To me Paris is the capital of the reading life world. The only small way I can show my solidarity with the People of France is through continuing sharing on my blog literary works reflecting the glory of France.
The French Baker Cafe in SM Edsa Mall. Not quite Paris but a nice place to relax
Today I will begin my post for Paris in July with an image I took at lunch. It is from the Cafe de Paris in the French Baker at SM Edsa North Mall, one of the biggest malls in the world. The croissants are very good as is the coffee. They offer lots of artisan breads and pastries.
A few days ago it was suggested I read The Little Paris Book Store by Nina George. The lead character runs a book shop out of a converted barge anchored on the Seine. The owner of the bookstore, Monsieur Purdu considers him self not just a book seller but a "literary apothecary". Fifty years old, living with cats on the boat and still devastated from a gone bad romance of decades ago, he tries to match customers up with a book that will cure their spiritual ills. I admit I was startled when he prescribed the book that inspired me to start my book blog, The Elegance of the Hedgehog to a customer. The best part of the book for me as the prescription of books to customers. Purdu has a very deep connection to literature and the reading life.
Purdu gets to know an author who wrote a best selling book but now is blocked and he and Purdu and a crazy Italian end up taking the barge on a mad trip through the water ways of France. For many years Purdu has kept, unopened, a letter from his lost love and at last he wants to find out what happened to her.
The aspects of The Little Paris Bookstore revolving around Purdu's work as a literary apothecary are delightful. The rest of the plot is interesting and kept my attention mainly because of the strength of the lead character.
So far for July in Paris I have read
1. The Dogs and the Wolves by Iréne Nemirovsky
2. Mavis Gallant - Two Set in Paris works, a short story and a note book entry
3. Five Nights in Paris by John Baxter.
Born 1973 in Bielefeld, Germany, Nina George is a prize-winning and bestselling author (“Das Lavendelzimmer” – “The Little Paris Bookshop”) and freelance journalist since 1992, who has published 26 books (novels, mysteries and non-fiction) as well as over hundred short stories and more than 600 columns. George has worked as a cop reporter, columnist and managing editor for a wide range of publications, including Hamburger Abendblatt, Die Welt, Der Hamburger, “politik und kultur” as well as TV Movie and Federwelt. -official bio from Amazon
Mel u
I thoroughly enjoyed this book in last years Paris in July. I'm glad you liked it too. Dont you think it a little interesting that his name was Perdu, the french word for 'lost'. I just adored all the other characters in this story too.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the review of this - as it seems - pearl of a book. Sounds like something I would like. A small coincident, you say Nina George is from Bielefeld. Me and my son stayed there in mid-June when we went to Halle to watch the ATP tennis tournament there. I understand that this city is very industrious, obviously also on the literary scene.
ReplyDeleteI just loved 'The Elegance of the Hedgehog', it has everything.
I was horribly disappointed by this novel. Probably just me.
ReplyDeleteI do plan to publish a blog post on Tuesday about great books set in Paris.
http://readerbuzz.blogspot.com/2016/07/childrens-books-set-in-paris-definitive.html
Tamara, glad to hear you also enjoyed the book
ReplyDeleteLisbeth, I really love the elegance of the hedgehog. Interesting to hear your personal connection
ReplyDeleteDeb Nance. I will look forward to your post on books set in Paris.
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