From the author nominated for the International Booker Prize for "The Order of the Day" and "The War of the Poor", comes a fierce account of a conflict that dealt a deadly blow to the French colonial yoke.

"EXCLUSIVE AND PROFOUNDLY MOVING … A remarkable work" - Scotsman

"Absolutely impressive" - France Info

October 19, 1950. The war is not going as planned. In Paris, politicians gather to discuss what to do with Indochina. The conflict is unpopular at home: too costly and too far away for the public to care. Withdrawal is not an option – a global power cannot surrender to an army of peasants – but victory is impossible without more soldiers and more money. Soldiers can come from the colonies, but money is out of the question. A solution needs to be found.

In this gripping and shocking novel, Éric Vuillard reveals the complex web of politicians, bankers, and industrial giants who all had a vested interest in the prolonged presence of France in lands far from Paris. With scathing criticism of those responsible, Vuillard shows us how the main players in conflicts throughout the ages often have motivations deeper and darker than nationalism and political ideology – greed.

Bringing battlefield scenes to life, Vuillard looks beyond this visible reality on the ground and into the cold calculated strategies of the boardroom elite, who have the power to turn a military victory or defeat into economic gain.

Short, sharp, and violent, "An Honourable Exit" is a journey behind closed doors to witness how history is really made.

Pages: 192, Year of Publication: 0926, Dimensions: 14.3x14.3cm