Product Description

Paris Tales is a highly evocative collection of stories by French or Francophone writers who have been inspired by specific locations in this most visited of capital cities. The collection brings together writers from the mid-19th century to the present day, from Maupassant and Zola to Colette and Ravalec. Rich in atmosphere, this literary tour of Paris will enchant both tourists and armchair travellers alike.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #48651 in Books
• Published on: 2004-09-09
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

The Times
"...excellent and wide-ranging collection"

The Independent (Review), 31st December, 2004
'smartly mixed cocktail of 22 Parisian tales'

Sunday Times, October 10, 2004
Excellent and wide-ranging collection...

Customer Reviews

Tasting menu...
Reading this book which showcases Guy de Maupassant and Emile Zola between the same covers as Anna Gavalda is a real treat. It is a little like opting for a tasting menu in a Michelin-starred restaurant, where the chef decides to tease and please your palate with his choices.

The short stories are probably not selected with an end game in mind which is just as well because there is a range of flavours from a suburbian woman seeking real pleasure to a young Parisian woman seeking to be chic.

The places where the stories happened are meticulously marked on a map of Paris arrondisements at the back of the book, complete with a map of the Metro - quirky touches which make the book even more interesting.

Some stories however you are better off reading in French, such as Maupassant and Gavalda, both of which write in a sinuous tone, if that were feasible, which cannot be replicated in translations however faithful. But better to read in English than not to read them at all. Hence 4 stars but a great collection to buy.