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A Breath of French Air

Published
Dec 2006
Main Genre
General Fiction General Fiction
Rating
Pages
160

About This Book

The Larkins travel to France for some sun and relaxation—only to be met with disaster—in this comic classic by the author of The Darling Buds of May.

At summer's end, rain clouds hovering over Kent have some in the Larkin household feeling under the weather in more ways than one. Ma is exhausted from nursing newborn Oscar, and Mariette needs a break.

Meanwhile, Mariette's husband, Charley, reminisces about delightful summers spent in Brittany during his youth. It was inexpensive, the food was marvelous, the air was warm and sultry, and they would almost never see a drop of rain. And with that, Ma persuades Pop to take a holiday in France.

But when the Larkin clan arrives in the village of St. Pierre le Port, it is vastly different from Charley's memories. It is raining, the food is awful, the hotel is run-down, and the manager is rather nasty. The Larkins normally find joy in the little things in life, but they have never dealt with a vacation like this . . .

"Very racy, earthy. Rabelaisian." —The Spectator
Praise for the Pop Larkin Chronicles

"Hilarious." —The New York Times

"Pop Larkin, Ma and their progeny . . . are essentially English of the rich and ribald England of Chaucer and Shakespeare. A superb and timeless comedy." —The Scotsman

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Paperback

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First Edition Dec 2006 Penguin (UK) ISBN 0141029641
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Jan 2022 Open Road Publishing ISBN 1504068831
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eBook

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Dec 2006 Penguin ISBN 0141938633
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Jan 2022 Open Road Media ISBN B09M7ZP2BV
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Jan 2022 Open Road Publishing ISBN 1504068785
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Audio

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Aug 1993 Chivers Audio Books ISBN 0745140025
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Jan 2016 Naxos AudioBooks ISBN B01AH8N6QE
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