Every Frenchman Has One by Olivia de Havilland

(Thank you to Blogging for Books for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book:

Back in print for the first time in decades—and featuring a new interview with the author, in celebration of her centennial birthday—the delectable escapades of Hollywood legend Olivia de Havilland, who fell in love with a Frenchman—and then became a Parisian

In 1953, Olivia de Havilland—already an Academy Award-winning actress for her roles in To Each His Own and The Heiress—became the heroine of her own real-life love affair. She married a Frenchman, moved to Paris, and planted her standard on the Left Bank of the River Seine. It has been fluttering on both Left and Right Banks with considerable joy and gaiety from that moment on.

Still, her transition from Hollywood celebrity to parisienne was anything but easy. And in Every Frenchman Has One, her skirmishes with French customs, French maids, French salesladies, French holidays, French law, French doctors, and above all, the French language, are here set forth in a delightful and amusing memoir of her early years in the “City of Light.”

Paraphrasing Caesar, Ms. de Havilland says, “I came. I saw. I was conquered.”

my thoughts:

Olivia de Havilland turns 100 years old this month - how exciting!  To celebrate, her memoir, Every Frenchman Has One, has been reprinted.  Talk about a terrific birthday present!

Short, sweet, and utterly delightful this little book is the perfect way to spend an afternoon. Just settle down with a cuppa, some macarons, and Every Frenchman Has One and your are in for quite a treat.  I certainly enjoyed getting to know Olivia and her life in Paris during the 1950s - it cheered me up reading about her encounters with French doctors, French customs, and French laws. Told in a conversational tone, each chapter provides charming anecdotes that will leave you in stitches from laughing so hard or grinning from ear to ear at Olivia's mishaps and miscommunications.  She's funny and self-deprecating when recalling these memories from her life in Paris.  I loved her honesty and openness with sharing her experiences. Talk about a charming and refreshing book!  I would definitely recommend it to fans of Olivia, fans of books set in Paris, and fans of memoirs - you will LOVE this book to bits!!

I have to admit that this book makes me want to travel to Paris, watch Olivia's films, and read more books set in Paris.  It may have been short and sweet, but it definitely inspired me. And, I think its the perfect way to end Paris in July 2016.  Au revoir!

Thank you to Blogging for Books for providing me with a copy of this book!

The Swan Thieves: A Novel by Elizabeth Kostova

Wow! What a story! I absolutely LOVED The Swan Thieves!

Robert Oliver is a famous artist, who can make a landscape leap off the canvas.  He is extremely talented.  So, its a shock to find out that he took a knife to a painting at the National Gallery of Art.  WTF!? Why would he do such a thing? What drove him to it? What had Leda (the painting) done to him? So many questions to be answered.  Thankfully, Robert's therapist is determined to find out who Robert Oliver is and what happened to him.  Yep, Robert is now residing in a psychiatric facility since his arrest over the painting stabbing. His new doctor is also an artist who can appreciate Robert's talent, but is confounded by his silence.  Robert refuses to talk with anyone.  So, Marlow (Robert's shrink) sets out to figure out what happened to Robert.  He brings him some art supplies so that he can continue drawing and painting - hopefully this will open him up.  Instead, the subject of his paintings catches Marlow's eye - its the same woman over and over.  Who is she? Why is Robert obsessed with her? Determined to make some progress on his patient's condition, Marlow contacts Robert's ex-wife, Kate.  He travels to her home and learns about a man who is talented, was loved, is selfish, and has suffered from bouts of depression and manic behavior for quite some time. He learns about a man who did not seem to even care about his wife or children enough to remember them - he was too consumed by his desire to paint the mystery woman.  In the end, his lack of presence (mentally and physically) led to the dissolution of his marriage. However, Robert was not alone for long.  He cheated on his wife with a student of his named Mary.  Upon leaving Kate, he moves in with Mary and the two begin a passionate affair that soon fizzles.  Mary learns that Robert is completely self-absorbed and she finds herself questioning how much he truly cares for her.  Marlow learns about all of this through Mary, who he soon finds himself falling in love with.  Yes, the therapist goes there.  Talk about crossing the line!  Anyhow, the more Marlow learns (basically, the more involved he gets in Robert's life), the more he realizes that there is a story behind the woman in Robert's paintings.  So, he travels to Acapulco and Paris to get his answers - turns out that  that the painting, Leda, was not Robert's intended target.  Say what?!

