an author from Dordogne lists the uses of the press in a book full of humor

“What is the press for? Essay for maximum recycling of unique thinking”. The title of the latest book by Michel Labussière, former journalist at “Dordogne libre” and former correspondent for “Le Monde” in Dordogne, could suggest yet another philosophical essay on the fourth power. But you just have to leaf through the first pages to realize that it is, on the contrary, a work full of lightness, inside which the sweet fantasy of the author of the best-seller shines through on each page. “A history of Périgueux through its bars”.

Baby mattress

When he openly asks the question “what is the press for?” », Michel Labussière actually questions the uses that are made of paper newspapers on a daily basis. From packing salads to cleaning windows to starting the fireplace when winter comes. “This is just a sample,” warns the writer, who took care to list the craziest uses. Whether for wall insulation, a picnic tablecloth or a baby mattress pad.

Everything is presented in alphabetical order, as in the famous love dictionaries that the publishing market has loved over the last decade. A way to go from rooster to donkey in style, without torturing your brain. Quite the opposite of a political-Marxist reading that the author falsely promised us on the front cover.

Practical. Price: 9 euros. The book, printed at the author's expense, is available in three bookstores: Wilson, Marbot, Les Ruelles.

A look back at the history of a bestseller

Michel Labussière's previous book, “A history of Périgueux through its bars” (2023), sold more than a thousand copies. The work, of which 300 units had initially been printed by Éditions du Perce-Oreille, had to be withdrawn twice to meet reader demand. Its author was the first surprised by this popular craze, which did not, however, give him a big head. This is demonstrated with his latest work.