Last updated: 11 february, 2010 - 12:08 GMT

Peter Carey

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Peter Carey's new novel Parrot and Olivier in America re-imagines Alexis de Tocqueville's famous journey to America.

The author tells Mark Coles why he wanted to explore 19th century America and early attempts at democracy. The story charts the journey of Olivier, a French aristocrat who just escapes the French Revolution and his travels to the New World, accompanied by Parrot, the less priviledged Englishman.

The book echos the real life exploits of the young French aristocratic political writer Alexis de Tocqueville.

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