THE PRESIDENTS HAT PB – ANTOINE LAURAIN-JANE AITKEN-EMILY BOYCE-LOUISE ROGERS LALAURIE

p b A master storyteller i Huffington Post /i /p p A hymn to i la vie Parisienne Guardian /i /b /p p Dining alone in an elegant Parisian brasserie, accountant Daniel Mercier can hardly believe his eyes when President Francois Mitterrand sits down to eat at the table next to him. Once the presidential party has gone, Daniel discovers that Mitterrand s black felt hat has been left behind. After a few moments soul-searching, Daniel decides to keep the hat as a souvenir of an extraordinary evening. It s a perfect fit, and as he leaves the restaurant Daniel begins to feel somehow . . . different. /p p Has Daniel unwittingly discovered the secret of supreme power? For two years the iconic item of headgear plays with the lives of the men and women who wear it, bringing them success that had previously eluded them. Shot through with a delicious, wicked sense of humour, i The President s Hat /i is a vivid re-creation of 1980s Paris, and an enchanting exploration of life s possibilities. /p p b Translated by Jane Aitken, Emily Boyce and Louise Rogers Lalaurie. /b /p p Antoine Laurain worked as a journalist and in the world of antiques before becoming the award-winning author of ten novels, including i The Red Notebook /i and i The President s Hat /i . His books have been translated into 25 languages and sold more than 200,000 copies in English. He lives in Paris, France. /p