Flic

the true story of the journalist who infiltrated the police

Valentin Gendrot, Frank Wynne, Thierry Chavant

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Paperback

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English

Scribe Publications
04 July 2023

Reportage & collected journalism; Graphic novels: literary & memoirs; Graphic novels: true stories & non-fiction; Social discrimination; Police & security services

flic (French noun, masculine) (slang, derogatory) cop; police officer

Flic (noun) The gripping and groundbreaking work of French comics journalism.

What happens behind the walls of a police station? What kind of living does a cop make? And how does a culture of racism and violence become entrenched? Valentin Gendrot went undercover in Paris to find the answers - revelations that rocked France and led to a series of investigations, including an internal affairs case on Gendrot himself.

Flic is an expose of a world never before seen by outsiders, an urgent story for our times, powerfully illustrated by the talented Thierry Chavant.

'What

Gendrot

depicts is a world of nihilistic cynicism. Stewing in racist invective and anti-bureaucratic rage at the mountains of paperwork they are buried under, Gendrot's fellow officers come across as frustrated and thwarted. They take that anger out on usually defenseless immigrants. While Gendrot depicts many potent scenes of vindictive violence - at one point, he witnesses cops pummeling a teenager with all the vicious senselessness of a scene out of A Clockwork Orange - he also digs into the policing institution's sad state of logistical affairs. After one officer kills himself, Gendrot delves into the sense of helplessness that leads so many other police to do the same (51 in 2017). The work builds into an empathetic chronicle of human suffering, with Gendrot emerging more mystified more than outraged. It's a thought-provoking affront to any reader looking for simple solutions.' -Publishers Weekly

'An explosive new book by an investigative journalist has drawn fresh attention to police brutality and racism in France ... Chronicles the author's training and the six months he spent as a police officer in one of Paris' poorest districts ... its vivid portrayal underlines how France's history of racism and present-day police tactics have remained relatively unexamined.' -Matt Bradley, NBC News

'In his intimate and revealing inside look at France's police culture, journalist Valentin Gendrot depicts his two year undercover investigation. Juxtaposed with playful feline illustrations, this shocking expose is as relevant as ever.' -New York Public Library, 'NYPL Recommends- Best New Comics for Adults'

By: Valentin Gendrot
Illustrated by: Thierry Chavant
Translated by: Frank Wynne
Imprint: Scribe Publications
Country of Publication: Australia
Dimensions: Height: 255mm, Width: 196mm, Spine: 12mm
ISBN: 9781922585714
ISBN 10: 1922585718
Pages: 144
Publication Date: 04 July 2023
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Valentin Gendrot (Author) Valentin Gendrot worked on local newspapers and radio after graduating from journalism college, and carried out several undercover investigations - including working on a Toyota production line and in a Lidl supermarket - before joining the Paris police force.

Reviews for Flic: the true story of the journalist who infiltrated the police

‘In his intimate and revealing inside look at France’s police culture, journalist Valentin Gendrot depicts his two year undercover investigation. Juxtaposed with playful feline illustrations, this shocking exposé is as relevant as ever.’ -- <i>New York Public Library</i>, ‘NYPL Recommends: Best New Comics for Adults’