Laurain always weaves such magic and wonder into his writing, this story is no different. I flew through it and loved it!

It's the 1980s and the President of France, Francois Mitterrand is eating at a local restaurant in Paris. When he is finished his meal, he accidentally leaves his hat behind. Daniel Mercier, a young accountant sitting at the next table spies the hat and takes the opportunity to take it with him. When he tries it on, it's a perfect fit and as Daniel leaves the restaurant he feels 'different' and filled with courage. The President's hat then begins a crazy journey, between a number of people unknown to each other, through the streets of Paris, leaving a lasting mark on each of their lives.

A beautifully written and memorable story set during the iconic 80s that will leave you smiling with its absolutely perfect ending. Definitely a big recommendation from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.

An intriguing tale of the 'travelling hat'. left behind in a restaurant by the French president, a series of stories tell us of the impact of the hat on the lives of the people who encounter it.

Showing how the smallest of things cans spark the largest of changes and leaving you pondering on what your own search for happiness or fulfilment may entail.

The President’s Hat is a fun and quirky book that shows the psychological power ordinary objects can have on the people that own them. The setting is the 1980’s in France and President Mitterrand accidentally leaves his hat in a restaurant. of France. A patron sitting close by observes this and make a quick decision to take the hat which brings him newly found confidence that changes his life. The hat is found or given to different people throughout the book whose lives are significantly impacted by wearing the hat. The hat’s power to change lives and the connection of the strangers who come to wear it is an interesting and light-hearted story. I enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

When President Mitterrand leaves his hat behind at a Brasserie, he is unaware how many lives it will touch. First it is picked up by Daniel, an accountant, and confers on him the confidence he needs to move on in his career. After his promotion, he leaves it on a train where it is picked up by a woman who is able to change her life as a result, and a it goes on, each person it passes to is able to effect positive change.

I had thought it would be almost a series of short stories, but Daniel tried to track down the list hat, and pulls the stories together. It had a perfect ending.

This was a charming, short, sweet novel, the second have read by this author, but not the kadt.

*Many thanks to Netgally and the publishers for a copy in exchange for an honest opinion.*

Thanks to Netgalley for an eARC. I’ve really enjoyed other books by this author. I enjoy their writing and their characters but this one was harder for me to get into. Good writing but this story wasn’t for me.

I loved this story of the transforming power of a hat in the lives of the people who wear it. It is hilarious and entertaining yet based on psychological insight into the human mind.

Ste in 1980s France, it begins when a man’s wife and children are away and he decides to treat himself to a fancy meal. He is shocked when President Mitterrand is seated in the next booth. He imagines he is one of the men at dinner with the president, dragging out his meal to revel in his proximity to power. After the president leaves, the man notices that the president had left behind his hat. He decides to keep the hat.

The hat gives him a sense of dignity and power. At work the next day, he uncharacteristically stands up to a coworker, impressing his boss who offers him a promotion.

But he leaves the hat on a train, and it is picked up by a woman who puts it on her head. It gives her the moxy to change her life, and she leaves it on a park bench where a man finds it, and his life is altered as well.

One after another, the hat has a magical ability to alter people’s self perception, allowing them to take risks and move on.

The conclusion has a surprise twist.

I sped through this delightful book.

Thanks to the publisher for a free book through NetGalley.

DNF at 6% because the writing style is making it incredibly difficult for me to understand the story. I have no idea if Daniel is single or married with a kid or he has two wives. I'm very confused. I don't have the patience to read a page multiple times to understand the story.

A short delightful read. A powerful magical hat ? This book takes you on such a fun journey following the successes and triumphs of those fortunate folks to wear the presidents hat. Quirky and fun read.

"The hat was imbued with the soul of its wearer, transforming ordinary men into extraordinary beings." -The President's Hat

What a delightful little book that shows the power ordinary objects can have on individuals and how strangers can be connected in the simplest of ways.

I thoroughly enjoyed seeing where the hat would take us next on its journey with the different people who found it. Every interaction led to something of significance and showed us how small things can impact lives. Each wearer learned something about themselves and gained back something they felt they had lost. This book also gave me a very strong desire to visit France and see the beauty of the places the hat traveled to. If you love whimsical and interesting looks into everyday life, this book will be a good read for you. I highly recommend it.

⭐️ 5/5
Multiple POVs

This is my second read by this author and I appreciate the writing style Antoine Laurain brings in his stories. The story here is light, whimsical, and a little bit magical. It follows this lost hat, yes, an actual hat, that once belonged to the French President and somehow changes the lives of everyone who wears it. Sounds odd, but it totally works.

