An interesting book - two men from different French classes become acquainted when they are forced to work together. The aristocrat, Oliviet, is shallow, self-centered, and dependent on others to serve his every need. He doesn't understand his servant (Parrot) at all. Parrot, whose father is arrested, escapes beneath flying bullets. The child grows into a man with many different experiences and lives. He is resilient and adaptable and finds America the place to call home while Oliviet finds and loses love. He cannot seem to understand Americans, their beliefs or values. Carey began writing this novel when he was reading Alexis de Tocqueville and about him and his theories. While I have not read the books he mentions, I remember him briefly from school classes. If one looks carefully you can see that influence throughout the book.
It's like De Toqueville, with the boring parts taken out (oh, wait, then it wouldn't be 452 pages long...)
