The French press seems to be more-or-less please with the visit of President Nicolas Sarkozy and first lady Carla Bruni to the United States. But according to Franck Nouchi of France’s Le Monde newspaper, they made one serious mistake: They gave the Obama daughters the wrong gift. Apparently, the French comic books the Sarkozy’s gave Sasha and Malia Obama don’t sufficiently reflect ‘French genius.’
For Le Monde, Franck Nouchi writes in part:
The American president, basking in the glow of his success over the health reform, played the card of regained entente cordiale [rediscovered harmony]. This is classic for Fifth Republic presidents: when things go wrong in our country, let’s travel the world to try and restore some political strength.
After a brief press conference [watch below], it was time for “the” dinner in the “private” residence of the Obama couple. A total black-out on this one: no pictures whatsoever; and even the menu was kept secret. One detail, however, was revealed by the Elysée: the Sarkozys brought the daughters of the president of the United States some Astérix comic books. [The series follows the exploits of a village of ancient Gauls as they resist Roman occupation in the first century BC.]. It was a nice but debatable choice. Let us hope that our head of state didn’t choose those entitled “The Battle of the Chiefs,” the “The Discord” or “Caesar’s Gift.” One may wonder if the adventures of these “indomitable Gauls who hold out against the invader” will be to the liking of Malia and Sasha (11 and 8 years old). Were there no other books to offer them that would have embodied French genius?
From Goscinny, the author of Asterix, and despite the similarities in name, Le Petit Nicolas would perhaps have been more sensible. … And if by chance in the years to come the Sarkozys were to return to the White House, they might consider, In Search of Lost Time. In the introduction to the gorgeous Swann’s Way edition, published by GF Flammarion, American writer Daniel Mendelsohn explains why he so loves Proust.
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