The Great Good Place: American Expatriate Women in Paris

by William Wiser

From the middle of the 19th century to the middle of the 20th, Paris was that good place - the only place, it seemed, where an American woman of strong feeling, of artistic ambition of wayward impulse or sheer joie de vivre could be wholly herself.

336 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 1991

Reviews

[Mills College Library]

305.567 W8145g 1991

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one actually turned out much better than I'd thought after reading only the first chapter, about Mary Cassatt. I wasn't especially interested in her story, and the writer's style was a bit difficult for me at first. However, once I moved into the next chapter, about Edith Wharton, I was really enjoying myself.

My favorite chapters were those about Zelda Fitzgerald and Caresse Crosby, of whom I'd never heard. Married to Harry Crosby, the "poet", Caresse lived a crazy life in Paris, but got herself together enough to start the Black Sun Press; she went on to found other independent presses as well. Although Harry died a tragic death, Caresse managed to move on with her life and carry on. I was familiar with Zelda's story from having read several books about her, and although there was nothing particularly surprising in the chapter I did enjoy reading her story told from a different point of view than the others I've read.

Surprisingly, the chapter about Josephine Baker was more interesting than I'd expected it to be; I didn't have all much knowledge about her life, and knew only that she was a popular dancer and had a reputation of dancing in provocative, nearly pornographic ways. The author brought Josephine closer to the reader to the point that one felt compassion as well as esteem for her after all.

All in all, a really great read for people interested in the lives of ex-patriate Americans in the 1920s-1930s. And the biblography at the end of the book had me listing many to be added to my to-read list here!

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

Light biographies covering the Paris years of five women whose lives were rooted in the arts, in more or less chronological order. The author assumes that readers are familiar with his well-documented subjects (with the exception, perhaps, of Caresse Crosby, a relative unknown who lived high and went in for the publication of cheap but well-produced editions of English language books). Told with easy grace by an author with an insider's feel for Paris.