- Paperback: 288 pages
- Publisher: Harvill Secker (10 Aug 2006)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1843431890
- ISBN-13: 978-1843431893
- Product Dimensions: 13.5 x 2.1 x 21.6 cm
- Average Customer Review: 2.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,419,838 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Book Description
'Highly amusing and original. Daniel Pennac is a fantastic storyteller' Andrey Kurkov, author of Death and The Penguin
Product Description
Manuel Pereira da Ponte Martins, beloved dictator of the state of Teresina in Brazil, develops agoraphobia the day a fortune-teller predicts he will die being torn limb from limb by an angry mob. His life becomes unbearable and he decides to hire a double to stand in while he set off to enjoy himself in the fleshpots of Europe.
A few years later, the barber-turned-dictator also grows tired of running the country and employs the same trick as his predecessor to leave for Hollywood. On the boat there, he introduces himself as Charlie Chaplin. But everyone is convinced that he is none other than Rudolph Valentino disguised as Chaplin. When he arrives in New York, both the real actors are waiting for him...
Back in Teresina, the doubles follow one another, fooling the people with ease. Then Pereira comes back. He is astonished to discover that his stand-in doesn't look anything like him and reacts in a way that can only precipitate his meeting with Fate.
The Dictator and The Hammock is wildly original and extremely funny.
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Customer Reviews
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Love Daniel Pennac,
By
This review is from: The Dictator And The Hammock (Paperback)
I am French and I have known Daniel Pennac ever since I was in high school, I've always loved his work and wanted to share the fun with on of my friends. I bought him this book and he thoroughly enjoyed it. The translation into English is good enough to get this great humour.
1.0 out of 5 stars
Pointless and confusing,
By
This review is from: The Dictator and the Hammock (Paperback)
It is not often I fail to enjoy a book. In fact in my life only 3 have this dubious accolade - Watership Down, See Spot Run, and this. The bits with the agoraphobic dictator are funny, and some of the stories of the double are readable, but there is far too much pointless tosh about sitting in hammocks with various people who serve no narrative purpose, and lots of self-indulgent tripe about the Interior (where? why? etc).
Half way through I got bored to tears and had no idea who was who, who was doing what, where, when and why. Sonia? Who's she, and why is she here? The Jesuit? Help? If you like this sort of thing, try Jose Saramago, avoid this unless you have limitless patience.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
a longstanding Pennac fan,
By wormfarming "David" (London, U.K.) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Dictator And The Hammock (Paperback)
I have never failed to enjoy his books, including those written for adolescents, but this is a muddled and frustrating mess which should be avoided. Head for his books set in the Belleville quarter of Paris, especially the first in the series which is a treasure-house of humour, wit and outrageous characters.
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