What Book to Read in France
Jun 17th, 2004, 03:42 PM
#61
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St Cirq - O I wish you hadn't reminded
me of that dreadful movie of Justine!
It ranked (!) right up there with the
awful The Magus and the horrible Capt.
Correlli's Mandolin. There should be
a LAW!!
me of that dreadful movie of Justine!
It ranked (!) right up there with the
awful The Magus and the horrible Capt.
Correlli's Mandolin. There should be
a LAW!!
Jun 17th, 2004, 03:56 PM
#62
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Like a previous post, I must suggest "A Moveable Feast" and also, "The Sun Also Rises"...starts off in France and it's the whole ex-pat thing. And though you said no travel guides, Ina Caro's "The Road From the Past" is so well written, it is as though it's a story of the history of France that's hard to put down.
Jun 17th, 2004, 04:04 PM
#64
llamalADY, I'm sorry, that was me who mention the film Justine. The only film adapted from a book that I liked and an improvement over the book, was Simone Signoret, in "Room at the top."
Jun 17th, 2004, 04:09 PM
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We took Ina Caro's "The Road from the Past" on our first trip to France and loved it. It was the perfect read for a 6-week camping trip in France. We sort of did the book backwards.
Barbara Tuchman's "A Distant Mirror" is also a great book. It makes history come alive and is more pertinent to the area you are visiting.
I also took "The Slow Way to Paris" one year about an English couple motoring along the Seine from the ocean to Paris. It's not a great read but it did suggest interesting places to visit in Normandy and we used several of his suggestions. You might skim through it before you go and write down places that sound interesting. Sorry, I can't remember the author but it will come up on Amazon.com or Google.
For just plain fun, try Madame Bovary.
Have a great trip.
Barbara Tuchman's "A Distant Mirror" is also a great book. It makes history come alive and is more pertinent to the area you are visiting.
I also took "The Slow Way to Paris" one year about an English couple motoring along the Seine from the ocean to Paris. It's not a great read but it did suggest interesting places to visit in Normandy and we used several of his suggestions. You might skim through it before you go and write down places that sound interesting. Sorry, I can't remember the author but it will come up on Amazon.com or Google.
For just plain fun, try Madame Bovary.
Have a great trip.
Jun 17th, 2004, 04:38 PM
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Someone mentioned Zola's, "Ladies Paradise." I second that. It's great fun reading about the development of department stores. A lot of things we take for granted, certain advertising techniques, sales, return policies, merchandising was all done over 100 yrs ago. Very enjoyable. I Liked Delatour's "A Dog's Head." A little strange. It's about a couple who have a baby with a spaniel's head (I think it was a spaniel!) Not everyone's cup of tea! Pagnol is great. See the movies, too as well as read the books. "My Mother's Castle" and "My father's Glory." I might have mixed the titles up. How about Aaron Elkin's mystery about St. Malo. A lot of fun and very light and enjoyable if you are visiting Mont. St. Michel or even if you are not! Not too fond of PeterMayle's books, though I did enjoy A Year in Provence. It's the only one I can recommend.
Jun 17th, 2004, 05:32 PM
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Mysteries...the best Aaron Elkins book is set on and around Mont St-Michel: "Old Bones." Another good one, this in Lyon, is Katherine Hall Page's "Body in the Vestibule."
And what about Alexandre Dumas? Anyone going to Marseille should read "The Count of Monte Cristo," and for Paris and the Atlantic coast around La Rochelle it's "The Three Musketeers."
Have we mentioned Dickens's "A Tale of Two Cities"?
I suppose for reading on the airplane Sartre's "Huis Clos" would be more than appropriate.
And what about Alexandre Dumas? Anyone going to Marseille should read "The Count of Monte Cristo," and for Paris and the Atlantic coast around La Rochelle it's "The Three Musketeers."
Have we mentioned Dickens's "A Tale of Two Cities"?
I suppose for reading on the airplane Sartre's "Huis Clos" would be more than appropriate.
Jun 17th, 2004, 05:50 PM
#69
For fun, "Mistral's Daughter" by Judith Krantz (adapted to a horrible mimi series)
"Pagnol's Provence" by Julian Moore,
" Provence" by Ford Maddox Ford,
"Memoirs of Frederic Mistral"
"A little tour in France" Henry James.
"Pagnol's Provence" by Julian Moore,
" Provence" by Ford Maddox Ford,
"Memoirs of Frederic Mistral"
"A little tour in France" Henry James.
Jun 18th, 2004, 05:30 AM
#73
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Did anyone mention, "Almost French," written by an Australian journalist living in Paris and married to a Frenchman. Easy reading and lots of insights to the French culture and a bit on Australia, too. I picked it up last summer in Sydney, but I've seen it here in the States. Very popular there.
Jun 18th, 2004, 07:44 AM
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For light (extremely light) romance novels set in France, try Elizabeth Adler's Last Time I Saw Paris or Hotel Riviera. They are a bit cheesy, but good airplane reading.
I second the motion for 60 Million Frenchman Can't Be Wrong. I was fascinated by the chapter on French eduation. I also can't recommend Pagnol's two memoir's which other's here have praised. The movie versions of both My Mother's Glory and My Father's Castle are must-sees for anyone who loves France.
For foodies, try Between Meals: An Appetite for Paris by A.J. Liebling. Wonderful food writing- a cross between M.F.K. Fischer and Calvin Trillin.
Finally, what about short stories or the Claudine novels by Collette. (Or just rent the Leslie Caron/ Maurice Chevalier musical version of Gigi- so delightful!)
I second the motion for 60 Million Frenchman Can't Be Wrong. I was fascinated by the chapter on French eduation. I also can't recommend Pagnol's two memoir's which other's here have praised. The movie versions of both My Mother's Glory and My Father's Castle are must-sees for anyone who loves France.
For foodies, try Between Meals: An Appetite for Paris by A.J. Liebling. Wonderful food writing- a cross between M.F.K. Fischer and Calvin Trillin.
Finally, what about short stories or the Claudine novels by Collette. (Or just rent the Leslie Caron/ Maurice Chevalier musical version of Gigi- so delightful!)
Jun 18th, 2004, 07:54 AM
#78
My favorite Colette books are:
Cheri,
The Last of Cheri,(not as good as Cheri)
The pure and the Impure.
I;m a big fan, have two autographs, visited her childhood house and the museum which houses her belongings and shows films.
Cheri,
The Last of Cheri,(not as good as Cheri)
The pure and the Impure.
I;m a big fan, have two autographs, visited her childhood house and the museum which houses her belongings and shows films.
