Paris In Mind: From Mark Twain to Langston Hughes, from Saul Bellow to David Sedaris: Three Centuries of Americans Writing About Their Romance (and Frustrations) with Paris

Great little excerpts from people throughout history on their time, emotions, life, and beauty in Paris.

Love all the different articles and have enjoyed being able to ready at my leisure and skip what I do not want to read until later. This is a great one to carry in my purse.

loved to variety of viewpoints on paris

This is for sure a book full of eclectic and interesting excerpts showcasing the various people that have grown to love Paris.I thought the writers who were showcased in this book were more interesting than the excerpts themselves. The people who are picked show just how many writers/artists have found inspiration in Paris. But to me, the actual excerpts didn't really showcase the mystique of Paris that well. Some of them felt a little dry. For example, Thomas Jefferson's section felt like it was included because of his importance, not because his piece was all that interesting.Still, it was cool to revisit some of my favorite writers and was a decent enough read.

"Who doesn't love Paris? Reading an anthology of writers who lived in, and wrote about Paris is only second best to being there. From Hemingway to Sedaris, Thomas Jefferson to Langston Hughes, these well-chosen essays span over two hundred years. Whether describing the start of the French Revolution, or a corner bistro in present times, this book helps enrich one's view of Paris, and better appreciate her charms." Paris In Mind

I greatly enjoyed this book, much as I enjoy my favorite city. Yes, there are other writers who might have been included, but what's there is great, and a special tip of the beret for including Langston Hughes.

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."

What a shame that such a nominally prestigious publishing house as Random House should choose to squander its prestige on an anthology as misguided and truly unnecessary as this. First of all, it begins from the wrong place, which is to say cliche: namely, the cliche of the American in Paris, getting charmed, getting frustrated (but just a little bit), getting (it is intimated) laid. What is missing is the realization that Paris is beautiful AND complicated, and no, juxtaposing a squib by David Sedaris (yawn) with one by Thomas Jefferson does not do much, if an7thing, in the way of promoting excitement or insight.The inclusion of unknown writers is to be commended, the fact that their material is almost studiously lackluster is not. How an editor whose previous work includes "2sexE: Urban Tales of Love, Liberty and the Pursuit of Gettin' It On" was ever entrusted with this subject matter is beyond me, but if you think Paris deserves to be treated like a Fox News documentary, then maybe this slight tome is the book for you.