Short Stories, Irish literature, Classics, Modern Fiction, Contemporary Literary Fiction, The Japanese Novel, Post Colonial Asian Fiction, The Legacy of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and quality Historical Novels are Among my Interests








Monday, July 2, 2018

Paris in July. A Great Event. Plans for my Fourth Year


Paris in July



Paris in July hosted by Thyme for Tea is a great event.  I Focus on literary works and nonfiction but you are invited to share your thoughts and experience on anything Paris related, from a great recipe, a favourite movie set in Paris, mine is Ninotchka, an account of your stay in Paris.  I hope lots of people join in.  Just be sure and link you post on The event home page.

This year I have some interesting to me Reading plans, ranging from two stories by the great Yiddish writer, Blume Lempel, who lived in and loved Paris, a novel about theater life by Colette, a set in Paris Short stories by an Emigre White Russian who worked as a cab driver in 
Paris for 25 years, something by Balzac, a new translated from French Biography of George Sand, a history of food in Paris and what ever else I come upon.



Below are my readings for the  three prior years.


Works I read during Paris in July in 2017

1.  Colette- Two Early Short Stories



2. The Black Notebook by Patrick Modiano 
3. "A Duel" by Guy de Maupassant ( A Franco-Prussian War Story
4. Life, Death, and Betrayal at The Hotel Ritz in Paris by Tilar Mazzeo (non fiction)
5. How the French Invented Love by Marilyn Yolem (literary history)
6. "The Lost Child" by Francois Coppée 
7. "The Juggler of Norte Dame" by Anatole France- no post
8. A Very French Christmas- A Collection of the Greatest Holiday Stories of France
9. "The Illustrious Gaudissart" by Honore de Balzac



10. After the Circus by Patrick Modiano
11. "Gaudissart II" by Honore de Balzac
12. 6:41 to Paris by Jean-Phillipe Blondel
13. "Noel" by Irene Nemirovsky 



14. Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin
15. The Madeleine Project by Clara Beaudoux
16. Nais Micoulin by Emile Zola



17. The Occupation Trilogy by Patrick Modiano 
18. Journey to the End of the Night by Louis-Ferdinand Celine

Works I read for Paris in July in 2016

  1. Two Paris cat stories

2.  Mavis Gallant -  Two Set in Paris works, a short story and a note book entry

3.  Five Nights in Paris by John Baxter.

4.  The Little Paris Book Store by Nina George

5.  "The Problem of Summer Time" by Marcel Ayme


6.  "Love Under the Roof" by Emile Zola


7.  "The Purse" by Honore de Balzac 

8.  Gertrude Stein and her Family by Kathleen Warren - a first rate literary biography

9.  "Czarist Parisian Emigres" by Joseph Roth 

10. Gigi by Collete  it gets no more Parisian than this.


11.  The Cat by Collete 

Works I read for Paris in July in 2015

1.  "Baum, Gabriel, 1935" by Mavis Gilbert - A wonderful set in Paris short story

2.  "Two Friends" by Guy de Maupassant- 

3.  "Mildred Larson" by George Moore- What Paris Meant to the Irish

4.  "The Parisian Stage" by Henry James - an illuminating essay

5.  "The Man Who Could Walk Through Walls" by Marcel Aymé- a new to me writer I will return to

6.   Lovers at the Chameleon Club, Paris, 1932 by Francine Prose - interesting 

7.  Shocking Paris Soutine, Chagall and the Outlaw Art of Montaparrne by Stanley Meisler-a 
     Well done account of Yiddish emigre artists in Paris

8.  Short Stories about Cats by Three Classic French authors 

9.  Suite Francaise by Iréne Némirovsky- a true masterwork. Paris under the Germans




10.  The End of Evil Ways by Honoré de Balzac

11.  Mademoiselle Coco Chanel and the Pulse of History by Rhonda K. Garelick- brilliant bio.

12.  The Horla by Guy de Maupassant, translated by Sandra Smith

13.  "A Piece of Bread" by Francois Coppee 

14.  The Wine of Solitude by Iréne Némirovsky- White Russians move to Paris 


Considering joining, it is a great way to discover new bloggers and learn about Paris.

Mel u
Avant Bouseweau

12 comments:

Tamara said...

Mel U, you're inspirational with these impressive lists. You have so many good ideas here for others to choose from. I'm particularly interested in your reviews of the Yiddish perspective. I'm looking forward to whats to come. Thanks for joining Paris in July again.

Bellezza said...

You have read so extensively for this challenge! I am inspired by your lists; I, too, have enjoued Collette and Balzac and Zola. It's good to come to the classics for this one, even though now I am reading a contemporary memoir which is quite marvelous: The Years by Annie Ernaux.

Mae Travels said...

Blume Lempel sounds like a very interesting author, though she only lived in Paris for 9 years, and her main book is called Oedipus in Brooklyn. I'll look forward to your review.

best... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

Brona said...

Ohhhh what's the new bio about George Sand called?

Good luck with your reading plans this year :-)

Suko said...

Mel,
Your lists are impressive! I have only read one book here, Giovanni's Room. I'm sure you will enjoy Paris in July. As I mentioned to Bellezza, I've just returned from the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas. It's an elegant place to stay.

Deb Nance at Readerbuzz said...

One of my favorite reads is Suite Francaisse. I want to read it again one day.

Mel u said...

Brona Joy — George Sand MARTINE REID Translated with a foreword by Gretchen van Slyke. Forthcoming shortly, Review copies availabl via Edelweiss .

Mel u said...

Tamara, thanks for once again hosting. In 2015 I postec on Yiddish artista in Paris. Your event is very inspirational

Mel u said...

Deb Nance at Readerbuzz, I Love Irene Nemirovsky. I also want to reread Suite Francaise. Glad you are participating in Paris in July

Lisbeth said...

Mel, as always impressive reading lists. I am almost embarrassed not having read anything by Colette. Well, there is always a time to start and this is a good occasion. The biography of George Sand also sounds interesting. Have to look out for that one.
Good luck and see you around Paris.

vvb32 reads said...

Great to see your complete reading list. Have fun with this year's picks. Happy Paris in July.

Angela said...

I'm currently trying to read The Little Paris Bookshop, but I'm having a hard time getting into it.