The English Understand Wool

Marguerite is quite the moneyed 17-year old, traipsing the globe with her mother to secure items from those that understand it best. While the English understand wool — “the French understand wine, cheese, bread”; “the Germans understand precision, machines”; and “the Arabs understand honor.”

This short story beautifully packaged, joins a slate of recently read books that offer up incisive pokes at the publishing industry coming off the heels of Yellowface and Erasure. I'd say more, but it would otherwise be mauvais ton