A very light amusing read of a Brit's view of American life. ( )

Merde Happens is an amusing book. You know how some authors try too hard to make everything funny? Stephen Clarke hasn't done that here. So although it's intended as humor and is based around a fairly ludicrous storyline, it's not packed full of inane jokes and events. Rather, there are lots of small bits of humor sprinkled throughout the story to be appreciated.

Usually I loathe most descriptions of physical things in books. They tend to be boring and unoriginal, the same throughout hundreds of books, and usually necessary. Surprisingly, I actually enjoyed reading many of the descriptions inside the book. The author has an interesting way of describing things, does not ramble on, and many of them are pretty original, or at least I have never came across them before.

Unfortunately, though perhaps not unexpected for a light comedy, the characters and the book itself lacks depth. Someone else has mentioned it as seeming flat, and I would agree with that. Although the events in the book are well-paced and smooth you don't really feel drawn into them or inside the book... you just watch as they go by, entertained enough, but feeling no real suspense or anxiety over the characters and their fates.

It's a good book, if you're looking for a light, amusing read. If you want to be sucked into a book or be made to feel an emotion... this may not be the book for you. ( )

Quite an enjoyable and engaging read. A little less of the whiticism that made the first two so enjoyable. The protaganist also is far less the panic-ridden sort that also tended to enliven the stories. A good read, but its more fun to imagine the story in France. ( )

The book is good,but not as funny as the previous ones.To create some novelty,Clarke decided to have Paul West travelling (and touring) in America,but unfortunately the book lost most of the funniness the author used us to.Overall disappointing. ( )

This book disappointed me. Clarke's previous books on his experiences in France were falling down funny. This one focuses on an ill=defined trip thropugh the USA, and our citizenry apparently do not prompt the hilarious commentary that the French do. Maybe this is a good thing; however, the book suffers as a result. ( )