New Books for Francophiles....

Here's a round-up of new books all about France, some brand new, some new in paperback. This time of year there are also all the new guidebooks and accommodation guides coming out, and I was pleased to see that so many of my favourite books about France are now available in Kindle editions, like Almost French and The Elusive Truffle. Although I haven't taken the plunge yet (I'm still an old-fashioned hold-the-book-in-the-hand kinda girl), it's great to see the choices available now for those that have gone over to the other side.

As usual, let me know if I've missed any good ones!




Paris Was Ours: Thirty-two Writers Reflect on the City of Light by Penelope Rowlands









French Leave: An Irishwoman's Adventures in Normandy by Liz Ryan








Our Man in Paris: A Foreign Correspondent, France and the French by John Lichfield










Cycling, Wine, and Men by Nancy Brook









The Sweet Life in Paris: Delicious Adventures in the World's Most Glorious- and Perplexing- City by David Lebovitz

Tomi Ungerer...

I fell a little bit in love this morning. While looking through the little ladies' library books, I came across a slim paperpack titled 'Emile' about a heroic octopus with nostalgic tendancies. The story was sweet, funny, and beautifully illustrated, the kind of story that's hard to find these days for my 8 and 6 year-old.

I found it hard to believe that this was just an ordinary children's book, so I read the author bio at the end, and lo and behold, this was not written by just any old children's author, this was written and illustrated by Tomi Ungerer, an award-winning author, illustrator and designer. So I opened the vast encyclopedia called Google to find out more.

As well as writing and/or illustrating more than 30 children's books, including The Mellops Go Flying, Flat Stanley, and Moon Man, he also produced illlustrations for The New York Times, Esquire, and Harper's Bazaar.

Ungerer also produced anti-Vietnam posters, wrote adult fiction with a heavy emphasis on eroticism, and designed various things, from film posters and political cartoons to an aqueduct in Strasbourg. Hellooo, over-achiever!

Born in Alsace, he lived through the German occupation of the region, and later moved to the States, then Cananda, and now resides in Ireland. Although I haven't yet checked out any of his erotic fiction or political illustrations, I think Tomi Ungerer sounds like an interesting man indeed.

If you haven't had a chance to read any of his children's books (although he is French, most of the books are written in English), I would definitely recommend them, as much for the sweet stories as for the illustrations. Ungerer has been described as 'the most famous children's book author you've never heard of', which I guess was true for me until today. It seems like alot of his children's books are no longer in print, so it may mean a trip to the library, but I promise it will be a worthwhile trip!

New books on France for April...

Not a heck of alot going on for new books on France this month in publishing. Managed to find three, though, that weren't just new releases of guidebooks. As usual, please let me know if I've missed any little gems...






Walnut Wine and Truffle Groves by Kimberly Lavato









Parisians: An Adventure History of Paris by Graham Robb








Horseshoes and Holy Water: On the Hoof from Canterbury to Santiago de Compostela by Mefo Phillips

New books on France for Feb/Mar...

Not too much going on in the publishing world for French-related books at the moment, although there are loads of new guides and maps that come out at this time of year, like the new Rough Guide to Paris and the 2010 Michelin Guide. Still, mananged to find a smattering that look interesting:




Lunch in Paris: A Love Story with Recipes by Elizabeth Bard








Back Roads France: Scenic Routes - Charming Hotels - Authentic Cuisine by DK Eyewitness Guides





Frommer's Paris Free and Dirt Cheap by Anna E. Brooke









The Invention of Paris by Eric Hazan










Colors of Provence: Traditions, Recipes and Home Decorations from the South of France by Michel Biehn

New books on France for January...

Here's a round-up of books published in January that talk France. As usual, let me know if I've missed any good ones!




Comptines de France pour les petits by Hervé Le Goff, Vincent Clément and others








Paris Patisseries: History, Shops, Recipes by Christian Sarramon and Pierre Herme








Buying a Piece of Paris: The Home of My Dreams in the City of Lights by Ellie Nielsen







In Love in France: A Traveler's Guide to the Most Romantic Destinations in the Land of Amour by Rhonda Carrier








For the Soul of France: Culture Wars in the Age of Dreyfus by Frederick Brown

Books on France for Christmas...

