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Saint Malo and All The Light We Cannot See: Book Review

Saint Malo and All The Light We Cannot SeeAll The Light We Cannot See is set in Saint Malo, Brittany

Imagine being a blind sixteen year old girl living alone with your reclusive aged great-uncle in a narrow derelict and silent house in Saint Malo during the German occupation of the greater Saint Malo area and then the final assault and eventual liberation by the British and Allied Forces.  This is the situation Marie-Laure the brave Parisian teenager finds herself in the fictional work of All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr.

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How to be Parisian Wherever You Are

How to be Parisian

How To Be Parisian Wherever You Are:  Book Review

The mystery of the Parisian woman is investigated in this stylish and light hearted book written by four Parisian women who have all excelled in their chosen careers, lived in Paris and have been friends for ages.

The not so serious look at the different aspects of the Parisian woman’s code of living makes an interesting and lighthearted read. This code can be emulated wherever you are.

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The Matchmaker of Périgord: Book Review

Village la roque gageac in Perigord

The Matchmaker of Périgord: Book review

Guillaume Ladoucette is the local barber of Amour-Sur-Belle; a village described as being so ugly that the English refuse to live there. Guillaume is forced to give up his business due to the advancing age of his customers and their increasing baldness.

So needing to work and occupy himself, he sets himself up as a matchmaker, because contrary to the name of his village – Amour-Sur-Belle, its inhabitants are very much lacking in love.

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Shakespeare and Company, Paris: A Must for Booklovers

Shakespeare and Company bookstore Paris

Shakespeare and Company, Paris: A Must For Book Lovers

“In the footsteps of literary giants I crossed the threshold of Shakespeare & Company and entered the world of famous writers and their books. A dream of mine come true in Paris…” – Annette Charlton

Shakespeare and Company

Today I’m going to share with you one of the loveliest English bookstores in Paris, Shakespeare and Company. I’ll share where it is, little tips on how to take home a souvenir from the bookstore and why I think you’ll love this Parisian bookstore.

Childhood memories and books blend together in my mind.  As a child some of my best memories revolve around books. My sister and I were avid readers, it could have been because as children we never had a television set until I was 13 years old, or maybe it was because books were our silent companions during the many happy church lectures and functions we attended as a family.

Or, it may have been that our mother and father read aloud to us each, and every night, until we could fluently read ourselves. What a precious gift our parents gave to us; the love of books and the joy of reading!

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The Red Notebook: Book Review

Paris the setting for The Red Notebook
The Red Notebook with Paris bookshop owner Laurent Letellier

The story of Paris bookshop owner, Laurent Letellier, starts when he finds a woman’s handbag on the street and becomes obsessed with finding the owner. There is however no identifying information about the handbag’s owner other than a dry cleaning ticket and a small red notebook full of handwritten thoughts and jottings.

This red notebook with its personal jottings and drawings reveals a personality that appeals to Letellier and to whom he would very much like to meet. How will he ever find this one woman in a city of millions though?

The story which follows his detecting, is quirky, fun, and a little romantic.  Thankfully for Laure (who has met with an unfortunate accident) Laurent is persistent and takes care of the loose ends in her life, like feeding her cat, while she recuperates in hospital unaware of his help.  Laurent, who I liken to a stylish Parisian good Samaritan, continues in his search for the owner of the bag and women he would like to meet.

A Parisian Lifestyle

The Red Notebook is a pleasant, good read with snippets of the Parisian way of life exposed. With only 159 pages this book is a great choice for a rainy week, or long weekend holiday.

Do you jot down messages, notes or draw pictures in a notebook?  I always have a notebook in my handbag to catch my ideas and write the little stuff that I am prone to forget.

What Does Your Handbag Reveal?

I got to thinking about the contents of a handbag or computer bag and what it reveals about the owner. At any one time it is a snapshot of who we are and what we are doing. What an interesting research project to collect this information about a group of people, rather like a local census.

Other Books Set in Paris or France

Another book written by Antoine Laurain is The President’s Hat and for more books set in Paris or France you might like to read these further book reviews:

The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George

One Sip At A Time by part time Frenchman Keith Van Sickle

The Matchmaker of Périgord by Julia Stuart

My Good Life in France by Janine Marsh of The Good Life

The Little Breton Bistro by Nina George

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Tour de Force: A film about the Tour de France

Tour de France petalon

Tour de Force – A Film About The Tour de Force

Le Tour de France is always a highlight on the cycling calendar with preparations and planning always underway. This iconic French cycling event that takes place annually throughout France is the subject of the comedy film Tour de Force.

“Like millions of others worldwide, 40 year old Francois Nouel (Clovis Cornillac) is a Tour de France fan. He has incomparable knowledge about everything to do with the race. He spends as much time as he can on his bike to escape from a disappointing everyday existence. At work he’s restricted to bicycle displays and things at home are no better: his son thinks he’s a loser and his wife berates him for being a coward. So when his wife discovers, on the eve of his holidays, that he’s been volunteered to work on the Tour it’s too much. She tells him she wants a divorce and leaves with his son.”

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A Family In Paris: Book Review

A Family in Paris by Jane Paech

A Family In Paris: Book Review

A Family in Paris tells the story of Jane Paech, an Australian mum who moves to Paris with her husband and two daughters. Her family relocates as her husband accepts a two year post at the Paris office of the wine importing company he works for.

Her story is told frankly and intimately of her new home set up, working through the French education system with her daughters and making a new life for herself in the famous City of Lights.

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My Inspiration Booklist: 4 Mini Book Reviews

House with shutters in Provence, France

Inspirational Books on Moving To and Living in France

Living in France sounds a dream for those of us who were not born there and to think of packing up and relocating, even for a short time, makes our heart flutter.  For some, taking action on this and actually relocating is a reality and often their dream is inspired by reading of the adventures of others who have taken on this challenge.

Everyone has a different story to tell they say. Cliche? Maybe, but I still think this is true.

For me, my bookcase now overflows with books on France, people of France, maps and language resources but the books that started me on our journey of buying a second home in France and then living between my homes in Australia and Brittany was these four. Holding a special place in my heart I now share them with you and how they changed my life.

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A French Collection is featured in international magazines, ABC National Radio interviews, France Media Group webinars & blog articles and interviews.

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