My first book for the summer challenge is Tunnel 29. It was recommended by Rennie @ What's Nonfiction during a Nonfiction November challenge a couple of years ago. I was so happy when I recently found the book, and it comes with very good reviews. Originally the story was told through a BBC Radio 4 podcast. It gained lots of critical acclaim and has been made into a documentary, movie and now a book. It is one of those stories that are stranger than fiction. Merriman gives us a good introduction, and a short resume of the political situation in Europe from World War II, the peace treaty and the division of Europe into East and West. There is also a short, but scary introduction to life in East Germany, the people who ruled it, and the devastating decision to build a wall dividing Berlin. It is the true story of efforts to flee East Germany once the wall was up. We follow Joachim Rudolph, a young engineering student who, after escaping East Germany in 1961, returned to help others flee. In 1962, Rudolph and a group of fellow students came up with the idea of digging a tunnel beneath the Berlin Wall. The East German authorities had taken measures to prevent people from fleeing above ground and it became more and more difficult and dangerous to try to cross the wall. The group spent several months, facing terrible hardship, to dig the 135-meter tunnel. It was not only the physical dangers, but also dangers of being infiltrated by informants. I will not reveal any more details, but Merriman follows several people simultaneously, making the story read like a thriller. It just happens to be fact based. Merriman's narrative is based on extensive research, including interviews, news reports, and Stasi files. She is giving us a vivid portrayal of life in the divided city. It is also part of the story how television networks started reporting events in a different way. It was the time of the Cold War, and Merriman also gives us some insights in how the politics were working. The sensitive decisions politicians had to make, considering the fear of another war. This is a story for everyone who is interested in European politics and the Cold War era. Excellently written, and more exciting than anything, any author, could make up.

This challenge is hosted by Sue Jackson on Book by Book . My initial list with 8 books has been extended by another couple of books that I have read, making it 12. They are detective stories by Kristina Ohlsson, and I am totally absorbed. I am at the last book in the series now. They are all ebooks so unfortunately they don't lower my TBR shelves. I took a rest from my list to read a couple of detective stories by Swedish author Kristina Ohlsson. I read the first in the series a while ago and really liked it. A little bit different set-up of characters than the usual ones. It takes place by the sea a little bit north of Gothenburg, on the west coast of Sweden. There is a murder where the story goes back many years and affect people today. Water, harbours and beaches are always within reach. The stories are so well built up, and for all of the books the stories get more and more exciting. As you near the end it is impossible to put the book down. I am now on the fourth book, which is the fifth(!) (I missed out no. 5 and thought it was no. 3, so already read the last one). They can be read in which order you want, but relationships do develop through book. Very good, easygoing reads this summer. A good start. The Children's Book by A.S. Byatt (615 pages) Freedom by Jonathan Franzen (562 pages) The Scottish Prisoner by Diana Galbadon (507 pages) Facing the Light by Adèle Geras (403 pages) Tychonium - Experimentet by Jan Johannesson   (448 pages) Now Face to Face by Karleen Koen (586 pages) Shakespeare and the Countess by Chris Laoutaris (416 pages) Blondie by Joyce Carol Oates (862 pages) Isbrytare by Kristina Ohlsson (552 pages) Nattankare by Kristina Ohlsson (512 pages) Skuggläge by Kristina Ohlsson (500 pages) Frälsekransen by Kristina Ohlsson (500 pages)

One of the main goals on what to see during my Paris visit was Shakespeare & Company. I have read so much about the book shop and its time. Although you have to queue to get in these days, it was not more than 15-20 minutes. It is one of these shops that open up to small rooms as you go further into the building. For some reason or another, it was not allowed to take photos inside. The top floor was dedicated to reading and relaxing. All the books up there was only for loan while you were there, not for buying. It looks like you imaging it looked at the beginning of the 20th century when Sylvia Beach was the owner. It was nice to visit in my aim to look out addresses of authors living in Paris at the time. San Francisco Book shop I also visited two other bookshops - San Francisco Bookshop and The Abbey Books. Both were full of books from floor to ceiling with just a small space to move around the shop. They were also with a lot of small rooms, opening up as you walk inside. The Abbey Books The Abbey Books I bought 11 books, some of the somehow connected to France, some not. I am very pleased about the books I found. The books are not cheap, not even the second hand ones, but when you find the right book, you just have to take out your card. Nancy Mitford - Voltaire in Love Nancy Mitford - Madame de Pompadour Stephen Clark - talk to the snail, Ten commandments for understanding the French David Sedaris - Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim Irène Némirovsky - Le Bal Charlotte Brontë - Tales of Angria Benjamin Franklin - The Autobiography of Paula McLain - Love and Ruin Paul Verlaine - Before Wisdom: The Early Poems John Baxter - The Most Beautiful Walk in the World, Pedestrians in Paris Duff Cooper - Talleyrand