Talk about a mystery with such a fascinating history.  I loved the way Kostova brought the past into the present through art, letters, and obsession - it was fantastic! She wrote with such descriptive detail, that provided a deep richness to the story.  I found myself easily imagining the characters, the cities, and the artwork. There was color, passion, and such vibrancy radiating from the pages.  Learning about the art and its artist was so interesting - their dedication to their work was inspiring. I really enjoyed reading this book so much - in fact, its still haunting me days later. 

Currently reading....

and absolutely loving it!

I am beyond smitten with this brilliant book! I don't want to stop reading. I just want to ignore life for a minute (or three hours) and dive into Doerr's words. I want to be swept away into this bleak world where Marie-Laure and Werner reside and will hopefully survive.  I've only just begun the story, but already I am convinced of  Doerr's literary talent - his writing is filled with emotion and power (I am in awe) .  His attention to detail is sharp and precise.  His characters are strong, smart, and unique.  I am intrigued by where his story will take us.  I can already foresee heartbreak, death, fear, brutality, and so much of the raw ugliness of a war.  However, I can also see love, endurance, courage, and hope shining through all the darkness.

And now, I'm off to pick up where I last left Werner and his radio.  Happy reading!!

The Light of Paris: A Novel by Eleanor Brown

(Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book: (On Sale July 12th!)

Madeleine is trapped - by her family's expectations, by her controlling husband, and by her own fears - in an unhappy marriage and a life she never wanted.  From the outside, it looks like she has everything, but on the inside, she fears she has nothing that matters.

In Madeleine's memories, her grandmother Margie is the kind of woman she should have been - elegant, reserved, perfect.  But when Madeleine finds a diary detailing Margie's bold, romantic trip to Jazz Age Paris, she meets the grandmother she never knew: a dreamer who defied her strict, staid family and spent an exhilarating summer writing in cafes, living on her own, and falling for a charismatic artist.

When Madeleine's marriage comes apart, she panics, escaping to her hometown and staying with her critical, disapproving mother.  In that unlikely place, shaken by the revelation of a long-hidden family secret and inspired by her grandmother's bravery, Madeleine creates her own Parisian summer - reconnecting to her love of painting, cultivating a vibrant circle of creative friends, and finding a kindred spirit in a down-to-earth chef who reminds her to feed both her body and her heart.

Through Margie's and Madeleine's stories, New York Times-bestselling author Eleanor Brown explores the joys and risks of living life on our own terms, of defying the rules that hold us back from our dreams, and of becoming the people we are meant to be.

my thoughts:

Love, love, love! The Light of Paris is a delightful read that brings the city and spirit of Paris to life.  I absolutely enjoyed getting lost in Margie's story during her summer in 1920s Paris - it was simply captivating!  As for Madeleine's modern day story set in 1999, I found it to be a tad too predictable.  Not that Margie's isn't - believe me, it is.  Its just that Margie's story provided the backdrop of Paris, which made reading about it so much more interesting.  Who wouldn't want the opportunity to escape to Paris for a summer?  And then to find yourself set up with a job at a library where writers and bookworms stop by rather frequently - finally giving you the opportunity to chat with fellow book lovers? Plus, you meet a handsome artist who sweeps you off your feet, allowing you to experience the deliciousness of romance and young love.  Talk about a terrific story!

Madeleine is unhappy in her marriage, life, lack of career, etc.  She's a volunteer docent at an art museum; its her only connection to her one true love - art.  Yep, Madeleine is an artist, or at least she used to be.  Of course, her parents never approved and considered it more of a hobby than an actual vocation.  So, she did as was expected - went to college, joined a sorority (the one her mom was in), married an appropriate man, became a housewife, and lived unhappily ever after.  Except, she's tired of it all - the big house, not being able to eat what she wants, living side by side with a man who barely tolerates her, etc.  So, after an ugly argument with her husband, she leaves to visit her mother - a woman, who is not thrilled to see her.  Apparently, mommy dearest is selling her house and is beyond busy with getting the house ready for sale.  Plus, she doesn't like that her daughter just up and left her husband - makes her worry that all is not right in their household.  Madeleine insists that things are fine and that she just wants to help her mom.  Soon, she's making new friends, painting in the basement, and rediscovering what it is she really wants from life - all thanks to her grandmother Margie's old journals.  Turns out Margie was not so reserved and classy after all.

