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An Exceptionally Arrogant French Rant Against The USA
If you want to sell a book in Europe, any kind of a book, all you have to do is attack the United States. This ever-popular strategy never fails, and you can be sure that plenty of Europeans will praise you, and perhaps even give you the Prix Goncourt.

Monsieur Romain Gary's book was first published as a short story in 1970 in Life Magazine, perhaps the most popular magazine in the USA at that time. The editors of Life had reason to regret the publicity that they gave Monsieur Gary, because his story was later enlarged into a book called White Dog. This book was widely loved in Europe because it ferociously denounced American racism, hypocrisy, and violence. The entire point of the book seems to be that Europeans are immune to the virus of racism because of their superior civilization and culture (kultur?). The recent collapse of Germany into the abyss of the Holocaust, not to mention the undeniable facts of French collaboration and cooperation with Hitler's genocidal extermination programs, are conveniently overlooked as Gary excoriates the USA for every possible racist fault and crime.

Less than a decade before Monsieur Gary penned this toxic book, President Dwight Eisenhower sent US Army tanks into the street of Little Rock, Arkansas to enforce the desegregation of public schools in the United States. What was France doing at that time? France had just lost a prolonged and highly racist guerilla war and was forced to abandon the smoldering remains of its decaying empire in Black North Africa. During this so-called Algerian War, France institutionalized torture chambers and mass murder on a very large scale. But for Monsieur Gary (actually a Polish refugee who became hyper-French in his attitudes and enthusiasms) La Belle France could do no wrong. And thus he tried, perhaps unconsciously, to whitewash the racism of France by denouncing the racism of the United States.

All that was in 1970. Now let's fast forward to today, only 40 years after the publication of this fascinating piece of anti-USA propaganda. What's happening in the hypocritical, racist USA? We have a Black president! And what's happening in France? Anti-Black attitudes are growing at an appalling rate due to millions of new immigrants who happen to have Black skins. In actual fact it would appear that the situation vis a vis race relations has been turned upside down, with La Belle France as the new storm center of racist beliefs and actions in the Western world.

What would Monsieur Gary think about this great change? Perhaps he saw it coming, because he chose to turn in his ticket, as the Russian novelists would say, several decades ago. Maybe he finally comprehended the truth about his beloved France, and the shock was too much for him to bear. There was a gun, and a note.

Am I telling you that White Dog is a totally useless book, a moldy historical relic with no relevance to today's world? Not at all, mes amis! IMHO this book is required reading for anyone who plans to travel to France. It will give you a very accurate idea of what the French still think of the United States, and inevitably of you. They are very happy to grab your tourist dollars, but behind your back, you will always be that dirty, noisy, stupid, racist American. If you don't believe me, just go there and see for yourself, but don't say I didn't warn you. ... Read more

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On 2nd January 1972, an Englishwoman called Hale Kimga was murdered in Trinidad. A year later, a black American called Hakim Jamal was murdered in Boston. Soon after that a film actress called Jean Seberg killed herself in Paris. Hale and Hakim had lived together since 1969, when he had come to London to write a book, Jean and Hakim had been lovers before he met Hale. The editor of Hakim's book was Diana Athill, a single woman who had worked in publishing for 23 years. Her relationship with Hakim Jamal - the subject of this book - combined intimacy and detachment in an extraordinary way. Her relationship extended to Hale, and for a few bizarre moments to Jean Seberg, but principally it was with Hakim. This book describes these characters and their inter-relationships. ... Read more