Five recently published books that would make great gifts for the Francophiles on your Christmas gift list:




Writers in Paris by David Burke








Paris Illuminated by Peter Hendrie










Rose En Marche: Running A Market Stall In Provence by Jamie Ivey







A Certain Je Ne Sais Quoi: The Ideal Guide to Sounding, Acting and Shrugging Like the French by Charles Timoney









French Vineyards (Alastair Sawday's Special Places to Stay French Vineyards) by Patrick Hilyer

Prix Goncourt 2009...

And the award goes to.... French-Senegalese author Marie NDiaye, for her book Trois Femmes Puissantes (Three Powerful Women).

The 106th author to be awarded the prize, Marie NDiaye is the first black author to win, and the first woman since 1998 to be given the highest honor in the French literary world.

Mme NDiaye published her first novel when she was 18 (man, I hate that!). Can't help but feeling like time is running out on me.....

This novel looks interesting, strong female protagonists, and all of that, so think it might be worth delving back into the French literary scene. I've been enjoying a pretty good run of reading some good books lately, after having been de-railed slightly by this whole 'parenting' thing. But it's been awhile since I was tempted to read in French. Looks like a good place to start.

Have any of you read it yet? If so, let me know what you thought!

New books...

This sort of went off piste during my summer hiatus, so I've done a small round-up of books that are about or set in France, published in the last few months (some published end of this month, some new out in paperback). I'm sure I've probably missed loads, so let me know if there's a good one I've not mentioned, as there seems to have been alot of action on this subject this summer. Enjoy!





Paris Times Eight: Finding Myself in the City of Dreams by Dierdre Kelly








Place Names of France: Over 4,000 Towns, Villages, Natural Features, Regions and Departments by Adrian Room







French Essence: Ambience, Beauty and Style in Provence by Vicki Archer, photography by Carla Coulson








I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do): Living in a Small Village in Brittany by Mark Greenside






Merde Happens by Stephen Clarke








Au revoir to All of That: Food, Wine, and the End of France by Michael Steinberger









The Vintage Caper by Peter Mayle (out 20th of October)









A Life in the Kitchen: Recipes and Reminiscences from a Master Chef by Michel Roux Jr.








Tout Sweet:Hanging Up My High Heels for a New Life in Rural France by Karen Wheeler

Le Petit Nicolas...

The film made to celebrate the 50th birthday of one of France's best loved children's literary classics, Le Petit Nicolas, comes out on Wednesday here in France.

Created in 1959 by René Goscinny and illustrated beautifully by Jean-Jacques Sempé, little Nicolas quickly became the nation's favorite schoolboy. Telling his tales through the eyes of a 7-year old, but often with the wit and wisdom of an adult, Nicolas has appealed to both young and old for 50 years.

The books are beautifully illustrated and would make a great gift for any francophile child or family. Not sure how well the film will translate when it appears in the States, but I think it would be worth seeing just for a glimpse into the world of 1960's France.

Books published in May...

Here's a list of new books or paperback editions appearing this month on all things France and French. As usual, let me know if I've missed any good ones!




The Sweet Life in Paris: Delicious Adventures in the World's Most Glorious- and Perplexing- City by David Lebovitz (his blog is a favorite of mine, www.davidlebovitz.com)





The Golden Age of Couture: Paris and London 1947-1957 by Claire Wilcox








Under Paris Skies by Enrique von Kiguel






Green Earth Guide: Traveling Naturally in France by Dorian Yates








The Best Vintage, Antique and Collectible Shops in Paris by Edith Pauly







Detour de France: An Englishman in Search of a Continental Education by Michael Simkins






Special Places to Stay: French Bed & Breakfast, 11th by Emma Carey, Florence Oldfield

Books published in April...

Here's the list of some new books published this month on all things French. Let me know if I missed any other good ones.

Joyeuses Pâques!

Romantic Paris by Michael Marrinan
Paris on Film by Kevin Conroy Scott
Paris from the Ground Up by James H.S. McGregor
The Crimes of Paris by Dorothy Hoobler
We've Always Had Paris...and Provence: A Scrapbook of our lives in France by Patricia Wells (paperback)
Eiffel's Tower by Jill Jonnes
Paris: Made by Hand by Pia Jane Byjkerk
Parisian Hideaways by Casey O'Brien and Beatrice Amagat
Through the French Canals by David Jefferson
Lorraine Connection by Dominique Manotti
Vanished Smile or The Lost Mona Lisa by R.A. Scotti

New books on France in March...

