Paris Reading Suggestions (not guidebook)
 

Hi all! My fiance and I will be heading off to Paris this summer for our honeymoon. I was wondering if the fodrites had any suggestions on books to read about Paris history/art/architecture to get excited for the trip! I'm a big fan of art and architectural history, as well as the lives of French royalty. Did anyone read a book that they just loved before a trip to Paris?

The seven ages of Paris is good. Voltaire Almighty was a favorite of my husbands. For light reading I enjoyed the Cara Black mystery series. Started with Murder in the Marais.

Antonia Fraser's book on Marie Antoinette was good.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-in-france.cfm

Here's a good selection. Many are in Paris.

Have a wonderful trip!

I just finished: "Madame Tussaud" by Michelle Moran and found it fascinating. I can even send it to you if you email me!

The "Seven Ages of Paris" looks interesting! Thanks for the link to the other fodors post, I hadn't found that. I was surfing Barnes and Noble and saw "Into a Paris Quartier", has anyone read that? It seemed like a little more of a light hearted take on Parisian history.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...te-of-mind.cfm

Here's another thread that will "take you there"

http://www.librarything.com/work/235945

One of the best books ever on Parisian architecture. A coffee-table book, but eminently readable.

For something completely different, I just yesterday finished reading John Baxter's We'll Always Have Paris: Sex and Love in the City of Light. Could not put it down.

Hemingway's <i>A Moveable Feast</i> is very evocative of Paris at a specific point in time. It made me fall in love with Paris before I'd ever really seen it! I love the way he describes viewing the Cezannes on an empty stomach made the images sharper. It's a fast read.

Paris to the Moon.

Whether or not it's good writing is a matter of debate, but <i>The DaVinci Code</i> would get me in a Paris mood.

<i>Between Meals</i>, A.J. Liebling's collection of essays relating to Paris and food, would also be a great choice.

If you'd rather watch a movie, two good ones for getting Paris-fied are <i>Before Sunrise</i>, a decent romantic comedy, and <i>Diva</i>, a terrific crime-suspense film.

Paris, the Biography of a City, by Colin Jones. Sarah's Key (Holocaust fiction). Suite Francaise (evcuation of Paris). My Life in France, by Julia Childes. Any number of books re the roundup of Jews by the French at le Velodrome d'Hiver. Is Paris Burning? Americans in Paris. A Town Like Paris by Bruce Corbett. Dancing for Degas. Paris Passions by Keith Spier. Why Sixty Million Fremchmen Can't Be Wrong. The Sharper the Knife, the Less You Cry(Le Cordon Bleue). Any of the Detective Maigret series by Georges Simenon.

I'll second the Baxter book with some amusing photos.
A Corner in the Marais,
The Secret Life of the Seine,
A Place in the World Called Paris.
We'll Always Have Paris,American tourists since 1930,
The Lost King.

Movie suggestion, Ronin

<i>The Companion Guide to Paris</i> by Anthony Glyn. And, somewhat off topic, Sarah Bakewell's recent <i>How to Live, A Life of Montaigne in One Question and Twenty Attempts at an Answer</i> now available in paperback.

Yes, <i>Diva</i>! Very 80's, but so great... <i>Ronin</i>, too, for those great car chase scenes!

And thanks Bronxbomber for reminding me about <i>Suite Française</i>. I'd wanted to read it a while back but somehow it had fallen off my list.

forgot to add The Elegance of the Hedgehog, it made me laugh,
it made me cry. I hope they release the film that they adapted from this book.

Thanks all! I've added so many books to my cart at Barnes and Noble I don't think I'll be able to read them all before I leave :)

I guess maybe you're not looking for any more suggestions, but just in case I would tentatively (because I haven't actually read it yet) recommend "Parisians" by Graeme Robb. Why recommend a book I haven't read, you ask? Because I absolutely loved his book "The Discovery of France" and I have every intention of reading "Parisians" as well, I just haven't quite got around to it (it's staring at me from my bookshelves instead...) Even if you think you know French history (or if you don't) he gives a completely new perspective on forgotten people and incidents, and really brings French culture alive in a new way. I will really have to get on to reading it now!

