A Place in the World Called Paris

by Steven Barclay (Editor), Miles Hyman (Illustrator), Susan Sontag (Foreword)

A Place in the World Called Paris is an unprecedented gathering of the twentieth century's most distinguished writers, each revealing a special facet of the City of Light. This anthology of more than 170 short excerpts from fiction, poetry, essays, and memoirs presents fresh and unexpected views of Franz Kafka on riding the Metro; Truman Capote on visiting Colette in her apartment in the Palais-Royal; Jane Kramer on Parisian style; Claude Debussy and Rainer Maria Rilke on the Luxembourg Gardens; E. B. White on the Liberation; and Maya Angelou on Paris nightlife.
Susan Sontag, in the foreword, evokes both the real and the longed-for Paris, where she lived on and off for many years. Miles Hyman, an artist living in Paris, has created atmospheric charcoal drawings that introduce each section of the book. And Steven Barclay has lent his special vision of the city to this book through his insightful selection of pieces and his intimate preface.
This special volume is for everyone who loves and remembers Paris, whether from literature or from their own walks along the Seine.

Genres: France, Travel, Nonfiction, Anthologies

176 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1994

Reviews

[Rebecca Chekouras · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ira Glass mentions this book in the credit roll following his wonderful excursions through Paris with David Sedaris so I was curious. A Place in the World is a compendium of quotes, recollections, observations, reminiscence about The City of Light, something to dip into and enjoy like a . . . well, a box of chocolates. It’s fun, I enjoyed it. The book really shone, however, when I threw it in my purse on the way out the door to a doctor’s appointment. I read it in the waiting room, a place where my anxiety can spike to astronomical levels but I was lost in The Tuileries when my name was called. My BP reading didn’t reflect the usual tension I bring to medical examinations so huzzah!

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quotes about Paris from many famous hands.

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mmmm... I really liked this book, probably more than I liked the city of Paris. It's very fun to read, taking in little short stories and snippets at a time. Plus I love Hemingway and the whole romance of the Lost Generation, and there's a few quotes from authors of that era in the book.