That’s Paris in July, hosted for a third year by Karen at Book Bath and Tamara at Thyme for Tea.
A celebration of the French capital, taking in books, cinema, music, food …
I’ve been pondering books for a while now, and I have come up with far more wonderful possibilities than I could ever read in a single month.
There are the older classics:
Three French writers from the 19th century have been calling me for a while now, and I so want to read Guy de Maupassant, Émile Zola and Honoré de Balzac.
I’m not entirely sure which of their books I shall read, but I’m drawn to Bel-Ami, Pot Luck and Père Goriot at the moment.
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There are the 20th century classics:
I must confess that I had quite forgotten that Jules et Jim by Henri-Pierre Roché was a book before a film until I picked up a used copy a little while ago. I wonder how the two will compare.
I love her writing, and so I know that The House in Paris by Elizabeth Bowen will be a joy.
And I now that whenever I need a book to fit a particular theme I will fins something on my Virago shelves: this time it’s Pillion Riders by Elizabeth Russell Taylor.
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And there’s wonderful, real history:
I want to read Liberty by Lucy Moore, the story of the women caught up in the French Revolution.
The Crimes of Paris by Dorothy & Thomas Hoobler, true stories of crime and detection from La Belle Epoque, looks wonderful.
And when I caught sight of a lovely new edition of Madame de Pompadour by Nancy Mitford I remembered that I had an old Penguin edition of that same biography waiting at home.
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So I have a wonderful pool of books to choose from, and I’m sure I will discover more when Paris in July arrives.
There will be films and music too, but I’ll write about that another day.
Do you have plans for Paris in July? Or recommendations maybe?
Fleur in her World 
Well, I love Zola, so I’m happy to see Pot Bouille on your list. It took me awhile to get into the book, but then I couldn’t put it down. I’m going to read The Ladies’ Paradise which is the next in the series and features one of the same characters.
Love the cover of that Vintage International!
Guy de Maupassant is the one in that list who does it for me. Have you ever read his short stories? Bliss. 🙂
I’m going to read Lunch in Paris and a book by Irene Nemirovsky’s children. We also happen to be going to Paris for the day in July too!
Thank you for the list, Fleur. I often draw a blank when it comes to which French books to select for July. I am not sure if I will get around to reading something from France next month, but I will try to fit in Bonjour Tristesse, and hopefully one from your list will be available in the library (I should hope the classics will be listed).
I chose two short books to read next month so I could be sure to participate – Bonjour, Tristesse and A Moveable Feast. I would love to read a non-fiction title (your choices look fab), but I don’t think I will have time. Enjoy your French reading!
I adore Vintage cover art for Madame de Pompadour! I also have a Penguin edition and have been dying to read it (I’ve recently read Antoinia Fraser’s book on Marie Antoinette as well as a book on royal mistresses so am in the mood to find out more about Madame de Pompadour) but sadly I can’t find it anywhere. One of the problems of having too many books I’m afraid!
I look forward to following your Paris In July adventures! (And I think I found you on tumblr. 🙂 )
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