Fiction
 

I enjoy reading books prior to a trip that are set in the place I'm going to visit. Does anyone have any recommendations for current fiction that has a strong Paris (or France in general) flavor? I enjoy all types of fiction and am quite fond of mysteries.
Thanks for any advice.

I'm addicted to the series of mystery books written by Cara Black. The first is Murder in the Marias. You can order them from amazon.

Look for books in the police-detective series by Fred Vargas. Quirky and wonderful. I think at least two have been translated into English.

I just finished reading Suite Francaise by Irene Nemerovsky and couldn't put it down - I highly recommend it!

Alan Furst's dark novels about WW II are excellent, especially The World at Night.

Aaron Elkins' Old Bones is a great mystery set at Mont St. Michel.

I am just finishing up "Is Paris Burning?" about the final days leading up to and including the liberation of Paris.

Having been there on numerous occasions and having a working knowledge of the city layout, buildings, etc. it makes the book come alive for me.

It is a very good historical book on the French people and what they had to endure during the war years.

I have only 10 pages left, but alas, my book is at home and I am at work.

I hate to say it , but there are a plethora of threads on here on this subject already. Try using the search function

I agree with the Cara Black suggestion(I have Murder in Clichy set by for next month's trip). I love Vargas, but watch because the last 2 I read aren't in Paris.

I've got Lisa Appiganesi's Paris Requiem for the trip too, and I just finished reading "The Forger" by Paul Watkins which is in the war and has a huge sense of place about it.

If you have any intention of going to the Cluny read "The Lady and the Unicorn" (I hate romantic fiction and historical fiction and I LOVED this book

Don't forget Maigret and the Three Musketeers and A tale of Two Cities and the Scarlet Pimpernel and... and...

Have a look at bibliotravel.com

Hi V,

Try the Monsieur Pamplemousse series by Michael Bond.

((I))

I just finished an enchanting book set half in Paris the rest in Italy--the Sidewalk Artist about a fictional accounting of Raffaelo (the artist).

I assume you've read DaVinci Code, but that comes to mind right off. I'm reading a fabulous one now set in Paris (in the first part) in WWII called Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky and also have Almost French by Sarah Turnbull on my nightstand (we're going in April).

I'm looking forward to new suggestins too.

Not mysteries, but very enjoyable. Both have been made into movies, but don't let that stop you if you have already seen them.

Charlotte Gray by Sebastian Faulks
Le Divorce by Diane Johnson

I love the Inspector Maigret books by George Simenon. Most of the mysteries are set in Paris.

"Paris Hangover" by Kirsten Lobe

"Paris" by Andrew Hussey

Victor Hugo's Les Miserables.

Sheila, thanks for that website!

I don't have any book suggestions. I am looking for books set in the south of France or Northern Spain. Any suggestions?
thanks

Not fiction and not a mystery but I really enjoyed "The Judgement of Paris" by Ross King which explains how Impressionaist Art came to be in France. Great before a trip to Musee D'Orsay.

<u>A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century</u> by Barbara Tuchman is a historical novel that makes one grateful - and amazed - that we survived.

Cara Black's latest book is out. Murder on th ile St Louis.
She'a a charming lady. I met her at a book reading and we dined together later.
The Book of Salt by Monique Truong.
This was recommended to me by our notorious poster, Thin.
It's a fictional account of a Vienames live-in chef of Alice B. Toklas and
Gertrude Stein in Paris.

ttravelbug, if you mean South West France, I have a number of suggestions. Maybe you'd like to confirm on a new thread and not hijack vanne's?:):)

I am presently in California where I am enjoying the sun and blue sky as opposed to the cold winter of Minnesota where we have 30 inches of snow with more on the way.

I am reading Stephen Ambrose’s “D-Day, June 6, 1944, the climatic battle of World War II.

Since I will be in Normandy in September 2007 and probably taking the Battlebus Tour of the beaches, I thought it fitting I read up before I went. Hopefully, I will get more from the tour if I know something.

Being a woman I have previously not been drawn to World War II stories, or any war for that matter. I am half way through the book, it is wonderfully written and very informative without being a difficult read.

My tour through Normandy should be even better with a little knowledge learned from this book. I highly recommend.

For mysteries, try Nicholas Freeling's Castang series and books about Arlette (Van der Valk's widow) after she moves to Strasbourg
Old Bones, Skeleton Dance and Old Scores by Aaron Elkins are all set in France

You asked for fiction, but other people have added non-fiction suggestions so I will take the liberty of recommending PAris to the Moon and The Piano Shop on the Left Bank

Hi V,

Look up &quot;Monsieur Pamplemousse&quot;.

((I))

Cara Blacks'latest, &quot;Murder in the Ile St-Louis&quot; is her best IMHO.
For Languedoc, the mystery(and alot of history mixd with the fiction abouit the Cathars) &quot;Labyrinth&quot; by Kate Mosse.

Th Book of Salt by Monique Truong.
A fictional account of th life of Alice B. Toklas and Gertrude Stein by their chef.

I second The Book of Salt. If you want some light fare Peter Maille's Chasing Cezanne was fun.

Robespierre, I hesitate before the sea green incorruptible, but are you sure A Distant Mirror is fiction? I always thought is was pure fact. Don't want to split hairs however....

Another thread pointed out that there is a new novel by Susan vreeland called Luncheon of the Boating Party about the people depicted in the Renoir painting. Sounds interesting, and her other books are good.

Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises is one of the best novels in English about Paris, and also includes running bulls in Spain. His A Movable Feast, which is non-fiction, is also worth reading.

Joanne Harris' Blackberry Wine, Chocolat (and the 2001 movie), and Five Quarters of the orange. These novels are her &quot;food trilogy. She has written others set in France, too

I see a trip to the library as well as to Paris in my future! Merci, all.

samsmom1107 and others--another thread about books (mostly historical novels) set in France
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34843126

I have just read and enjoyed Olive Farm, a memoir about fixing up an old villa and olive farm in the south of France, near Cannes, by Carol Drinkwater. It is apparently the first in a series. I think they were more popular in the UK than the US.

Recently read &quot;Hunting and Gathering&quot; by Anna Gavalda. This is a wonderful, generous novel with a few episodes quintessentially Gallic - not long on locale, but a heart-warming aid to imagining that the folks in these parts are first and foremost people, who happen to be French.

Anything by Emile Zola, especially Les Bonheurs des Dames, based on the store Bon March&eacute; on the Left Bank. I am about to try reading Le Ventre de Paris (about Les Halles food markets) in French - wish me luck!

A big second for &quot;The Sun Also Rises.&quot; A great book and, in my opinion, a classic novel that truly deserves to be called a classic. As already mentioned the book takes place in Paris and Spain.

On a much different note, Le Divorce by Diane Johnson is light, fun, engaging reading.

Someone also mentioned Zola. L'Assomoir is probably my favorite (a bit of a depressing read but absolutely great).

And yet for a fourth and completely recommendation is Paris Trance by Geoff Dyer about 2 twenty somethings in Paris. I liked it a lot but not everyone does.

ttt

just a quick thank you to this thread :-) I just finished Cara Black's Murder in the Marais and previously Suite Francaise because of this thread - so thank you!
I read the Book of Salt last summer - and endorse it as well! Thanks again as I work my way through my list compiled of from this and the other &quot;books to read&quot; threads!