Charles Belfoure > Quotes

“think how the world would’ve turned out if Hitler had gotten into art school, thought Lucien.”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“When all this madness is over, I hope we meet again,” said Lucien. “We will, I’m sure of it,” replied Herzog. “I never thought I’d ever say this to a German oppressor, but I’ll miss you. We made an odd team.” “That we did, my friend,” Herzog agreed.”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“Because of their sacrifice, you must escape. If you don’t, everything up until now will have been in vain.” “But”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“But the very worst kind of collaboration was a French woman sleeping with a German. They were called the horizontal collaborationists.”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“He took a deep drag and looked up into the cold night sky and saw a sea of stars above him. He knew nothing about constellations or astronomy, but he enjoyed the beautiful sight. In Paris, he had never even noticed the night sky, but out in the country it was immense, almost drawing you up into the heavens. One couldn’t help but be awed by the sight. As he smoked, he continued to stare at the sky, marveling at the vast number and configurations of stars.”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“It had all been an illusion, Lucien knew. The buildings, the arches, the sweeping, graceful lines. All this time he had been worshipping a facade of concrete and glass. Lucien”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“The Occupation, Lucien realized, hadn’t just bred hatred of Jews, it had brought out the very worst in human beings. Hardship had bred pure self-interest, setting group against group, neighbor against neighbor, and even friend against friend. People would screw over each other for a lump of butter.”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“He loved seeing his buildings get built. That was the most wonderful thing about being an architect—to see your drawings become real, three-dimensional objects that you could walk around and touch. All architects were impatient to see their buildings completed.”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“Lucien had complete creative freedom. It wasn’t just a canard that an architect needed a good client to produce great art.”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“He studied at the Bauhaus, you know.” “So that makes him trustworthy? Because he’s an architect?” “A modernist architect.” “You’ve got an odd sense of trust, my love. He’s still a German, and you can never trust a German. Always remember that.” “Yes, my dear, I’ll keep that in mind.”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“dining”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“An architect should never rationalize a change in purely aesthetic terms, you know that. He should give the client a pragmatic reason for doing it.” Lucien”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“And if it was a project, would it be a chance to show his talent?”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“Does your architect know what the word mensch means?” “Yes, I once explained that word to him.” “Please tell him again for me that he’s a mensch.” “I’ll”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“Good triumphed this afternoon, didn’t it?” “That, my friend, was a miracle.” “And a clever bit of design to hide you up there,” said Manet as he gazed up at the painting. “Even”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“18. Schlegal was disappointed that the people he tortured always talked. What do you think were the motivations behind someone who talked and someone who didn’t? If you were in a situation where someone was trying to get information from you, what would be the final straw to make you talk?”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“All these buildings of Paris are treasures,” said Lucien. “But”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“The Germans were disgusted that the French always informed on one another during the Occupation. Would you assume that this is a common war practice? Why? In what ways does war bring out the worst in people? In what ways does it bring out the best in people? 6. Many spouses abandoned each other because one was Jewish. What did you think when Juliette Trenet’s husband left her? Is there any defense for what he did? 7. One reason Lucien helped Jews was to get architectural commissions from Manet. Did you agree with the French Resistance? Did Lucien’s love of design and the need to prove his talent cross the line into collaboration with the enemy? 8. Most fiction and films portray Nazis as monsters during World”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“Repeat after me…Our Father, who art in heaven…” “Barukh atah adonai, eloheinu…” “Stop.”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“Just think how the world would’ve turned out if Hitler had gotten into art school, thought Lucien.”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“Hardship had bred pure self-interest, setting group against group, neighbor against neighbor, and even friend against friend. People”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“Secretly, Lucien was ashamed that he was so useless to his country. Sometimes, he felt guilty that he was alive.”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“Let me explain something to you, Monsieur Bernard. Back in 1940, when this hell began, I realized that my first duty as a Christian was to overcome my self-centeredness, that I had to inconvenience myself when one of my human brethren was in danger—whoever he may be, or whether he was a born Frenchman or not. I’ve simply decided not to turn my back.”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“was odd that the French were so dignified in death but in life acted like shits squealing on each other.”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“As he turned up the avenue Marceau, he smiled as he always did whenever he thought of a new design.”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“Lucien was exultant over his design, brimming with pride as if he’d just won the Prix de Rome. Delighted with his own ingenuity, he experienced the same sense of exhilaration that had swept over him at the rue Galilée.”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“The wonderful thing about an architect designing his own home was that he didn’t have to answer to anyone. Usually, he had to get the client’s approval for every aspect of his design. Was this window style all right? Was the shape of the roof to their liking? They were paying for it, after all; they had the right. But when he built his own house, the architect had only to please himself. Every idea could be tried. The smallest detail could be included. No one could order him about.”
― Charles Belfoure, The Fallen Architect

“headed south. “Do you hear”
― Charles Belfoure, House of Thieves

“window”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“but kept their eyes straight ahead. The Gestapo captain”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect