Paris In Mind: From Mark Twain to Langston Hughes, from Saul Bellow to David Sedaris: Three Centuries of Americans Writing About Thei

It was Oscar Wilde who observed that when good Americans die, they go to heaven, but when very good Americans die, they go to Paris. Guided by two goals for her excellent anthology, "pleasure and variety" (p. xix), Editor Jennifer Lee has collected three centuries of American writers here, John Adams, James Baldwin, Dave Barry, Saul Bellow, Art Buchwald, T. S. Eliot, M.F.K. Fisher, Hemingway, Langston Hughes, Thomas Jefferson, Anais Nin, David Sedaris, Gertrude Stein, Twain, Edith Wharton, and E. B. White, among others, who all share one thing in common: a passion for Paris. PARIS IN MIND is organized into four sections: "Love (How to Seduce and Be Seduced Like a Parisian)," "Food (How to Eat Like a Parisian)," "The Art of Living (How to Live Like a Parisian)," and "Tourism (How You Can't Help Being an American in Paris)." Readers will find Twain captivated the Parisian "cancan" dance, and Bellow contemplating that even God "would be perfectly happy in France because he would not be troubled by prayers, observances, blessings and demands . . . Surrounded by unbelievers He too could relax toward evening, just as thousands of Parisians do at heir favorie cafes" (p. 59). In her contribution, Sylvia Beach recounts her dream of opening an American bookstore in Paris. In "Hunger was Good Discipline (from A MOVEABLE FEAST), Hemingway describes his encounter with physical and artistic hunger in Paris. Grant Rosenberg captures the Parisian cafe culturen in "A Day in the Life of a Parisian Cafe." In "The City of Light in the Dark," Sedaris describes his love of watching classic American films in Parisian theaters. In the excerpt from NO NAME IN THE STREET, James Baldwin describes his experience of being a black American in Paris. Reading PARIS IN MIND offers readers reason enough to live their lives as very good Americans. G. Merritt

never before have i come across such an eclectic and engaging anthology writings about paris from an american perspective. not only does the editor cover different aspects of the parisian experience--love, food, living, tourism--but she does so from a variety of perspectives from thomas jefferson to langston hughes. i would definitely recommend this book to any american planning a trip to paris or anybody who is simply in a "paris state of mind."

In her book, Jennifer Lee, has collected a delightful anthology of American writers in Paris. The book is like a basket of delicious French pastries - all here for our taking. No avid reader will be able to pass this one up.

The Washington Post's Jonathan Yardley says "Paris in Mind is terrific in just about every respect." John Leonard of Harper's Magazine calls it an "engaging anthology" of notable Americans writing about the City of Light. Frank Prial in the New York Times imagines Josephine Baker singing 'I have two loves/My own country and Paris' as "the musical theme for this attractive book." PARIS IN MIND is a wonderful anthology for anyone who loves Paris.