Brown Morning

Brown Morning

Matin brun

A parable of the rise of fascism and how easily people give up their rights.

You are living a fine life. You read the newspaper and play cards with friends. Gradually, things start to change. You are told that brown is the only acceptable color: if you have a black dog, put it to sleep and buy a brown one. Add "brown" at the end of each sentence. Books are being burned. But you don't notice. People still go to cafes; you feel secure. You get a friendly new brown dog—how nice!

Only later do you realize that you have been a willing victim to a government that demands your conformity in all things. And by the time realization hits, it's too late.

Franck Pavloff's international best-selling allegory was written as a protest when the Rhone-Alps region of France leaned to the politics of the extreme right. Originally published in French, Matin brun (Brown Morning) sold over 500,000 copies in Europe. It is a powerful wake-up call to all individuals to pay attention to what their governments are doing--and how they expect their citizens to think.

Think it can’t happen here? Think again.