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Blog #16 Four Books for Francophiles – Real Page Turners!
As I immerse myself in French culture, I want to share a few books that I’m in the process of reading. They span from enjoyable fiction to cultural history to those little shops and ateliers in Paris that when you open the door and walk into, you feel a sense of having been there before, a distant memory of another era, another time.
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Jacqueline in Paris by Ann Mah
Writer, Ann Mah took the iconic Jacqueline Bouvier and wove a story around her junior year of college spent in Paris. Mah is one of my favorite writers, having mentioned The Lost Vintage in past posts.
This book did not disappoint. Ann takes us back to life in Paris in 1949, shortly after the ending of WWII. It was an experience as an American, we did not share, nor did we have any knowledge of the many back stories, which Mah weaves throughout the story.
The resistance movement, betrayals, and traumas of the family Jacqueline lives with and those she meets along the way open us up to the difficult choices of people who lived in an occupied France
The post-war social culture in Paris is not easy for an American, even one as socially cultured as Jacqueline to navigate or even understand and makes me realize that parts of it still exists today.
I loved knowing the places Jacqueline visited, the bits of French language, description of food, and the unique culture that is so very Parisian even today.
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The French Mind by Peter Watson
Fitting to the title of this book, this book is substantial 700 pages. Yet, it has captivated me, not the least because of its stated desire to try to understand what it is about France and the French people that intrigues us, captivates us, possesses us.
I have asked that question of so many Francophiles I interview and to a person, no one has a concise answer. Yet, there is a multitude of books written by people who found their life changed after spending a year or two in France and most are hungrily read by a worldwide audience. We want that special Je ne sais quoi.
The author talks about the soiree culture as a major contributor to the intellectualism so highly valued in French society even today. He also discusses how the education system values intellectual superiority but also how the multitude of military defeats only added to the strong national attitude of superiority.
This isn’t a quick read or one you’ll want to dive in before falling asleep. It is a fascinating book though; one you’ll want to spend time with if you are a student of French culture.
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A Girl’s Story by Annie Ernaux
French writer, Annie Ernaux was recently awarded the Nobel prize for literature. Annie has written numerous books poignantly describing her life’s experiences.
I have often seen Annie’s books in book shop windows or in the hands of people on the bus or the metro in Paris but thought they would be impossible for me to read.
When I learned that several of her books have been translated into English, all by the same translator, I trusted that the English version would be true to Annie’s writing and decided to dive in.
I’m starting with A Girl’s Story because it is about the experiences Annie had when she was just 18 years old, having fallen in love with a man whom she let define her.
I can relate, as it took me over a decade to let go and redefine myself after the ending of my high school love who is my son’s biological father. I think this will be the first of many Annie Ernaux books I read and maybe you too!
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Timeless Paris by Marin Montagut
The author’s own shop at 48 Rue Madame begins this incredible journey to those historical ateliers and emporiums that so beautifully embody the uniqueness of French artisans.
I have been to several noted in the book and I’m slowly making my way through the others. These are not the Champs Elysée’s or Bon Marché shops. These are hidden shops with unassuming doors that when opened, lead into a world I knew little about.
As Marin so perfectly said, “As for the destinations revealed in this book, I hope they will inspire you to see Paris a fresh and encourage you, in turn, to venture through unfamiliar doorways.”
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