Paris has been in the global spotlight this year, what with the spectacular success of the Olympics and the stunning renaissance of Notre-Dame, so it’s no wonder it has been a bumper year for books inspired by the City of Light. Read on for the latest releases that are guaranteed to satisfy every Francophile bibliophile (and in case you missed Part One, click here) …
If you’re looking for a Christmas gift for the other Francophiles in your life …
The Most Beautiful Gardens of Paris by Stéphane Marie: A cultural and botanic guide to Paris’s most gorgeous parks, as well as some hidden leafy gems, by the presenter of French gardening show Silence, ça pousse.
Inside Paris by Ricardo Labougle: This lusciously photographed tour of A-list Parisian homes is more than a snoop; covering an array of interior-style eras, it’s jam-packed with cherry-pickable inspiration for how to live more beautifully.
If you’re after a lovely holiday read …
A Love Letter to Paris by Rebecca Raisin: A charmer of a book about an old-fashioned romantic who lives in Montmartre (cue Amélie vibes) and is the secret mastermind behind the letter-based match-making site, Paris Cupid.
A Secret Garden in Paris by Sophie Beaumont: Three women seek emotional refuge in Paris one springtime; a beautiful friendship blooms.
If your favourite fictional genre is historical fiction …
The Paris Gown by Christine Wells: In Paris of 1957, three women who yearn for a bigger life decide to share the cost of a Dior gown, and find it’s the dress of their dreams.
Mademoiselle Eiffel by Amie K. Runyan: Behind every great man … this novel celebrates Gustave Eiffel’s daughter, the brilliant Claire, who assisted and supported her father, as well as ensuring his legacy would shine on.
If your favourite historical fiction setting is ‘Paris, WWII’ …
This sub-category of historical fiction — in the year of the 80th anniversary of D-Day — continues to keep us spellbound. Four of its latest additions: The Paris Understudy by Aurélie Thiele, The Resistance Bakery by Siobhan Curham, The Paris Inheritance by Natalie Meg Evans, and The Last Agent in Paris by Sharon Maas.
If you prefer your history straight up …
Paris in Ruins: Love, War, and the Birth of Impressionism by Sebastian Smeet: Impressionism might be a widely beloved for its pastel prettiness, but Smeet, in this internationally acclaimed book, shows — with a focus on Édouard Manet and Berthe Morisot — how the artform arose from the brutality of 1870/1 Paris.
Paris ’44: The Shame and the Glory by Patrick Bishop: Published to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the Liberation of Paris, this action-packed book not only relives those momentous days of August 1944, it also gives good background and context to the war and ensuing occupation.
If you like to see Paris through the lens of a memoir …
Village Voices: A Memoir of the Village Voice Bookshop, Paris, 1982-2012 by Odile Hellier: This ‘collective memoir’ is a celebration of the legendary Left Bank bookstore, with an inspired compilation of anecdotes and interviews.
Paris in Winter by David Coggins: An expanded edition of the writer and artist’s 2015 memoir — a heart-warming and whimsical ode to the wintertime wonders of Paris.