The (now former) literature teacher from Normandy Philippe Delerme made a splash throughout France in 1997 when his collection of mini-stories “The First Sip of Beer and Other Small Joys of Life” was published. The book received the Grandgousier Prize, awarded annually by one of the writers' associations to the author who best glorified the purely French ability to live for pleasure. Since then, Delerme has published several more collections of stories and short stories, and in each new work he shows himself to be a worthy follower of the cheerful King Grangouzier, the good father of Gargantua. Philippe Delerme is invariably true to himself and still diligently and humbly collects the glare of the sun, not allowing him to become dull your ability to see and resurrect the grains of joy scattered in every day of life.