Another vote for Ernest Hemingway's <u>A Moveable Feast</u>. I read it while I was living there, and unfortunately loaned it to a friend.

The Piano Shop on the Left Bank
Luncheon of the Boating Party
Book of Salt by Monique Truong

ART & ARCHITECTURE PARIS

Martina Padberg

found it most informative and readable

from .01 plus shipping on amazon.com

OH Vttraveler, <i>Book of Salt</i> was *amazing*! I guess I wasn't thinking of it in the OP's context, but wow an incredible first novel by Monique Truong. 1920's Paris from the perspective of Gertrude Stein's fictitious cook!

Someone has already mentioned it above but I re-read 'Is Paris Burning?' recently after having read it over 30 years ago. Still an interesting page turner... even though you know how it turns out in the end.

You might find "Napoleon III and his Carnival Empire" by John Bierman interesting. Then go visit the Napoleon III apartments in the Louvre.

gwan,

I've read both the Graham Robb books and liked them very much . "Parisians" was a bit easier to read as each chapter is stand-alone. Loved how you see different places or parts of Paris through the eyes of historic figures. I found some of the 20th and 21st century chapters the most interesting, particularly the student riots of '68.

Will be interested in your opinion.

"Parisians" sounds interesting! I've order 4 books, so if I get those done I'll go for a second round!

I always consult Longitude books. You can search by country, they give you both fiction and non-fiction choices relevant to the country you are searching.

http://www.longitudebooks.com/

Another vote for Graham Robb's "Parisians", though it's an unpredictable collection of individuals to choose, especially for the more modern period.

A fairly hefty (but very readable) tome on the social history of Paris is Andre Hussey's "Secret Life of Paris"; and a (short) collection of off-beat reflections, which may inspire some walks, is Edmund White's "The Flaneur".

And I <i>adored</i> Sarah Bakewell on Montaigne (do read her book anyway). Most of his professional life and writing was done in the south west, but there is a statue to him behind the Cluny Museum, with one shiny polished toecap where students on their way into exams have traditionally rubbed it for luck:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/patricklondon/2760234626/

Found this thread yesterday and am so grateful for all the book ideas.
cigalechanta, I got the sample of Secret Life of the Seine on my kindle and am totally hooked. I absolutely love it! So, "thank you"!

A couple I have read lately and enjoyed:

"The Greater Journey" David McCullough
"Eiffel's Tower" Jill Jonnes
"The Most Beautiful Walk in the World" John Baxter

Eric Hazan's <i>The Invention of Paris; A History in Footsteps</i>

<i>Paris; Memories of Times Past</i> - Solange Hando and others, with 75 paintings by Mortimer Menpes

Martina Padberg <i>Art and Architecture Paris</i>

Jane Paech <i>A Family in Paris</i>

<i>Paris; A Guide to the City's Creative Heart</i>, by Janelle McCulloch

Ian Thompson's <i>The Sun King's Garden; Louis XIV, Andre Le Notre and the Creation of the Gardens of Versailles</i>

The original post was three years ago. Who knows the honeymooners might be divorced by now.

I just read The perfume collector by Kathleen Tessaro and loved it. It is set during the occupation of Paris and was very interesting.
Bonjour 40 a Paris Travel log/ Karen Chase is very entertaining
Paris my sweet by Amy Thomas is a guide to all things yummy to eat
Paris was ours by Penelope Rowlands/32 writers reflect on Paris
I am going through my kindle. Many more and Movable feast and Paris wife are both great but my favorite is
Waiting for Gertrude/ Bill Richardson

Oh wow, just noticed how old this thread was but I got some great leads on Paris reading so thank you!

This is why I love this forum! Will be spending a week in Paris this fall, and am loading the Kindle now!

How Paris became Paris

Confession of Catherine de Medici by CW Gortner.

Almost French (memoir)
Murder in Pere Lachaise (I found it left in our inn after we had actually visited Pere Lachaise!)

For Hemingway fans, "The Paris Wife". Also recommend,

"Wine and War"
"The Widow Cliquot"
"Painted Dancer" (fictionalization of Degas' model)

They found someone murdered in Pere Lachaise last week leslieq.

Why is Jane Paech A Family in Paris so expensive?