The world of books is not the sole product of creators. It is also closely related to the most complex activities of certain booksellers far more concerned with the written word than with mere profit. The Belgian Henri mercier has been into this profession for more than forty years. The surrealists, the founder of « Cobra », the pataphysicians, the columnists of « Phantomas » or of the « Daily Bul » have all crossed his threshold, to say nothing of the many young painters whose efforts he encouraged during the period he directed a small art gallery. From his attic to his cellar, passing through an extraordinary accumulation of books, Mercier spins his own yarn. With honesty and restraint. A subjective documentary which blends the bookseller’s memories with testimonies from his accomplices, his friends the writers. Life is terrible, no one can deny it! But, as Mercier himself puts it, you have to cling to it and love it as one loves bad food.