Stephen Clarke keeps the punch lines coming in this sequel to his best-seller, “A Year in the Merde.” The adventures of British expat Paul West pick up where they left off, exposing with no little hilarity the agony and the ecstasy of living among the French. Clarke has a keen eye and a keener ear for their quirks, foibles and irrationalities, and although the story could be tighter and the jokes funnier, the characters never disappoint. As pleasant a way to while away an afternoon as its predecessor!