Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - Book Recommendations

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Notre Dame de Paris (Hugo) Les Miserables (Hugo) in that order!!

Adam Gopnik's "Paris to the Moon" is well worth reading. I enjoyed it immensely. His essays are thoughtful, analytic, and charming.

I recommend Is Paris Burning? by Collins and LaPierre.It's a stirring description of the the liberation of Paris after four years of occupation. When the Allies entered Paris on August 25, 1944, all the church bells started pealing, forbidden French flags were hoisted all over the city, and simultaneous singing of the French national anthem was heard everywhere. Then visit the Musee Jules Monnard, the museum of the liberation, at the Gare Montparnasse, to see newsreel footage of this extraordinary time in Paris. And for atmosphere, you can't beat the Maigret Simenon mysteries.

I loved Sandra Gulland's historical fiction "biography" of Josephine Bonaparte. It is a series of three books, written as if you were reading her diary and correspondence. First book begins when she is 16 and goes to the Revolution. Second book end of Revolution thru marriage to Napoleon. Last book, obviously the end of her life. Fascinating. I couldn't put them down. Great way to "refresh" you French Revolutionary history. I read 2 before I went to Paris and saved one for after my trip. It was great fun to seek out some of the sites in Paris that were pivotal in the book. Run, do not walk, to the bookstore right now and buy all three!

Correction: The museum of the liberation is musee Jean Moulin. By the way, most of the Paris we love was heavily mined and ordered destroyed by Hitler. Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, all of the bridges and most of the monuments were saved only by a disobeying German general.

I also enjoyed "Paris to the Moon." Other suggestions: Mort Rosenblum's "The Secret Life of the Seine," Samuel Steward's "Parisian Lives," and Fanny Trolloppe's "Paris and the Parisians." I'm also reading a very good book called "The Forger," though I don't have it with me and I can't remember the name of the author - just came out recently. And I love to re-read my now practically ancient "Paris" by David Russell - even though it was meant as a coffee table book, it's a fabulous read.

paris to the moon was a fabulous book. i think it would be well worth reading. cheers all

more to keep you busy. "A Place in the World" by Barclay "our Paris And the "flaneur"both by Edmund White "A Parisians Paris" by Phille Meyer And "Permanent Parisians" if you intend to visit the wonderful cemetaries.

Daniel Pennac's series of books take place in Belleville, were all best sellers in France, are both wonderful and very French, and some have been translated into English (start with La Fee Carabine, which I think is The Fairy Gunmother). Adrien Mathews' The Hat of Victor Noir will give you a very French reason to go check out Pere Lachaise. Leo Malet did a whole series of Nestor Burma mysteries, each taking place in a different arrondissement, and I think some were translated (these are old, would need to buy used). Some are good, some stink, but they all evoke Paris. For medieval Paris, I think Michel Deon's Les Rois Maudits was translated as The Accursed Kings, factual, gory, and will explain the origin of la loi salique (i.e., why no woman could inherit the throne) (again, need to find used). If you do read French, Pars Vite et Reviens Tard by Fred Vargas has been on the best seller lists for about a year, takes place in the 14th arr. and is just a great little mystery. Ditto Thierry Jonquet's police procedurals, especially Moloche. And a lot of Proust takes place in Paris, of course. And Balzac. And Simone Signoret's one novel, which did get translated but the title escapes me right now, is about Polish emigres between the wars; a really good story, got good reviews.

Wendy: To get some good "atmosphere" from Paris in the 1940's read a few books by Alan Furst. Many are set in Paris around the beginning of WW II- specifically "The World at Night" and "Red Gold", both in paperback. They read like Paris filmed in the syle of "Casablanca"- all intrigue, cigarette smoke and suspense. The characters are sooo french. Read one and see what I mean!! I second the recommendation of Fred Vargas' (who I think is female) mysteries- which I believe are available in english (I read mine in german, so I can't help there. They are a good read and reflect contemporary french life, too. Hope this helps Judy, no longer in Germany

"Me Speak Pretty One Day" short stories by David Sedaris (the 1/2 of the book when he is living in Paris).

A very good book is "The Flaneur" by Edmund White (published in the UK by Bloomsbury, there must be an American publisher), a kind of upscale, more informed (White lived in Paris for 15 years and did venture beyond the 5th arrondissement) and less family-oriented "Paris to the Moon". Beautifully written, but not pedantic, and definitely off the beaten path.