My French Whore

Short and Sweet, but Strong and Meaningful. One of my favorite novels of the Great War that wasn't written by an active participant. 100% Recommend

Gene Wilder must have been a very kind person if he is anything like his characters. His characters are always so kind and compassionate even in a time of war. They have their insecurities and troubles. In this one, I was waiting for the main character to get found out with each encounter. Did he? You’ll have to get your own copy and find out!

Leaving his uninterested wife, Paul Peachy joins the armed services and is soon deployed to France during World War I. When his camp is decimated by the Germans, he finds himself at the wrong end of a number of rifles, but some quick thinking and a fluency in the German language serve to buy him some time. He assumes the identity of an infamous German spy, Harry Stroller, and is not only accepted into the German camp, but is eagerly welcomed. Indeed, his `host' even introduces him to a lovely young French whore named Annie, who captures the unlikely hero's heart. But how long can Peachy maintain his subterfuge? Surely it is just a matter of time before someone who knows the real Harry Stroller shows up... I am going to come right out and say it - neither the story nor the title of this book much interested me, but when I saw it was written by Gene Wilder, my curiosity got the best of me and I simply had to buy MY FRENCH WHORE. Once I began reading the story, I soon forgot who the author was, finding myself completely immersed in the story Mr. Wilder spins with apparent ease, as if he is relating the facts of something that actually occurred rather than delivering a vignette borne of his own imagination. Gene Wilder shows a decided talent for stringing words together in such a way that the story plays in the readers' minds like a movie or even a memory. I stated previously that neither the story nor the title caught my attention, but I avow the story more than satisfied this reviewer. An unusual piece, MY FRENCH WHORE is a kind of `day-in-the-life' story that encompasses several days in the life of Paul Peachy and the adventures he lived in France during World War I, all the while finding in the most unexpected of places the woman who would forever hold his heart. The ending is surprising, and I won't tell so much as to give it away. Suffice it to say that Paul Peachy is an undeniably noble man, and MY FRENCH WHORE offers an ending befitting his character. **4.5 Bookmarks, courtesy of Wild on Books Reviews**

Though the novel (length-wise) lacks a certain depth, the sensual interchange between Peachy and Annie is very provocative even in something as simple as a haircut. All of Wilder's works since the Richard Pryor days, seem to have this since of sensitivity that empathizes with the human condition. The creativity and adventure of this story is definitely worth a 5!!!

This book is so simple and straightforward in its writing. Somehow, with a few broad strokes, Wilder creates rich, believable characters who embody the complexity of the human experience. The main character, Peachy, was fascinating -- disarmingly human and familiar. There is such honesty in how Peachy reports his experiences in his notebook. There is no pretension of being able to understand how and why he responds to events as he does. Wilder proves himself to be a great storyteller -- I found it hard to put the book down. The story is full of surprises, intrigue and humor. This is a wonderful love story, not just about the love between a man and a woman, but about love itself.

As a fan of short fiction, I was initially drawn to this book by the charming cover art. That it was written by Gene Wilder was of added appeal. I had several other books going, so this one sat stashed away patiently waiting its turn. I read My French Whore in one sitting and felt an elevation and expansion in my mood immediately. The word delightful kept surfacing in my mind and heart. Now, a book about WWI, trenches, disease, death, prostitution doesn't usually signify delight. But Wilder's pristine gem of a book is also about love, loyalty, grace and clarity. Marvelous--best book I've read in a long time, and I've read many.

I found this book delightful. I had a hard time putting it down. The characters were described brilliantly. I happen to be a big fan of Gene Wilder, and I could often visualize what he would sound like if he was the main character. The story made me smile in parts. I thought Mr. Wilder was very clever the way he wrote with compassion about the atrocities that happened to some of the soldiers. He made the main character show concern for his fellow soldiers and for his enemy. I look forward to Mr. Wilder's next book.