Each character’s little arc is fun to follow, and like I previously said, the author has this easy, charming writing style that keeps things moving. It’s not super deep, but it doesn’t need to be. I found this read more cute than impactful, but still a lot of fun.

Thank you Pushkin Press for this electronic ARC which was provided to me via NetGalley for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I feel slightly guilty to have read this in the translation – I can read French but a mixture of general literary laziness and being given a free copy in English meant that I did not bother sourcing the original version. I got through it in a day (albeit a day that involved a decentish train journey) … it was not a heavy read but I did enjoy it. François Mitterrand is the President of the title, the only other Socialist French President other than the one currently in office. This is all a little bit before my time so it was terribly educational. As a country, France is strangely preoccupied by its own identity (they had a Grande Debat about it a few years ago; conclusion was to sing the Marseillaise more often and hang more flags) so it is not surprising that they are still mulling over their relationship with their former leaders. Still, The President’s Hat is no great searching of the French soul – this is pure fun.


1986: Daniel Mercier’s wife and son are away, so he decides to take himself out for dinner. He is enjoying a delightful meal out at an expensive brasserie when who should sit down at the table next to him but the President of the Republic. Daniel is naturally stunned and sits quietly while the President and his two associates eat their meal. However, as Mitterand leaves, he forgets his hat. In an uncharacteristic moment of daring, Mercier swipes it and goes home wearing it. Perhaps the wine has something to do with it. Or perhaps it is the power of the hat.



Mitterand in the hat
As the new bearer of the President’s Hat, Daniel has the courage to speak over a superior and so is promoted, the next person to wear the hat finds the clarity to leave her married lover. The following holder finds the inspiration and confidence to make a professional breakthrough. A narrow-minded right-wing stuffed-shirt picks up the hat and suddenly sees that he is in fact a narrow-minded right-wing stuffed shirt, stops reading Le Figaro and starts reading Liberation. You get the drift. It’s a pretty amazing hat.


I felt more than anything that this was a nostalgic read, that I missed something from it, this being an era for which I am not nostalgic. It is strange though that although we live in an era which is so preoccupied with image, spin and how things come across via the camera, we no longer appear to have iconic politicians in this way. Churchill had his cigars, Hitler had his moustache and cow-lick, even Thatcher had her handbag. I cannot think of anything equally distinctive about recent politicians … Tony Blair had his shiny teeth and Cameron has his shiny head but it is hardly the same thing. Does The President’s Hat merely show us that we miss politicians from ages past? Or does it mean that the French are putting more faith in objects than in politicians themselves? Or perhaps this is just a fairy tale about a hat that is lost and found again and again and brings happiness into many lives.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I adored this enchanting story of a hat that gets a life of its own as it finds its way through various wearers. There’s no magic, just happenstance and the impact the hat makes on each person’s life. It’s lighthearted, humorous, while also thought provoking. I definitely recommend this clever and engaging read.

A charming French novel which follows the hat of the president of France and how it influences the people that come in contact with it. Also the descriptions of food in this novel had me salivating!

The President’s Hat is a charming little novel that really cheered me up on a dreary afternoon, Set in 1986, the novel tells the story of a hat that belongs to French President Francois Mitterand; Daniel is sitting in a Paris bistro when the President comes in to have dinner with some colleagues. Amazed and overwhelmed by the man dining next to him, Daniel stays as long as the President, wishing he could join his table. After the President leaves, Daniel realises that he has left his hat behind.

He picks up the black felt hat, unable to believe that this is that hat of the First Frenchman. Drawn to it and unwilling to lose the feeling of excitement the evening has brought him, Daniel impetuously takes the hat. And, for reasons unknown, his whole life seems to change. He gains unprecedented confidence at work and astounds his colleagues, earning a promotion. As he relocates with his family for his new job, Daniel forgets the hat on a train outside Paris. And so begins the journey of a simple black hat belonging to President Mitterand. It travels around France and even to Venice, each of its owners completely unaware of its owner and how it came to them, but each knowing (except one!) that it makes them feel strangely different and seems to have a magical effect on their lives, changing them forever.

I really liked The President’s Hat and read it in one sitting, and was buoyed up afterwards. With each character, different philosophical and political issues are discussed – Daniel is given a chance he never imagined and dreams of greater happiness; Fanny also searches for happiness in love and business; Pierre considers his past success and current depression and disillusionment; and Bernard reconsiders his entire political belief system and changes almost everything in his life. There is also plenty of discussion of the randomness of our lives and the multiple possible routes that our lives can take, and how apparently small events can make big differences. The unknown nature of the future and the possibility of change are central themes to this novel, as well as the importance of taking chances and going with your heart.