Margie loved to write and wanted to become a writer.  She read all the time and longed to discuss novels with friends.  Except, all her friends were married and having babies.  She was the single one, living at home with her parents.  They tried setting her up with eligible bachelors, but Margie didn't like any of them. After one disastrous marriage proposal, Margie is told she will be chaperoning her eighteen-year-old cousin on a European trip.  Say what?! Margie is shocked, but thrilled at the prospect of exploring Europe - how exciting! The only downside, her cousin Evelyn - who was a major jerk! Oh well, Margie hoped for the best and set sail with her cousin.  Except, she didn't see her cousin the whole time they cruised to France.  In fact, once in Paris, Evelyn demanded her share of spending money and told Margie that she was leaving her for the whole trip.  Aghast, Margie freaked out and told Evelyn that she was spoiled and cruel and that she would not be covering for her.  Evelyn was shocked into silence, but in the end she took all of their money and left.  Distraught, Margie didn't know what to do.  She knew she had to tell her parents what happened, but she didn't want to.  However, a chance meeting led her to find new accommodation, a job, and the courage to tell her parents she was not leaving Paris to come home.  It was the 1920s and the City of Light was in full swing - Margie didn't want to miss out on anything!  She made new friends, went dancing, ate delicious food, and engaged in a romance with a man named Sebastian.  She enjoyed her time in Paris and found happiness.  And then she lost her job and Sebastian in one fell swoop.  Forced to return home after getting sick, Margie once again found herself in her parents' clutches.  This time round she was pregnant.  Talk about scandal! Fortunately, Margie's secret was kept in the dark thanks to an old friend who proposed marriage.  He had helped Margie come home from Paris and kept an eye on her while she was sick. He found that he couldn't stop thinking about her and decided to ask for her hand - she agreed.  No one knew about her daughter's real father until Madeleine found out from her journals.  Finding out this truth made her understand her mother just a little bit more.

Madeleine agrees to return home with her husband - he shows up to bring her back home.  Once there, she tries to embrace the life of a dutiful wife and forget about her passion for art.  Except she can't.  After another ugly fight with her husband, she packs up and leaves him for good.  This time she goes home to start over.  She rents a place of her own, starts painting again, gets a job at an art store, hangs out with the friends she had made, and enjoys her living back in her hometown.  She even decides to go on a trip to Paris - she figures its the right thing to do after reading her grandmother's journals.  Madeleine is going to follow the The Light of Paris in this new path of self-discovery.  How exciting, eh?  I only wish we could have read about Madeleine in Paris and seen the city through her eyes.

The Light of Paris is a wonderful story about two women struggling to figure out what they want from life.  They let fear dictate what they should and shouldn't do, along with allowing the people who love them rule.  Its fascinating, heartbreaking, and utterly addicting to read. I could not put the book down! I absolutely loved Eleanor Brown's writing and storytelling prowess.  Her characters were realistic and flawed.  And the two story lines were filled with hope and heart. I just loved the book to bits!  Plus, I'm a sucker for anything to do with Paris.

Currently reading...

and loving it! So far, I've learned that Robert Oliver is a famous artist who has tried to attack a painting titled Leda with a knife.  He didn't succeed and is placed in a psychiatric facility.  He won't talk with anybody, exhibits aggressive behavior, and rereads old letters frequently.  His new shrink is determined to help him.  He wants to figure out why Robert attacked the painting and who the woman is in Robert's drawings.  In a bid to learn more about his patient, Marlow has contacted Robert's ex-wife.  He's driven to her home and is listening to her talk about how she first met Robert.  Meanwhile, Marlow is also having a friend of his translate the French letters that Robert obsessively reads - yep, turns out they are in French.

I'm enjoying the story and really looking forward to learning more about the reason behind Robert's attack on Leda (or attempted attack).  Plus, what do the letters have to do with him?  Why won't he talk to anyone?  Why is he so angry?  Also, why is Marlow so attached to this case? Is it because he's also an artist?  What is his attraction to Kate (Robert's ex)? I have theories already, but I'm trying to ignore them.  I want to see where Kostova takes the story.  Its slow-going, but its so interesting that I can't help but get caught up in it.  And, I love the vivid, colorful, and rich descriptions - they are so mesmerizing.  I have to admit that they make me want to visit an art museum, which I just love.

And now, I'm off to continue reading The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova. Happy reading!!

