The French Paradox

The French have a talent for living from one extreme to another. They often miss the whole picture, but they are unique in the details. A Marseille sardine once blocked the port. Small, but in the right place. After the dissection of Parisian society in Glamour of Paris, comes an anatomy of French society as a whole. The marriage of literature, gastronomy and politics seems to work only in France. We will visit the hidden corners of pompous restaurants, auction houses, and political rallies, pop in for a game of bridge with countesses, head to the French Riviera, or experience some panem et circenses—bread and entertainment—and the grand competitions à la française. The evolution of Sarkozy, Hollande, literature and French gastronomy will allow us to better understand the present day, Europe, and world events.

Ľubomír Jančok (Veľké Rovné, 1982) studied French language and literature in Slovakia and international politics in France. There, he was elected president of the association of Central and Eastern European students. He is the founder and honorary president of Pont Francophone in Slovakia. In 2009, he founded the CK Monte Christo company, focusing on travel and culture. In 2011, he began an international doctorate at the Sorbonne in Paris and Comenius University in Bratislava. His debut work was published under the title Glamour of Paris. He has received the Rector's Award, an international award from associations in the city of Reims, and recently a prize in Paris for his societal analyses. He lives between Paris and Slovakia.