For those of you out there who can read and understand French, a book I’d recommend: Le Camée Anglais. Or, in English, The Englishman’s Cameo. The French edition of the novel, published by Éditions Philippe Picquier, will be released on April 8, 2010. It’s been translated by Melanie Basnel, and has a handy glossary at the end too. This is what the blurb on the back cover reads: 1656, en Inde sous le règne Shah Jahan. Un ouvrier bijoutier est injustement accuse du meurtre de Murad Begh, notable de la ville. Heureusement pour lui, il compte parmi ses amis le jeune Muzaffar, un noble un peu excentrique qui a pour fâcheuse habitude de n’en faire qu’à sa tête. Pour sauver son ami, Muzaffar se lance à corps perdu dans la quête du veritable muertrier. A force de prendre au sérieux sa nouvelle vocation de detective, il se retrouve malgré lui au cœur d’une aventure qui l’emmènera bien loin de son quotidian sans surprises et lui fera découvrier ce qui se trame derrière les murs du fort de Dilli, dans les salons des courtisanes et sous les dorures du palais imperial. Corruption, trahison, meurtres et manigances sont monnaie courante dans l’empire mohol. Et Muzaffar va l’apprendre à ses dépens. The book’s available in bookstores across France. You can also buy it online at: Amazon Canada Mollat Frnac Alapage Happy reading!
Tag Archives: France
The Three Musketeers (1948)
I admire producers and directors who gamble on completely stereotyped stars and cast them in roles one normally wouldn’t associate with them. For instance, I would probably not have thought of casting Dean Martin, with his playboy image and his singing star persona, as the drunk and pathetic deputy in Rio Bravo. I may not have considered Doris Day (screwball comedy!) appropriate as the stalked woman in Midnight Lace. And I most certainly wouldn’t have thought of casting ace dancer Gene Kelly as the lead man in this entertaining swashbuckler, which doesn’t have a single dance.