Author Dr. Michel Glautier brings his knowledge of business and his love of French culture together in his first work of fiction, "The Affairs of Monsieur Bonpied." And like any good French novel, this tale is by no means rational.

Offering insight into the traditional and eternal sides of French culture, Glautier centers the plot on an ordinary hero with a rural background: Andre Bonpied, whose surname hints at his well-intentioned, happy-go-lucky attitude. The story takes on a fable-like quality, filled with rich characters-some typical, some not so typical-and a continuous stream of...