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ABOUT
THE BOOK

My father died a year ago. I don’t subscribe to the theory according to which we become truly adult when our parents die; we never become truly adult…..
I spent the last day of my compassionate leave visiting various travel agents. I liked holiday brochures, their abstractness, their way of condensing the world into a limited series of possible pleasures and prices; I was particularly fond of the star rating system, which indicated the intensity of the pleasure one was entitles to hope for. I wasn’t happy, but I valued happiness and continued to aspire to it.’
Michel is a civil servant, an account manager at the Ministry of Culture. He is single, and likes his pleasures pre-packaged: game shows, TV movies, pornography and instant mash. When his father is murdered and he comes into some money, Michel takes leave of absence to go on a package tour to Thailand. Relieved to get away, he is nonetheless infuriated by the shallow hypocrisy and mediocrity of his fellow travellers. Only the awkward Valerie attracts his attention. Too bashful to pursue her, Michel prefers the uncomplicated pleasures of Thai massage parlours and sex with local women. Western society, he believes, has lost the sense of the ‘other’ – the sensual, the exotic – that is necessary to pleasure.
But, back in Paris, he calls Valerie and they plunge into a passionate affair which strays far beyond the bounds of his previous ‘vanilla’ existence, into S&M, partner-swapping and sex in public. Michel quits his job, and tries to help Valerie and her boss, Jean-Yves, in their ailing travel business, putting his philosophy into practice by offering consenting adults sexual tourism in the third world. The project is risky, but when the three return to Thailand, Michel discovers that sex is neither the most consuming nor the most dangerous of human passions…

ABOUT
THE AUTHOR Michel
Houellebecq

ABOUT
THE TRANSLATOR Frank
Wynne

Frank Wynne is an award-winning Irish writer and translator from French and Spanish. Over a career spanning more than 20 years, Wynne has translated a wide variety of authors, including Michel Houellebecq, Patrick Modiano, Emiliano Monge, Alice Zeniter and Virginie Despentes. Both his translations of Vernon Subutex One was shortlisted for the Man Booker International Prize 2018. Frank Wynne was Chair of judges for the International Booker Prize 2022. His translation of Standing Heavy was shortlisted for the International Booker Prize 2023, announced on April 18, 2023.

Frank Wynne is an award-winning Irish writer and translator from French and Spanish. Over a career spanning more than 20 years, Wynne has translated a wide variety of authors, including Michel Houellebecq, Patrick Modiano, Emiliano Monge, Alice Zeniter and Virginie Despentes. Both his translations of Vernon Subutex One was shortlisted for the Man Booker International Prize 2018. Frank Wynne was Chair of judges for the International Booker Prize 2022. His translation of Standing Heavy was shortlisted for the International Booker Prize 2023, announced on April 18, 2023.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Country
France
Original Language
French
Publisher
Heinemann
Translator
Frank Wynne

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