Book

In France, comic books are wildly popular with adults as well as children. So, 33-year-old French portrait painter Laurent Dareau tapped into a potentially vast market when he wrote and illustrated the 77-page comic book Paul Harris, Pionnier d'un monde nouveau (Paul Harris, Pioneer of a New World), published in December 2002.

達羅說：「扶輪創始人不平凡的一生，對作家來講就好像神話故事。保羅．哈理斯的故事讓我能在超越扶輪社員個人的人道主題上發揮。」

"The extraordinary life of Rotary's founder is fabulous for an author," says Dareau. "Paul Harris's story lets me expand on humanitarian themes that go far beyond a single Rotarian."

達羅是應他父親，Clemont-Ferrand Chaine des Puys 扶輪社2001-02年度社長麥可(Michel)之要求而畫這本漫畫，因為麥可需要一個簡單的工具來散播扶輪歷史及理想。達羅根據法國扶輪地域雜誌前主編馬克．雷文(Marc Levi-n)的著作「扶輪歷史」來編寫這本漫畫。

Dareau created the book at the request of his father, Michel, 2001-02 president of the Rotary Club of Clermont-Ferrand Chaîne des Puys, who wanted a simple tool for spreading knowledge of Rotary history and ideals. Laurent Dareau based his work on Histoire et histoires du Rotary by Marc Levin, former editor of Le Rotarien, the official Rotary regional magazine for France.

達羅解釋說：「我之所以挑這個書名是要在新世界這個詞上作文章，一提到新世界法國人就聯想到北美洲。」

"I chose the title for the comic book to play on the idea of the New World, a term that French speakers associate with North America," Dareau explains.

扶輪社員、一般大眾、以及書店對於保羅．哈理斯漫畫書的迴響頗令人鼓舞。

Response by Rotarians, the general public, and bookstores to the Paul Harris comic book has been encouraging.

達羅說：「書店對漫畫書比對扶輪有興趣。藉由漫畫書，我們可以接觸到不認識扶輪或對扶輪有錯誤認識的人，幫助他們體現真正的扶輪是什麼。」

"Bookstores are more interested in comic books than in Rotary," Dareau says. "By means of the comic book, we can reach people with no idea or the wrong idea of Rotary and help them discover what Rotary is really about."

精裝本每本24歐元(含運費)，包括保羅．哈理斯過世後的扶輪歷史簡介，可向達羅訂購(地址：Michel Dareau, 1 rue du Perou, Puy-Cheny, 63360 Sa-int-Beauzire, France；傳真：04 73 33 96 53)。(關於歐元地區以外之訂書，以及該書有無英譯本，也請洽達羅。)部份收入將捐給扶輪基金會以及Clermont-Ferrand Chaine des Puys 扶輪社的服務活動。

The hardcover book, which includes Rotary highlights beyond Paul Harris's life, can be ordered for €24 (including shipping) from Michel Dareau, 1 rue du Pérou, Puy-Cheny, 63360 Saint-Beauzire, France; fax: 04 73 33 96 53. (Contact Dareau also for information on orders outside the euro zone and availability of an English translation of the book.) Some of the proceeds will benefit The Rotary Foundation and service activities of the Clermont-Ferrand Chaîne des Puys Rotary club.