Books to Transport You to Paris
photo of Rebecca Plotnick by iheart Paris
Books to Transport You to Paris
I recently had someone reach out on Instagram for a book to transport them to Paris. Since I was working next to my bookshelf, it was easy to browse the shelf and come up with a recommendation. I also asked other readers for their favorite books about Paris and the list was long. There were many requests to share the list and I felt it was best to do in a blog post. Some of these I know and love and own myself and others were new to me. I hope you are inspired to pick up a book this weekend and feel like you are at a Parisian café reading a book.
The Loveliest Chocolate Shop in Paris
P.S. Don’t miss How to Frenchify Your Bookshelf and A Year of Books
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Bonjour, I’m Rebecca!
I’m a photographer, blogger, croissant-lover, and world traveler. I hope that Everyday Parisian inspires you by bringing a bit of France into your daily life and helps you plan the best trip to Paris with personalized recommendations for places to stay, explore, and eat.
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Rebecca, I love your blog!
I’d like to invite you and your readers to take a look at my newest book – "Carousels of Paris." The American Library in Paris has decided to place it in its permanent collection—a real honor, and we couldn’t be more pleased. (And Dorie Greenspan let me know how much she liked it!). It’s a photo essay book which captures the colorful motion of everyday life in the City of Light while chronicling the history and characteristics of these unique attractions.
Kaye Wilkinson Barley
https://kayewilkinsonbarley.com/
My Paris Dream (Kate Betts) and Paris Echo (Sebastian Faulks)
‘The Red Notebook’ is a fun little novel that reads like a Hallmark Channel movie. I read a translated copy in English (the translators are British, making certain vocabulary choices fun), and then I bought the French edition at a bookstore in Paris.
‘The Paris Key’ (contemporary fiction by Juliet Blackwell) made me look forward to visiting the Village Saint-Paul and searching for the locksmith’s shop!
‘I Always Loved You’ (historical fiction by Robin Oliveria) was a perfect read before my first trip to Paris. It’s about all the Impressionists, but most specifically focuses on the relationship between Mary Cassatt and Edgar Degas. The writing and vernacular are spot-on!
‘The Beautiful American’ (historical fiction by Jeanne Mackin) felt really transportive. Largely set in Paris but also in Provence, this novel seemed more "French" to me than ‘The Paris Wife’ (in terms of painting images of bygone Paris and feeling immersive).
I read ‘The Paris Hours,’ ‘The Paris Wife,’ and ‘A Moveable Feast,’ just this year and have reviews of each on my Instagram (such search for the book covers) at @lyninchi.
Lovely covers and they look promising – going to pick up a couple – I have read a recent one written by an Australian living in Paris but would like one written by a French writer.
Thank you for the list!
I recently read The Margot Affair by Sanaë Lemoine. I also recommend Paris by Edward Rutherfurd.
Rebecca, this is a great book list! I’m happy to say I’ve only read about half of these, so now I have more Paris stories to find and look forward to reading.
Thank you!
Lisa