"Paris is always a good idea"
Three books about the City of Light
Reviews by Sarah Herrin | published July 7, 2013 |
Thursday Review Contributing Writer
It was Audrey Hepburn who said “Paris is always a good idea.” And no matter what kind of mood you’re in--in love, depressed, nostalgic, adventurous--there’s a Paris book on my shelf to indulge it. Here are some of my favorites:
Paris, My Sweet: A Year in the City of Light (And Dark Chocolate); by Amy Thomas
Despite not being a huge fan of sweets and cakes, Amy’s delicious story was the first Paris memoir that I picked up. (The adorable cover art had a lot to do with it.) Less than six months since I’d left my study abroad program, I was freshly pining for the City of Light and wanted to indulge myself in sweet nostalgia. Amy’s adventures as a single 30-something working as a copywriter while trying to find her true home were something I could relate to. After much guilt-stricken debate, she left her beautiful New York City apartment and everything that was familiar to work for Louis Vitton in Paris. Amy’s writing style is so real and clean that one can’t help but find themselves empathizing with her at once. She struggles with being an obviously single American woman in Paris, with her weight and her addiction to sweets – which had become one of her most cherished comforts in a lonely city – and even tries her hand at the extremely complicated and bipolar courtship of Frenchmen. But this is not a sad story; there’s cake. As New York is known for designer cupcakes, Paris is famous for its bonbons. And croissants. And chocolat. You’ll find yourself enjoying each trip Amy takes to the local patisserie to seek out the most decadent macaron or the flakiest croissant. Although she endures many struggles – like which way to properly wear a scarf to how to navigate French work culture – there are many wonderful treats along the way that makes this a light, tasty escape to be enjoyed avec un café et un macaron, of course.
Paris Was Ours; by Penelope Rowlands
As a writer who has been to Paris and fallen desperately in love with the old architecture, the romantic culture, and the food and wine, this book was a panacea. Paris Was Ours is as real as it gets. Sometimes that fantasy of spending an evening sipping an espresso in a crowded café across from the indomitable figure of Notre Dame or strolling through the gardens of the Louvre on a sunny afternoon can get a little overwhelming – it seems so far out of reach. It’s important to bring yourself back to reality and that’s just what this collection of short stories does. This book is amazing because it combines such a wide variety of experiences from so many unique viewpoints. It’s a testimony to the fact that while nearly everyone loves Paris, not everyone’s experience will be the same. Each story is an intimate vignette into an author’s life there and we all know that writers have the most interesting lives (apart from rock stars.) It made no difference that I didn’t really recognize any of these authors (undoubtedly, I should have) and it was enough just to step into their shoes for a while. The vignettes cover a range of topics from passionate affairs to starving students to parenting styles and gutsy career moves. Some of the authors loved Paris with all their hearts and others were just glad to make it out alive, but the one thread in common is this: Paris is an unforgettable, irreplaceable experience. And no matter how deeply you love Paris or how much you long to return, you’re likely to find a story here that you can relate with and cherish over and over again.
Paris, I Love You, But You’re Bringing Me Down; by Rosecrans Baldwin
As my unrequited love affair with Paris progressed and I ended up moving two time zones away from the city instead of closer, I began to lose faith that my dream of living in Paris would ever be realized. It was then that Rosecran’s title caught my eye and gave me the dose of realism that I needed. This modern memoir tells the story of a man working for an ad agency, once again in New York, who transfers to a Paris branch. His wife travels with him, but she doesn’t know French and everyday activities like grocery shopping or having the stove serviced becomes a challenge. They have to bear life in an apartment where construction eventually exists on all four sides. Rosecrans writes about what it’s like to assimilate into the workforce of a completely new culture. So many things are taboo, like eating a burger at your work desk, while others, having photos of hot models on your desktop, aren’t given a second glance. It’s also important to know when to give “the hello kiss” and when to shake hands. (Hint: Unless you’re born French, it’s impossible to know.) Social norms and dating polices seem outrageous, but somehow intriguing. There are the positive things: the incredible views, the endless wine tastings, and making friends with other expats. Although Rosecrans does love and enjoy Paris and it’s very hard for him to leave in the end, he doesn’t sugarcoat anything. If you’ve ever wanted to know what it’s really like to live and work in Paris, this book will give it to you. In the end, I learned that place may not be as important as what you make of it. No matter where you live, there will be those same obstacles that you’ll have to adapt to and overcome. Paris, I Love You imparts wonderful insights on modern French culture from dinner parties to dating to workplace etiquette and still I have so much to learn. I feel a bit more clearheaded about it now but, my love affair with Paris continues.