One of the world’s most
visited countries, the wealth of literature about life in France comes as no
surprise. With so many people jotting down their take on the country, there
really is something for everyone. Memoirs, tick. Historical fiction,
absolutely. There’s loads of non-fiction for those wanting to learn more about
France too, and foodie books, bien sur. What a pleasure for Francophiles the
world over!
My bookshelf is pleasingly
overflowing with titles about or set in France. It is probably the largest
collection, by country, in my possession. This is the longest list I’m
publishing in my little series of ‘Books to read before you go’. Obviously, I
don’t imagine people would necessarily read all of these titles before visiting
France (or perhaps even at all) but, hopefully, the list introduces one or two
new titles and provides a distraction until the next trip!
Here, in no particular
order, are some of my favourites.
Non-Fiction
A Year in Provence – Peter
Mayle
The ultimate escapist novel
for those dreaming of a new life in rural France, the amusing story that
follows a couple making a new life in a Provence, with gastronomic, building
and plumbing adventures thrown in. An oldie but a goodie.
C’est la Folie – Michael
Wright
Similarly, this slightly
more recent story follows a disillusioned south Londoner who, in his search for
a more meaningful life, makes a new home for himself and his cat in the
Limousin.
Almost French – Sarah
Turnbull
This is a modern-day tale of
an Australian journalist’s experiences when she takes a trip to visit a
handsome Frenchman in Paris and ends up staying. Those with an Anglo background
will appreciate the observations and inexplicability of certain experiences.
A Moveable Feast – Ernest
Hemingway
This autobiographical work
of Hemingway’s tells the story of his early days as a writer in Paris, and all
the literature, art and feasting he managed to enjoy. It gives an insight into his
younger years. The 1920s are considered the city’s heyday, and a golden age for
expats and literary types judging by all the name-dropping in this book. His
observations of others are mostly ungenerous, and the level of amusement
offered will probably depend on your appreciation of Hemingway. It also
includes lots of references to places and cafes that still exist today, which I
enjoyed.
The Parisiennes – Anne Sebba
If you’ve ever wondered what
life was like for women in Paris during the occupation years, this book offers
a fascinating insight. Told through many, many, testimonies, the book explores
the extreme choices women faced daily between defiance and collusion, and the
consequences. Confronted with the reality of that time, it was not an easy read
but I loved learning more about this period and the women featured.
The Only Street in Paris –
Elaine Sciolino
Describing itself as
‘part-memoir, part travelogue’, this book introduces the reader to the many
characters that give Paris’ Rue des Martyrs a lively village feel. It tells the
story of how the author befriended the shopkeepers and traders of the street,
and celebrates a way of life that is being lost to mass-commercialism. It is a
pleasant read; it feels like a chat with a friend that moved there years ago.
1000 Years of Annoying the
French – Stephen Clarke
If you’re after an amusing
introduction to the history of France, told with a generous helping of English
humour and sarcasm, look no further. Get comfy though; it’s almost 650 pages. I
enjoyed reading this but I’m no history buff so chose to dip in and out, which
meant it took ages to finish it.
Fiction
Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
A love story, war epic and
family saga told through two timelines. The first is a British soldier’s
experiences in pre-war France, and during World War I. The second is the story
of his granddaughter trying to uncover his story in 1970s London. The novel is
especially human, perhaps, because of its exploration of the effects of trauma
on individuals, and its hero’s regular expressions of his very understandable
fear during the war.
All the Light We Cannot See
– Anthony Doerr
From the beginning of the
book you can tell the paths of a blind French girl and a young German boy are
set to cross during World War II. The very touching story takes place in Paris,
St Malo and Berlin. It is told from both children’s perspectives. I really enjoyed
the detail in the writing and the strong and caring characters, which created a
very rich and emotional read.
Chocolat – Joanne Harris
This much-loved novel
pitches chocolate, and all the wickedness it represents, against church when a
mischievous chocolate shop owner moves to a small French village. Reading this,
you will fall for the characters…and probably get hungry!
The Nightingale – Kristin
Hannah
Two sister’s dangerous
wartime stories are told in this book. The first sister’s experience is of
rural life under occupation, including quiet resistance while having to house a
German officer. The second sister’s story is about her activity as part of the
French Resistance movement. I enjoyed the book’s focus on women’s experiences
and different types of heroism during World War II.
Suite Francaise – Irene
Nemirovsky
This book was inspired by
the author’s own experiences of Paris life during the early years of World War
II. It contains two storylines: the first, the experiences of Parisians fleeing
their occupied city, the second, the stories of the occupants of a rural
village under occupation. I found the character observations made the story
very engaging. Apparently the two storylines were supposed to be two of five
the author had planned before she was killed at Auschwitz.
The Book of Lost and Found –
Lucy Foley
This story follows Kate on a
journey to discover more about her maternal grandmother, after the sudden death
of her mother. The story spans from the 1920s to the 1980s and takes place in
Paris, Corsica, London and New York, uncovering a great love story on the way.
I enjoyed the dual timeline.
The Paris Wife – Paula
Mclain
This story is historical
fiction and tells the story of Hemingway’s life in 1920s Paris, but from the
perspective of his first wife, Hadley Richardson. Romantic and shocking in
turn, it focuses on their love for one another and the writing is rich in
atmosphere and sweeping descriptions.
Paris Echo – Sebastian
Faulks
This book is an interesting
exploration of some of Paris’ history through the experiences of two outsiders
living in the modern-day city, one an American researcher, the other an illegal
immigrant. I enjoyed the focus on identity, and the way the same situation was
sometimes viewed from different perspectives, as well as the interesting
titbits of information about Paris – namely the history behind the metro
station names.
The Age of Light – Whitney
Scharer
This book tells the story of
Lee Miller’s battle to transform herself from Vogue model and muse to photographer
and war correspondent in the 1930s, a time when women really didn’t do those
kinds of things. I enjoyed being reminded of when photography was as much about
developing prints as framing a shot, and the dips into the Paris of a few
decades ago.
The Da Vinci Code – Robert
Langdon
This murder-mystery is set
in the Louvre and involves cracking a code of curious symbols to ensure an
ancient truth is not lost forever. It also raises questions about faith and
ideology, albeit in a rather light fashion. It’s an easy read, if you fancy an
unchallenging Paris-based mystery.
The Little Paris Bookshop –
Nina George
This is a whimsical tale
celebrating books, reading, and the many reasons people read. It features a man
acting as book-apothecary operating from a book-filled barge on the Seine until
one day he has reason to cast off and journey along France’s Rhone river. I
enjoyed the idea of books having a medicine-like therapeutic effect.
