''The Best Butter'' () is a 1952 novel by the French writer
Jean Dutourd. It was published in the United Kingdom as ''The Milky Way''. It tells the story of a Paris dairy shop during the German occupation, and how the politically uninterested manager adapts to the situation and collaborates whenever he finds it favorable. The novel satirizes the French attitude toward the occupation.
It received the
Prix Interallié. It became a bestseller in France and sold more than two million copies. A film adaptation for
TF1
TF1 (; standing for ''Télévision Française 1'') is a French commercial television network owned by TF1 Group, controlled by the Bouygues conglomerate. TF1's average market share of 24% makes it the most popular domestic network.
TF1 is par ...
directed by
Édouard Molinaro was released in 1981.
Publication
The book was published through
éditions Gallimard on 10 September 1952. It was published in English in 1955, translated by Robin Chancellor. The American title is ''The Best Butter'' and the British title is ''The Milky Way''.
References
External links
''The Best Butter''at the French publisher's website
1952 French novels
Novels set in Paris
French novels adapted into films
French-language novels
Novels set during World War II
Prix Interallié-winning works
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