The great thing about the Asterix books is the double layer, of historical and literary punditry and punning for the adults, pure and simple adventure for the kiddies. I started learning French reading these (and Tintin, but he's already the mascot of the Euro, plus he's Belgian anyway, so I guess they couldn't take him!) and still re-read them occasionally today, and find that there is usually some historical reference or literary pun that I had completely missed, being too young/ignorant at the time of last reading to "get" it. Where is Auxiris? Who else lives in France? WHERE IS THE OUTRAGE???