Americans in Paris: A Literary Anthology: A Library of America Special Publication

Gopnik's literary anthology of Americans in Paris is a lovely volume, full of charm, wit, anecdote, and yes, melancholy for all those who have visited, or lived in, the City of Lights. Part of the Library of America, a continuing book trust fund dedicated to keeping American literature perpetually in print, (and doing so in ultra high quality hardbound volumes), this entry is nothing short of a fabulous look into the many Americans who passed through "La Ville-Lumière" at some point in their lives. "Americans in Paris" captivates anyone who has spent time in the city. Paris is remarkable in the emotion it evokes in people, and when we read the words both small and great of writers both small and great, we are drawn back in our own minds to the similar thoughts Paris evoked in us, but never took time to record in print. Some of the writings in this book are funny, some intriguing, some explanatory - but we never miss out on the fact that Paris was the constant in all of them. We live vicariously through these writings, and yet, use them to relive our own experiences in the city. It truly is the next best thing to being there. Read it for enjoyment, introspection, and also to look forward to your next trip to Paris. The book runs about 600 pages, and can be read in any order, by date, by person, or by topic. Entries are placed chronologically, starting with Benjamin Franklin and Abigail Adams in the late 18th century all the way to Vreeling and Tanning in the 20th century. Authors include Charles Lindbergh, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson, P. T. Barnum, Irwin Shaw, Henry James, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Ernest Hemmingway, Art Buchwald, Ralph Waldo Emerson, James Baldwin, and a host of others too lengthy to list here.

wonderful collection of witty sentimental essays on Paris. It was a welcome gift. Paul E.

As I've noted at my literary weblog The Elegant Variation, where I've recommended this title, "Gopnik's at his best writing about Paris, and his opening essay and brief introductions set the stage perfectly for excerpts ranging from the letters of Ben Franklin and Abigail Adams to familiar passages from A Moveable Feast and The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas to James Baldwin and Langston Hughes offering African-American perspectives. Hart Crane's 22-word postcard is a highlight, as is A.J. Liebling's quote that "In France, accidents occur in the bedroom, not the kitchen." The Library of America project is one we laud, and we direct you to this fine volume, if only to recall a distant time when Le Monde could praise the "charm, his beautiful and great words" of an American president (Roosevelt). It's the next best thing to being there."

Compiled and edited by New Yorker staff writer Adam Gopnik, America In Paris: A Literary Anthology is a seminal celebration of statesmen, soldiers, student tourist, and sometimes even expatriates' experiences in the grand, romantic, and one-of-kind city of Paris. Excerpts from journals, letters, and stories spanning centuries from pre-colonial days down to the modern times offer a grand cohesive whole of Paris through American eyes, painting a captivating picture that shifts with subtle nuances and the march of years. An enchanting and highly articulate literary composite portrait, featuring writings from Benjamin Franklin, Abigail Adams, P. T. Barnum, William Faulkner, Jack Kerouac, and many more.