The Music Programme

by Paul Micou

‘Comic novels set in Africa have honorable literary antecedents, but in only one respect does Paul Micou evoke Evelyn Waugh and William he is equally funny. Otherwise, his tone is entirely distinctive. — The New York Times Book Review ‘Evelyn Waugh is not dead; his spirit lives vividly on in the dark and measured hilarity of Paul Micou’s first novel. Micou raises absurdity to a grave art… and makes a serious business of high farce.’ — The Observer (London) All is not well at the African headquarters of the Music Programme, an international agency established to bring nations together through the universal medium of creative music. The imminent arrival of a U.S. congressional envoy, Charles ‘Crack’ McCray, to investigate charges of waste and inefficiency, threatens the Programme’s funding. The panicking employees, united by their enthusiasm both for music and the high lives they enjoy, desperately try to pull themselves together to form a convincingly competent front. Somewhere, above it all, looms the mysterious, reclusive figure known only as the ‘Supreme Director.’ ‘Without doubt the funniest first novel to come my way since William Boyd’s A Good Man in Africa.’ — The Times ‘Mr. Micou writes with an unfailing comic sense... He has a smart, brisk style. The book often is hilarious, and never less than engaging.’ — The Wall Street Journal ‘A swirling, mellow brew of comic fantasy. Give yourself a bedtime treat and try it.’ — The Literary Review

Genres: Fiction

274 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 16, 1989

About the author

Paul Micou (born 1959) is an American novelist. Born in San Francisco, he grew up in Turkey, Iran, Washington D.C. and Connecticut. After graduating from Harvard in 1981 he moved to Paris, then London. He now lives in France with his wife and two sons.