The English Understand Wool

Maman was exigeante—there is no English word—and I had the benefit of her training. Others may not be so fortunate. If some other young girl, with two million dollars at stake, finds this of use I shall count myself justified.

Format: Hardback
Length: 64 pages
Publication date: 04 November 2022
Publisher: New Directions Publishing Corporation

Raised in the vibrant city of Marrakech by a French mother and an English father, a 17-year-old girl has developed a keen sense of refinement and taste. Her upbringing has instilled in her the importance of avoiding mauvais ton, a concept that loses some of its essence in translation. One of the cardinal rules she has learned is to refrain from asking servants to wait on her during the holy month of Ramadan. It is considered inappropriate to demand their services while she is abroad, as they should be granted paid leave to observe the religious observances. Additionally, she has been taught the art of playing the piano, a skill that she must hone diligently if she chooses to stay at the prestigious Claridges hotel. To ensure that her practice sessions do not inconvenience fellow guests, she must reluctantly install a Clavinova in her suite. Furthermore, she has acquired the knowledge of cultivating weavers of tweed in the picturesque Outer Hebrides and having the fabric made up in the bustling city of London. She has also learned the art of sourcing linen from Ireland and having it meticulously crafted by a Thai seamstress in the romantic city of Paris. Her parents, with their ferociously lofty standards, have guided her in these endeavors. However, everything changes when she embarks on her annual Ramadan travels at the age of 17. As she ventures into new territories, she finds herself confronted with a world that challenges her assumptions and forces her to navigate through unfamiliar waters. Will she be able to fend for herself? Will the dictates of good taste suffice when she must deal, single-handedly, with the sharks of New York?

Weight: 252g
Dimension: 159 x 236 x 14 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780811230070