A Little Bit of Paris [Hardcover]

Jean-Jacques Sempe (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 25, 2007

Renowned New Yorker cover illustrater Jean-Jacques Sempé illustrates the quirky charm of France's capital and it's residents with his signature style and gentle sense of humor and irony. His drawings are famed for their striking use of pen and ink, their inimitable style, and most of all for their satire and tragic-comic vision. The 128 drawings in this charming portfolio are sweet and sentimental. They somehow manage to be gentle even when the topic is difficult. They probe the quirkiness of life in Paris and wordlessly pinpoint the quintessential features of the City of Light, creating a world peopled by lovers strolling along the Seine, culture mavens preening in the Louvre, and characters who are ready to see the comic and the light-hearted beyond life's problems. Anyone who has fallen in love with Paris will be sure to cherish this charming keepsake.

Editorial Reviews

Review

If you can't make it to Paris for this week's shows, relish in the City of Lights' charms vicariously through one artist's works. Renowned New Yorker cartoonist Jean-Jacques Sempé's new book of illustrations, A Little Bit of Paris, takes its audience there without the transatlantic flight. Parisian streets, cafes, and parks come to life on page and add sentimental value to the phrase: We'll always have Paris--at least on your bookshelf. (A Little Bit of Paris, $25, at amazon.com) -- Elle.com October 2007

About the Author

Jean-Jacques Sempe is a French cartoonist best known in the US for his cover illustrations on The New Yorker magazine. His career started in the Franco-Belgian comics industry, and he is best known internationally for a strip called "Le petit Nicolas" which started in the 1950s. In the US, he is celebrated for his poster-like illustrations that convey a story through a single frame.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Universe (September 25, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789315718
• ISBN-13: 978-0789315717
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 0.8 x 12 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #930,423 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Treasure, June 3, 2008

By 

Doris Bucher "dorisbucher" (Atlanta, GA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Little Bit of Paris (Hardcover)

When I was in Paris I searched for a souvenir that would encompass the panorama of the place and the spirit of delight that fills you when you stand, for instance, at the center of the Pont des Arts and take in the view above, below and all around you. This book was the answer. It shares better than photographs the way it feels to be there. I have returned to it many times and it has never failed to bring back my joy in this city.

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars always a smile, December 14, 2007

By 

R. C. Dallery "Chip" (Narberth, PA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Little Bit of Paris (Hardcover)

Sempe is amazing. Going slowly through this book is like taking a walk in the Paris one remembers. Every so often, he gets a hearty laugh from me.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a little bit of paris- a lot of charm, November 1, 2009

By 

Anonymous "Anonymous" (Everywhere, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Little Bit of Paris (Hardcover)

wonderfully charming illustrations that capture every day life in the city of lights. brilliant book.