This is a review from when I read the book back in 2014. I have had this novel for a couple of years and was always afraid to read it, mostly because I was not sure whether it would be so theoretical that it was really above me. On the contrary, it turns out, this is a fantastic book, utterly fascinating. The book is partly based on the relationship between Simone de Beauvoir and her life-long companion Jean-Paul Sartre. To understand the book I think we have to have a short resumé of their lives. Simone de Beauvoir was born in 1908, and was a French writer, intellectual, existentialist philosopher, political activist, feminist and social theorist. She wrote novels, essays, biographies, an autobiography and papers on philosophy, politics and social issues. Her best known novels are She Came to Stay, The Mandarins and The Second Sex. She was born into a wealthy family which lost most of their wealth after World War I. She started to study and she was only the ninth woman who received an exam from the Sorbonne. Women had just recently been allowed into higher education. She went on to study philosophy and that is where she met Jean-Paul Sartre, Paul Nizan and René Maheu. She passed her exam as second after Sartre. Beauvoir and Sartre became a couple, but they never married. Beauvoir said later she could not accept his proposal since she had no dowry! The couple always read each others work and there has been discussions who has influenced who and written what in several of their works. Beauvoir was known to have relationships with women. It was rumoured that she seduced her students and in 1943 she was suspended from teaching due to an accusation of having seduced a 17-year-old student. In 1943 Beauvoir published She Came to Stay which was her first novel. It is a fiction of her's and Sartre's relationship with the sisters Olga and Wanda Kosakiewicz. Olga was one of Beauvoir's students and she grew fond of her. Sartre tried to pursue Olga but was refused so he began a relationship with Wanda. When he died Sartre was still supporting Wanda and had also supported Olga for years. She later married Jacques-Laurent Bost, one of Beauvoir's lovers. As you see, quite a complicated life. The book is based on this drama, but Olga and Wanda are changed into one young girl, Xaivère. The novel is a fictive metaphysical novel and it treats the questions of existentialistic thoughts about freedom, anxiety and 'The Other'. We have to go to Wikipedia to have an explanation of these things (at least me). Metaphysics is a traditional branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the fundamental nature of being and the world that encompasses it. Traditionally, it tries to answer two basic questions in the broadest possible terms: 1. What is ultimately there? 2. What is it like? The Other opposes the Same. Other is identified as "different". It has been used in social science to understand the processes by which societies and groups exclude 'Others' whom they want to subordinate or who do not fit into their society. de Beauvoir changed the Hegelian notion of the Other and used it in describing a male-dominated culture. This treats woman as the Other in relation to man. That indicates that the Other is an important concept for studies of the sex-gender system. In the world of Beauvoir the Other is the minority, the least favoured one and often a woman. Now to the book. The book takes place just before France is forced into the World War II. Françoise is a writer and Pierre a director/writer who sets up theatre productions. They share everything; life, love, secrets, passion for the theatre. They are one, separately they are nothing. They have a free relationship and is closely connected intellectually. Everything works very well until Xavière comes into their lives. It is not clear how Françoise got to know her but at the start of the book she is visiting Paris from Rouen where she lives with her aunt and uncle. She is young, has no education and no work. Françoise and Pierre decide to invite her to Paris and they will pay for her until she can get a job. Both of them are attracted to Xavière and she likes both of them. However, she does not understand their relationship and tries to separate them. Françoise who always was very content with her life now sees that she is the weakest partner. All of a sudden she is just one among the crowd. Her jealousy almost kills her and she must be free, although she sees now how this can be. The book follows them during a little bit less then a year and there is their daily lives, cafés, restaurants, dances, drinks and night-life. How they have the energy to work I don't know! But they do, except Xavière. She doesn't want to do anything. She is not interested in any of the educations that they try to convince her to take, she does not want to work because she is not interested in any work. She tries acting, but tires rather fast. She sleeps during the day and sees them during the night. She is lazy, nonchalant, sloppy and self-absorbed, she has no will or ambition but still wants to become famous. A rather unsympathetic type in other words. The open relationship that Françoise and Pierre have changes when Xavière comes into their lives. The book is written from Françoise's point of view and it is her thoughts on existentialism, anxiety, jealousy and the meaning of life that we come to share. The menage à trois affects all three of them and not in a very positive way. It is difficult to see what it is that makes these two highly, intellectual, freely thinking and independent people so dependent on this young girl. They follow all her whims, all her moods. Even when they are by themselves they discuss how she is and what her moods will be when they meet. Xavière is jealous on Pierre's special love for Françoise. Françoise notices this and feels that Pierre does not care or notice. Pierre spends much less time with Françoise and when he does they seem to discuss only Xavière. The philosophical thoughts in the book about life in general, relationships, the threat of the imposing war is very interesting and gives you something to think about. It is fascinating to say the least. You wonder where this will all lead in the end. Well, for me, it lead in a direction that I could not have imagined! You have to read this book.