As a Francophile working in a bookshop in England for almost 5 years, I've got an awful lot of books on France on my shelves- history, travel guides, memoirs, cookbooks, interiors, fiction set in France, you name it, I've probably got it.

But that was almost 10 years ago and I'm a little out of the loop now on new books on France. So I thought I'd start a little monthly series here on books that have just come out that look interesting. Some might have just come out in paperback, but for the most part, they should be brand new titles. Feel free to add to the list if you know of any I haven't mentioned and let me know if you read any of them; tell me what you thought!

March 2009

A Table in the Tarn: Living, Eating and Cooking in Rural France
New Bistro
French Women Don't Sleep Alone
Francois Coty: Fragrance, Power, Money
The Flea Markets of France
The Foie Gras Wars
Ooh La La! A French Romp
Hungry Woman in Paris
Vintage Paris Couture: The French Woman's Guide to Shopping

Books for the kids...

The ratio of English to French kids' books we have in our house is probably about 70:30, and that's really only because they both have an abonnement at school which means each month they are sent a new book, which they read and discuss in class and then get to bring home to keep. It's a good idea because the books are age-appropriate, and the stories are usually pretty well-written.

But I do think I need to be adding to these stories, only because I think it would be good to have a balance between the languages in the stories they get read at bedtime (and it's doing wonders for my French; these stories can have some pretty unusual vocab).

So here's a selection of books I'm going to order for the little ladies for xmas:




The Story of a dirty pig who falls madly in love with a very refined girl (sheep) and learns the value of good hygiene along the way. If you've met my 4-year old, you'll understand this choice. Apparently fou rire garanti.





Maxime is a boy, who likes to play with dolls, which of course makes him the butt of his friends' jokes. Never too early to get a bit of anti-sexist ideology into their heads, right?








Who can go wrong with a fantastical world of animals in poetry, particularly when it's Jacques Prévert's poetry and it's beautifully illustrated.





And if you are looking for a book on France in English, I would definitely recommend 'This is Paris', a beautifully illustrated book in a series of 'This is....' which covers lots of major cities. They were written and illustrated in the late 50's and have a great retro feel to them. My little ladies love it!

Prix Goncourt winner: Syngué Sabou....

The winner of this year's Prix Goncourt was announced yesterday. The Afghan writer, Atiq Rahimi took the prize for his novel Syngué Sabou, or the Pierre de Patience. Apparently the title is derived from the Persian folktale of a stone that absorbs the distress of anyone who confides in it.

The story is about a wife who is caring for her husband who has been left brain damaged by a bullet during the fighting in a country that very much resembles Afghanistan. While she cares for him, she tells him stories of her life, not sure if he can hear her or not. The stories reflect the hardships and sacrifices they have had to make living in their country under an oppressive regime.

Atiq Rahimi was born in Kabul in 1962 but came to Paris in his 20's as an asylum seeker. He studied film making at the Sorbonne and in 2004 of film based on his book Earth and Ashes received acclaim at the Cannes Film Festival. Syngué Sabour is his first book written directly in French.

Mouthwatering reading...

I was looking through my books today and realized, not surprisingly, that I have an awful lot of books about France and French food. I also have alot of books on Russia and the cold war, but that's a whole other obsession....

I came across one of my all-time favorite books about French food, 'The Elusive Truffle' (originally published under the name 'A Spoon for Every Course'). I remember reading this book on a train from Worcester to Manchester and getting off the train feeling like I'd been transported to a different world. Exactly what a good book should do, but I was also ravenous, which is exactly how a great food book should make you feel.

The book is a mix of old-fashioned travel narrative, recipes and sweet illustrations. It follows the English author, Mirabel Osler, as she journeys through the country, searching for the legendary food of France. She meets restaurant owners and chefs, country folk and businessmen, all sharing the same passion- good food, where to find it, how to make it, and how to eat it.

The book evokes a sense of nostalgia for good French country cooking, served in rustic auberges, little cafés and road-side restaurants. They still exist in France, but now you have to look a little harder behind all of the Thai, tapas and 'trendy' restos that are so prevalent today, even in the French countryside.

If you enjoy reading about French cooking and could do with a little escapism, then this would be a good read for you. Unfortunately it looks like it might be out of print now, but seems like there are a few used copies going on amazon.