Paris: True Stories of Life on the Road (Travelers' Tales Guides) (Paperback)

~ James O'Reilly (Editor), (Editor), O'Reilly Sean (Editor), Sean J. O'Reilly (Editor) "IN PARIS, MEN AND WOMEN LOVE WITH THEIR INTELLECT AS MUCH as their emotions..." (more)
Key Phrases: sacred hill, Ile St-Louis, New York, San Francisco (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Ella Fitzgerald loved "Paris in the Springtime," Bogie and Bergman would "always have Paris," and Hemingway found Paris A Moveable Feast--the City of Light has plenty of fans, and for good reason. Paris is, quite simply, magic. In Travelers' Tales Paris, 43 essayists attempt to convey their experience of the city. Jack E. Bronston shares his passion for the French encyclopedia set Vie et Histoire, which covers in 20 volumes Paris's 20 arondissements, and takes you on a tour of the ninth arondissement while he's at it. In "Hair Pierre," Cailin Boyle attempts to master French chic along with the language: "Always wear tight jeans. Anywhere and anyhow. A must. Even at funerals. And heels. Podiatrists must retire early in France.... Carry an overstuffed shoulder bag. Watch for signs of curvature of the spine." In "Bearing Witness," Therese Lung describes in loving detail the quotidian life on the tiny Rue Watt--an old, unknown street where "elaborate, traditional iron banisters and streetlight globes separate pedestrians from the street on a raised sidewalk, turning it into a promenade"--just before it is to be demolished to provide underground parking for a new library.

John Gregory Dunne, Jan Morris, Edmund White, and Ina Caro are just a few of the contributors to this glowing paean to Paris; French strippers, the forest at Fontainbleu, a one-night stand with an unexpected partner--with each essay, a different facet of Paris emerges. For those readers who have visited Paris, Travelers' Tales Paris is likely to bring back memories; for those who haven't, it will provide some inspiration to go.

Product Description

The stories in Travelers' Tales Paris throw open the creaky door of history and let the light of this marvelous city flood out. Just a few of the many authors found in the book are John Gregory Dunne, Ina Caro, Herbert Gold, Jan Morris, Edmund White, and Mort Rosenblum.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 424 pages
• Publisher: Traveler's Tales (April 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1885211104
• ISBN-13: 978-1885211101
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,396,951 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An American in Paris, March 7, 2001

By	S. Brockhaus (Arlington, Virginia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Ahhh Paris. As a graduate student fortunate to be studying in Paris, I found myself falling into the dull routine of class and studying. I was failing to appreciate one of the prettiest cities on earth. This book opened my eyes to the multitude of interesting "trucs" around me in the Latin Quarter. Although some of the stories are more interesting than others, there is genuinely something for everyone's taste in this book. I now often study at the "Deux Magots" cafe due to its history and popularity with Jean Paul Sartres and Simone de Beauvoir that I read about. This book is wonderful for anyone interested in Paris, wanting to take a mental journey there, or a seasoned traveller who thinks they already know Paris. Anyone armed with "Paris Traveler's Tales" can discover the "Joie de Vivre" en Paris!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Travel Companion, October 18, 1999

By	Andrew Czernek (Mukilteo, WA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Like TT: France, this book is a perfect way to prepare psychologically for entering La France. Its collection of essays on living or traveling in Paris has passionate tales and historical accounts.

A book like this is an excellent way to give you pointers on Paris city life. I would never have thought of experiencing the Turkish bathes of a Paris without the wonderful story in TT: Paris. And many would find it maudlin to go exploring Pere Lachaise cemetery, until reading some stories of the experience.

Rick Steves' travel guides do a good job of highlighting particular things to see. Travelers' Tales take the experience to a deeper level.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A luminous collection about the City of Light, October 6, 1999

By A Customer

If I had not already been Paris-bound, this book assuredly would have had me calling the airlines. What a wonderful, eclectic collection of essays! The piece on Ste. Chappelle, for example, actually manages to convey the jaw-dropping, heart-clenching, breath-taking sheer beauty of the place. Other pieces, such as SOS Medecin, captured utterly the blend of whimsy and solemnity that is Paris. You don't have to be headed for Paris to love this book; you don't even have to be a traveler.