Le Deal: How a Young American, in Business, in Love, and in over His Head, Kick-Started a Multibillion-Dollar Industry in Europe

This mélange of memoir, travel-writing and business blueprint chronicles the author’s attempt to set up shop in Europe after the catastrophic crash of his American business. Having mortgaged his house and other assets to finance his move to Paris, the author embarks on trying to interest Europeans in his scheme of shopping malls specializing in imperfect and off-season designer goods. He runs into unanticipated obstacles: a backlash against American developers due to the failure of Euro Disneyland, organized opposition from existing retailers, a national political movement against hypermarkets, complex zoning and property laws—not to mention his unfamiliarity with the French language and business customs. Murphy perseveres and manages to get several centers open—all of which are spectacular successes with shoppers and manufacturers. A slapdash collage of genres, the book also includes a mild thriller subplot concerning a rival development company and some even milder romance. While smoothly written, the book suffers from an unfocused narrative and the author’s grating insistence in emphasizing his naïveté. (Aug.)