Old Street Publishing Book Details

CONTENTS

BOOK DETAIL

MY FRENCH WHORE

AUTHOR

Gene Wilder

PUBLISH DATE

May 2007

PRICE

£11.99

ISBN

ISBN13: 978-1-905847-15-0

FORMAT

Paperback

EXTENT

192 Pages

“A touching, humorous and melancholy story of love and accidental espionage during World War One... Warm and hugely enjoyable... A little gem.”

The Bookseller

GRIEF-STRICKEN BY the realisation that his wife no longer loves him, timid, self-effacing Paul Peachy enlists as a Private in the army, and leaves Milwaukee for the trenches of WWI France. When his company captures the infamous German spy Harry Stroller, Peachy - who speaks fluent German - is called upon to interrogate him.

The next day, after a night spent in conversation with the spy, Peachy himself is captured by the enemy in No Man’s Land, having lost his nerve during an attack. In desperation, he decides to impersonate the spy he had been interrogating. Always aware that discovery must be around the corner, he falls in love with Annie Breton, a French prostitute, with whom he experiences a few final days of happiness before things take the inevitable turn for the worse.

MY FRENCH WHORE is a skilful, touching and often very funny début novel about humanity’s latent potential for heroism and happiness.

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The Critics


	“This is actor Gene Wilder's delightful fiction debut — a novel so witty, dramatic and romantic that the reader is left with an indelible mental movie, a twofer in the universe of words and pictures… The love is sweet, the adventure keen, and Wilder's bubbly prose captures Peachy's unforgettable charm.”		L.A. Times
	“Touching... Eloquent... Extraordinary”		Publisher’s Weekly
	“Wilder keeps the romance flowing and his readers believing in this improbable hero even after the curtain falls.”		Seattle Times
	....So, how can anyone really do Gene Wilder justice? I certainly know that I cannot. I mean, this is Gene Wilder. He's a legend, albeit a living one. Not only do I know that I cannot do Dave Lyons/Skip Donohue/Teddy Pierce justice but I also have a suspicion that reviewing or giving praise to his first novel "My French Whore" are far beyond the likes of me. I just loved it for one. There's a certain simplicity in the beauty of this, a generous novella. Here's the skinny: Chicago train conductor Paul Peachy enlists in 1918 mainly to escape his unhappy marriage. In France, company commander Captain Harrington learns that Paul speaks German and assigns him to interrogate a prisoner who turns out to be a famous spy. The lonely Harry Stroller, who allowed himself to be captured because he realizes Germany will soon lose the war, is more than glad to chat with Paul about his life and escapades in espionage. Soon after, Paul finds himself in the thick of battle. Taken prisoner after running from the fight, our mild-mannered, self-effacing hero commandingly announces to his captors that he is Harry Stroller. He demands to be taken to headquarters, where he quickly charms another lonely German, Colonel Steinig. To amuse his new friend, Steinig arranges an evening with Annie, the young prostitute of the title. At first, Paul rebuffs her professional sexual advances because she wears too much makeup for his taste. At his prodding, she soon removes the makeup, literally and figuratively. After Annie tells Paul the sad story of her misuse at the hands of a cruel German stepfather, they share a brief, idyllic romance filled with good food and tender lovemaking. Then who should turn up as a prisoner of war but Captain Harrington? Paul devises a daring escape for his commanding officer but stays behind, unwilling to leave Annie even though he knows it is only a matter of time before the Germans discover his ruse. Soon enough, an old friend of Stroller's shows up at one of Steinig's parties and unmasks Paul, with tragic results. There is a wonderful humility and sense of bravery about the book. The book's character is intensely chivalrous and never strays what the book gravely and inevitably achieves by the end. It was such a great read. Another example of some great fiction for 2007.		The Bookseller to The Stars
	“A winning, winsome novel, rich in historical detail and charmingly narrated by the ever-endearing, tragically romantic Peachy.”		Sunday Telegraph
	“Wilder comes through as a natural storyteller. A delightful read.”		Expresss
	“Wilder’s crisp, elegant prose echoes Ernest Hemingway... A beautifully written work in which not one word is wasted.”		London Lite
	“Elegiac and written with deceptive simplicity”		Radio Times

The Author

GENE WILDER has appeared in, co-written and produced over 30 films and made countless TV and stage appearances. He is perhaps best known for playing the eponymous lead in 1971’s Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and his many collaborations with the comedian Richard Pryor and the writer/director Mel Brooks. His collaboration with Brooks led to his two Oscar nominations, as supporting actor in The Producers in 1968 and as co-writer (with Brooks) of Young Frankenstein in 1974.

His autobiography, Kiss Me Like A Stranger, was published in 2005.

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