Benjamin Malaussène is a downtrodden publisher at Vendetta Press. Treated as a scapegoat by Queen Zabo, doyenne of publishing, he finally resigns, only for Zabo to offer him a starring role. All he has to do is to impersonate the world's best-loved, but hitherto anonymous author, J.L.B.
Daniel Pennac was born in Casablanca in 1944, his father being in the French colonial service. He spent his youth travelling widely in Europe, Asia and Africa, and has been employed in a number of capacities, including woodcutter, Paris cab driver, illustrator and schoolteacher. His novels (five to date) written round the character of Benjamin Malaussène, the professional scapegoat, have been published in many languages. He has also written - from his experience of teaching children - a book which has been published in English as Reads Like a Novel.
