Paris Tales: A Literary Tour of the City [Oxford University Press]

Paris Tales is a highly evocative collection of stories by French and Francophone writers who have been inspired by specific locations in this most visited of capital cities. The twenty-two stories — by well-known writers including Nerval, Maupassant, Colette, and Echenoz — provide a captivating glimpse into Parisian life from the mid-nineteenth century to the present day. The stories take us on an atmospheric tour of the arrondissements and quartiers of Paris, charting the changing nature of the city and its inhabitants, and viewing it through the eyes of characters such as the provincial lawyers wife seeking excitement, a runaway schoolboy sleeping rough, and a lottery-winning policeman. From the artists haunts of Montmartre to the glamorous cafs of Saint-Germain, from the shouts of demonstrators on Boul Mich to the tranquillity of Parc Monceau, Paris Tales offers a fascinating literary panorama of Paris. Illustrated with maps and striking photographs, the book will appeal to all those who wish to uncover the true heart of this seductive city.