figaro
Review
"Impossible to resist." L'Express
Synopsis
Like Cinderella's glass slipper or Aladdin's lamp, the hat is a talisman that makes its wearers dreams come true.
Synopsis
From the author of The Red Notebook, described as 'Parisian perfection' by HRH The Duchess of Cornwall, The President's Hat is a delightful fable about an unsuspecting accountant who happens upon President Mitterand's hat.
'Enjoy it for its fabulistic narrative, and the way it teeters pleasantly on the edge of Gallic whimsy' Guardian Paperback of the Week
Dining alone in an elegant Parisian brasserie, accountant Daniel Mercier can hardly believe his eyes when President Fran ois Mitterrand sits down to eat at the table next to him. Daniel's thrill at being in such close proximity to the most powerful man in the land persists even after the presidential party has gone, which is when he discovers that Mitterrand's black felt hat has been left behind. After a few moments' soul-searching, Daniel decides to keep the hat as a souvenir of an extraordinary evening. It's a perfect fit, and as he leaves the restaurant Daniel begins to feel somehow ... different.
Winner of the Prix Landerneau D couvertes and Prix Relay des Voyageurs
Waterstones Spring Book Club 2013
Kindle Top 5 Title
ABA Indies Introduce choice
About the Author
Antoine Laurain was born in Paris in the early 1970s. He is a writer, collector and director of several short films.