{"product_id":"the-moustache-by-emmanuel-carrere","title":"'The Moustache' by Emmanuel Carrère","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"\" data-turn-id-container=\"request-6a5d7430-35d8-83ec-8537-639937f3e813-5\" data-is-intersecting=\"true\"\u003e\n\u003csection class=\"text-token-text-primary w-full focus:outline-none has-data-writing-block:pointer-events-none [\u0026amp;:has([data-writing-block])\u0026gt;*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(--scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(--thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]\" dir=\"auto\" data-turn-id=\"request-6a5d7430-35d8-83ec-8537-639937f3e813-5\" data-turn-id-container=\"request-6a5d7430-35d8-83ec-8537-639937f3e813-5\" data-testid=\"conversation-turn-112\" data-turn=\"assistant\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-base my-auto mx-auto pb-15 [--thread-content-margin:var(--thread-content-margin-xs,calc(var(--spacing)*4))] @w-sm\/main:[--thread-content-margin:var(--thread-content-margin-sm,calc(var(--spacing)*6))] @w-lg\/main:[--thread-content-margin:var(--thread-content-margin-lg,calc(var(--spacing)*16))] px-(--thread-content-margin)\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-conversation-screenshot-content=\"\" class=\"[--thread-content-max-width:40rem] @w-lg\/main:[--thread-content-max-width:48rem] mx-auto max-w-(--thread-content-max-width) flex-1 group\/turn-messages focus-visible:outline-hidden relative flex w-full min-w-0 flex-col agent-turn\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex max-w-full flex-col gap-4 grow\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-message-author-role=\"assistant\" data-message-id=\"84e44582-54b5-4701-80ca-355d24d2cb59\" data-turn-start-message=\"true\" dir=\"auto\" data-message-model-slug=\"gpt-5-6-thinking\" class=\"min-h-8 text-message relative flex w-full flex-col items-end gap-2 text-start break-words whitespace-normal outline-none keyboard-focused:focus-ring [.text-message+\u0026amp;]:mt-1\" tabindex=\"0\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex w-full flex-col gap-1 empty:hidden\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"markdown prose dark:prose-invert wrap-break-word w-full light markdown-new-styling\"\u003e\n\u003ch4 data-start=\"37\" data-end=\"399\"\u003eA man shaves off the moustache he has worn for years, expecting mild surprise from his wife and friends. Instead, nobody reacts. \u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"37\" data-end=\"399\"\u003eWorse: they insist he never had one. \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eIt is a story about how completely the self depends upon being recognised by other people. Once the protagonist’s private memory diverges from the social world, he has no stable court of appeal. His face becomes evidence that nobody else will admit exists.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"839\" data-end=\"1349\"\u003eOriginally published in French as \u003cem data-start=\"873\" data-end=\"887\"\u003eLa Moustache\u003c\/em\u003e in 1986 and translated by Lanie Goodman, this early Carrère novella already contains many of his lasting preoccupations: identity as an unstable construction, ordinary life opening into terror, and the horrible possibility that certainty may simply be solitude with better posture. Compact, funny in a bleak and increasingly deranged way, and ideal for readers of Kafka, Patricia Highsmith, Roland Topor or Patrick Süskind. \u003cspan class=\"\" data-state=\"closed\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1376\" data-end=\"1481\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVintage Classics paperback, 2024. Light shelf wear and minor corner creasing; clean and sound throughout.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/section\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"bower studio","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45860553097299,"sku":null,"price":15.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0689\/0268\/2707\/files\/Yourparagraphtext-2026-07-24T160930.759.png?v=1784873454","url":"https:\/\/bowerbooks.com\/products\/the-moustache-by-emmanuel-carrere","provider":"bower books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}