 | |
| Author | Corinne Maier |
|---|---|
| Original title | Bonjour paresse |
| Translator | David Watson, Sophie Hawkes |
| Language | French |
| Publisher | Editions Michalon |
Publication date | 2004 |
| Publication place | France |
Published in English | 2005 |
| Pages | Approx. 144 |
Bonjour paresse ("Hello Laziness") is the title of an international bestseller byCorinne Maier, a French writer,psychoanalyst, andeconomist.
The book is a highlycynical and humorouscritique of work and contemporary Frenchcorporate culture (epitomized for Maier by themiddle manager) that advocates various ways of undermining the system. Maier advocates that it is in the reader's best interest to work as little as possible.[1] The title is a reference toFrançoise Sagan'snovelBonjour Tristesse. It is variously subtitledJumping Off the Corporate Ladder, orWhy Hard Work Doesn’t Pay depending on the edition. Because of their similar attitudes towards the workplace, Maier has been frequently compared toDilbert creatorScott Adams.
Maier was subjected to a disciplinary hearing on 17 August 2004 by her employer,Électricité de France, for the writing and publication ofBonjour Paresse. The FrenchnewspaperLe Monde ran a front page article about the dispute at the end of July 2004, which did much to publicize the work.
Bonjour Paresse has been translated by David Watson (asHello Laziness) forThe Orion Publishing Group Ltd in the United Kingdom, and in the United States by Sophie Hawkes (asBonjour Laziness) forRandom House.