Mon amie américaine: A Novel by Michèle Halberstadt and Translated from the French by Bruce Benderson

(Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book:

When two colleagues become close friends they believe their friendship will last forever, but when one of them suffers a devastating illness, the bond between them is stretched to a breaking point. 

Two women are film industry colleagues and very close friends. Molly is a charismatic and dynamic Manhattan businesswoman until, at the age of forty, she has a brain aneurysm and falls into a month-long coma. Frightened and debilitated, she is a shadow of her former self.

Michèle, her Parisian friend, must grapple with these changes as she contemplates the nature of her relationship with a now-unrecognizable Molly. Is the bond the same when everything you once loved about a person has changed? What becomes of a friendship you once thought was unbreakable? Author Michèle Halberstadt explores the guilt that arises from these questions with grace and sensitivity.

my thoughts:

A quiet, emotional read that explores the depths of friendship. 

Two women who work in the film industry become close friends. One lives in Paris, while the other lives in Manhattan.  Molly is the American who travels all the time, is single, has bought a fancy new apartment, and is looking forward to the future.  Michèle is Parisian, she is married with kids, enjoys work, spends time with friends, and seems to be content with her life.  Suddenly, their lives are upended - Molly has a brain aneurysm and falls into a coma; Michèle finds out her husband has been cheating on her and that her best friend is in coma.  Eventually, Molly wakes up and moves in with her parents for a bit.  After some time, she moves into an apartment with a nurse.  However, Molly is not the same woman she once was.  She's quit her job, she refuses to help herself, and she believes the her life is pretty much over.  As a result of her new mindset, she's become mean, demanding, rude, and dismissive.  No one wants to be her friend anymore.  Michèle's visited Molly throughout it all and she has seen the changes in her friend.  However, she thinks everyone is exaggerating a bit.  Until her last visit to Molly's apartment where she witnesses her horrible behavior first hand.  She cant' believe this is her friend! What happened to Molly - the woman she once knew?!  And that is the crux of this story - how can a friendship continue to flourish following a life-changing experience?

Molly is gone.  She is now selfish and cruel.  Michèle is still the same.  She has problems she wishes she could discuss with her dear friend Molly, just like she used to be able to.  She has memories of the places they went, the laughs they shared, etc.  Except, now she no longer has that Molly in her life.  Instead, she has a new,surly Molly that she doesn't want to be around, let alone talk to about her problems.  In the beginning, Michèle understood that Molly was going through too much, so it would have to be all about Molly at the time.  Except, as time progressed and Molly's condition improved (as much as Molly would allow it to), she realized that she still couldn't talk to Molly (because Molly wouldn't care to listen to or even want to help her).  Yep, her friend Molly was no longer her friend.  Their friendship ended when Molly became someone else. 

Halberstadt explores friendship realistically and honestly in her story.  She writes about the ways in which friendships evolve and devolve. I love how she portrayed this deep friendship and its eventual demise.  I felt it was so true to life.  Friendships do change and end.  Sometimes, they can survive something like what Molly went through, but sometimes they can't.  Michèle cherished her friendship with Molly, but that was in the past.  The new Molly she met was not someone she could be friends with anymore.  It was heartbreaking, but true.  Halberstadt shows us how hard it was for Michèle to accept that her friendship with Molly was over.  She's open about the feelings of guilt and anguish that Michèle experienced through it all.   You can't help but empathize with Michèle and come to understand why she decides to no longer visit Molly when she's in town.  

Mon amie américaine is a terrific story about friendship.  Its slow-going, well-written, and mesmerizing.  I absolutely loved reading it!  What a perfect story to kick off Paris in July with!

Paris in July is back!!

How exciting!  Paris in July, the popular blogging event hosted and created by Tamara of Thyme for Tea is back.  And I am so excited!  As a huge fan of all things Paris, I am really looking forward to reading everyone's posts this year.  I swear I always learn something new each year and its always fun to see what everyone decides to write about. Plus, there are always some great photos of Paris to look through.   As for me, I will pop in some French music, eat a pain au chocolat, and settle down with some lovely new reads to enjoy during this month.  Here are some of the books I'm considering:

So many good books to choose from! I can't decide which to read first. Let me know what you think? Have you read any? Which one(s) do you recommend?

And now, I'm off to flip through a baking magazine for a recipe to make macarons.  Wish me luck!!