Parisian Life: Adventures in The City of Light

by Edith de Belleville

When your best girl friend is Coco Chanel, your life can't be too dull. When your enemy is Napoléon, your life can't be too ordinary either. And when you are flirting with Hemingway at the Ritz bar in Paris, even your love life is glamorous. This is the fabulous and real life in the City of Light of Edith de Belleville, a native Parisian who is in love with the past, art and extravagance. Edith's frank and charming style brings Paris vividly to life—its charm, its idiosyncrasies, its cafés and its glorious ghosts from the past. This collection of short stories is for anyone who loves Paris—the history, the romance, the culture—and who dreams of Parisian life.

About the

Edith de Belleville is a licensed tour guide in Paris, an attorney-at-law and an author. She published a book in French about inspirational Parisian women from the past, "Belles et Rebelles, à l'ombre des grandes Parisiennes" ( Editions du 81). When she is not at Versailles or the Orsay Museum, Edith is sitting on a café terrace in Paris, enjoying a café crème and watching the world go by.

186 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 26, 2022

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This would be a 3.5 from me. I was actually in a Facebook group that the author admin'd and eventually dropped out because of the sarcastic and flippant way she often answered people who asked her questions and that came through loud and clear in this book. She knows a lot about Paris, no doubt about that, but there is a thread of condescension and "know-it-all-ness" that eventually got on my nerves so I ended up skimming the last 1/3rd of the book. I was really hoping to love the book because I love reading about life in Paris (and other cities, too). And for someone who seems to "know it all" I was surprised that she twice referred to the Swiss luxury watch brand as Philippe Pateck instead of its correct name - Patek Philippe.

[Reg Crowder · Rating 5 out of 5]

If there is a warm spot in your heart for Paris, reading this book will make you very happy. "Parisian Life: Adventures in The City of Light" is the first book the author, Edith de Belleville, has written in English, and yet it is masterful. This is a great read! Edith de Belleville is a single, female tour guide in in Paris who shares her life and her love of The City of Light and, most important, her adventures there. Her story-telling is so powerful that she brings us right into her adventures in a way that makes us feel as if we are experiencing them -- right there with her. There were times reading this book when I was fearful of what might happen to her. But "fear not." All ends well. We are taken to the Paris where many of life's most important decisions are made across a little circular table at a sidewalk cafe. Sometimes Edith is searching for love. Sometimes she is running away from love. Now and then she is wondering whether she made the right choice. Give yourself a treat and join in Edith's adventures. You will laugh. You will cry. You will feel the warmth of Paris. And you will come to love that most wonderful Parisienne, Edith de Belleville.

[Marju Roberts · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was pretty disappointed about the way she talked about her customers. Seemed arrogant and all in all is a very self centered book. Didn’t get much about Paris, got so much more about her, and I really couldn’t have cared much less as I really hoped to learn about Paris. It was a story of seducing a rich customer, and that was that.

[Olena Polissky · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book "Parisian Life" by Edith de Belleville is a must-read for those passionate about Paris, particularly its past, as Edith herself lives in the past. She clearly states that she is not interested in the present and is attracted to history and reading about people who made history one way or another; as for her, their stories are more exciting than any novels. She takes the reader along on her adventures in Paris. She shares her most intimate thoughts and is not afraid of showing her vulnerability and making fun of herself, which to me, is a sign of a very intelligent woman who is confident about who she is and is not trying to please anybody. I truly enjoyed every moment of this fine book filled with stories, thoughts and ideas, and a sense of humour, and when turning to the last page, I felt I wanted more of it. I follow Edith's group on Facebook and love seeing her posts that help me keep Paris in my life, and not the Paris of glamour or expensive brands but Paris of the past, of the kings and queens, the Paris of la belle epoque and of roaring 20s, the Paris of writers and poets, artists and dancers... I also had the privilege of having Edith as my tour guide in Paris and absolutely loved her unique way of introducing you to the city she loves! Even though we met for the first time, it felt as if we were good friends, and Edith just casually talked about the city that is hers in every way.

[Alexandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved the history the author included and what she wrote about the cafes in Paris. I did not like her tone and voice in the book. I will keep the book only because if I want to visit Paris again I would like to go to some of the cafes she mentioned. She definitely is very knowledgeable about Paris history.

[Teresa Engebretsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Edith’s book! Her words brought to life many of my favorite places in Paris. I felt as if I was listening in on her conversations. I loved seeing the City of Light through the eyes of une vraie Parisienne. If you love Paris, I highly recommend this adventure!