A New York Times Bestseller“Sciolino’s sharply observed account serves as a testament to…Paris—the city of light, of literature, of life itself.” —The New YorkerElaine Sciolino, the former Paris Bureau Chief of the New York Times, invites us on a tour of her favorite Parisian street, offering an homage to street life and the pleasures of Parisian living. “I can never be sad on the rue des … the pleasures of Parisian living. “I can never be sad on the rue des Martyrs,” Sciolino explains, as she celebrates the neighborhood’s rich history and vibrant lives. While many cities suffer from the leveling effects of globalization, the rue des Martyrs maintains its distinct allure. On this street, the patron saint of France was beheaded and the Jesuits took their first vows. It was here that Edgar Degas and Pierre-Auguste Renoir painted circus acrobats, Emile Zola situated a lesbian dinner club in his novel Nana, and François Truffaut filmed scenes from The 400 Blows. Sciolino reveals the charms and idiosyncrasies of this street and its longtime residents—the Tunisian greengrocer, the husband-and-wife cheesemongers, the showman who’s been running a transvestite cabaret for more than half a century, the owner of a 100-year-old bookstore, the woman who repairs eighteenth-century mercury barometers—bringing Paris alive in all of its unique majesty. The Only Street in Paris will make readers hungry for Paris, for cheese and wine, and for the kind of street life that is all too quickly disappearing.
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If you’ve ever dreamed of living in a foreign city like Paris, or anywhere really, read this book. You’ll love the characters, the neighborhood, and the feeling of community, of wanting to belong someplace. There are neighborhoods like this all over the world I guess, this is just one of them.
a love story to Rue Des Martyrs in Paris, loaded with artisanal shops and older buildings, The street also has some interesting history, including the founding of the Jesuit order. Lots of discussion of individual shops and the people who run them. Although this street may be somewhat more interesting to the author than to the reader, the book tells us that it is one of 60 streets in Paris protected by a Local Urbanism plan law passed in 2006. Under this law, no chain stores are permitted to move in, only artisanal shops. I cannot find a list of these 60 streets on line, but the book mentions the following streets as particularly charming, and photos are available on line:
– Bottom of Rue des martyrs up to rue de victor masse
– Rue Cadet
– Rue Richer
– Rue Montorgueil
– Rue Mouffetard
– Rue Cler
Lists of charming paris streets with photos are easily found on line, for example https://www.thelocal.fr/20150526/paris-ten-unforgettable-streets-to-walk-down
A deep dive into a great Paris street by a former NYT journalist. Lots of interesting history that you probably won’t find anywhere else. Mainly for hardcore Paris history buffs, although well-written and interesting just the same. A welcome break from the usual books about the usual more well-known tourist spots.
I lived through the 60s, and this is an awesome look at what happened back then.
An inside look at living in a wonderful part of Paris…..which we all love to pretend we might do some day. And having been in this area when traveling makes my memories of this neighborhood even more special.
A charming book that recreates the sounds, smells and life on Rue des Martyrs. A must for anyone who know this quartier.
I’ll be in Paris this fall and have added Rue des Martyres to my itinerary. This book has made me want to see it for myself.
I thought this was a very good book about a little known street near Sacre Couer section of Paris. An American journalist who lived and worked in Paris moved to the street in the 9th Arr and fell in love with it and wrote about the shops,the characters,the history and especially the famous people who lived there. An off-beat and interesting account that you can’t find in any other guide book about Paris. I plan to find this on my next (11th) trip to Paris this November.
It made me feel like I was living in Paris and really getting to know my neighbors. I really enjoyed it.
As one would expect from a journalist this is a well written description of life and history on a single street in Paris. Francophiles, history buffs and travelers will be well entertained.
Enjoyed the personal narrative of one particular street in Paris. The history. The people, the shops – it was a mental photograph of life on this street.
Love life in Paris books!
Love Paris to begin with and this insightful review of one single street made it a fascinating walk when we were in Paris last week!
About half way through, there was so much back and forth about what was happening back home in the states. I quickly became frustrated and stopped reading. The Paris story was good, but the issues back in USA were boring and repetitious.
Reading this book made my desire to return to Paris even stronger. I woul love to go & visit this part of he city with new eyes.
Much better than a guidebook.
I felt I was in Paris! And wished I could experience the author’s adventures and impressions for myself. Such fun to read. So well written.