This challenge is hosted by Sue Jackson on Book by Book . If you are interested in joining head back to Sue's website for more goodies on this challenge. I co-read with the 20 Books of Summer challenge. Yippee, I have finished my first thick book for the challenge. Tychonium - Experimentet by Jan Johannesson (448 pages). Jan Johannesson: Tychonium, Experimentet (The Experiment) Great cover, isn't it? Jan Johannesson is a Swedish civil engineer and strategy consultant, turned author. His debut novel came in 2022, Tychonium, The Discovery (unfortunately available only in Swedish). Johannesson has spent a lot of his life on Hven, the small island situated in Öresund, between Sweden and Denmark. Maybe that is why he chose to make his historical fiction trilogy about Tycho Brahe, the famous Danish astronomer, who lived on the island at the end of the 16th century. The Experiment  is the second instalment of the trilogy. "The secret society Brahes Familia is put to new tests after the events of Bloody Sunday in St. Petersburg in 1905. Now they must find new ways to secure the possibility of carrying out Tycho Brahe's experiment - the explosive discovery that Tycho and his sister Sophie made on Hven in March 1590. At the beginning of the 20th century, society is developing at a furious pace and new ideas are pushing old truths aside. The peace negotiations in the United States to try to end the Russo-Japanese War force Kirsten Rööd-Michelsen to make a choice. No one is left untouched by the uprisings in Tsarist Russia, and when the need for change is greatest, everything is put to the test. Henri Becquerel's scientific abilities are tested to the limit when Brahes Familia must find a way to carry out the experiment while preparing for their most difficult mission. In 1908, the future of the world is at stake, in a time eerily similar to our own. Tychonium – The Experiment is the second part of the Tychonium series, a fantasy-inducing historical thriller about secret societies, power struggles, and great discoveries." As a fan of historical fiction this is a thrilling tale of international politics and power struggles. Both on a governmental as well as on a personal level. Johannesson is well researched in both historical events and in scientific research. I am full of admiration for the scientific parts of the story. Johannesson manages to put his charismatic characters into real world events, and include them, in a realistic way, to real historical persons included in the story. The second instalment of the trilogy is as exciting and thrilling as the first one. We get deeper into the main characters as well as being introduced to new ones. Behind them is the devastating experiment which finally is to take place, far out in the wilderness of Russia. A Russia in turmoil due to the Russian-Japanese war and revolutionary movements. All seen through various characters in Russia, on different levels of society. The Experiment  is not only an international thriller, it is also a lesson in history and science. Mixed with the personal lives of the main characters it is a solid novel, difficult to put down. Is it a story of man's pursuit for scientific development, or a fight for knowledge to gain power? I can't wait for the third instalment.

I have read another two books for the 20 Books of Summer challenge. The challenge is hosted by Annabel at   AnnaBookBel  and Emma of Words and Peace . The two books are Meditations by Marcus Aurelius and Tychonium, The Experiment (my translation) by Jan Johannesson. Two rather different kind of books. Marcus Aurelius (121-180 CE) - the man Marcus Aurelius was the last of the "Five Good Emperors" (the others being: Nerva, Trajan, Hadrianus, and Antoninus Pius). He is the epithet of a Roman emperor, but he was also a philosopher, often remembered as the ideal Stoic ruler. Born into a prominent Roman family, he was adopted by Emperor Antoninus Pius as part of a succession plan. which was drawn up by Emperor Hadrian. It was quite common in the Roman times to adopt a person you wanted to inherit your fortune, or position in society. Marcus was already from a young age, drawn to philosophy, particularly Stoicism, and its emphasises on rationality, duty, and self-discipline. Marcus Aurelius became emperor in 161 CE. His death in 180 CE marked the end of the Pax Romana. Marcus was a wise ruler and just leader. It is probably due to his education and the philosophical ideas which he tried to live by. He spent most of his reign on military campaigns, had to face the Antonine plague which killed millions and constant rebellions against the Empire's borders. Despite these pressures he managed to focus on virtue and reason, rarely allowing personal interest to take precedence over his public duty. He lived his whole life by Stoic principles and believed in controlling the self, accepting fate and acting with justice. He was thoughtful, modest, introspective, and duty-bound. He also lived a simple life despite his power, in contrast to many influential people during the Roman era. Meditations His Meditations was his personal writings, never meant for publication. They were written in Greek during his military campaigns. The aim was to help him, and clarify his self-reflections and moral improvement. They are based on the Stoic philosophy of controlling one's emotions, accepting fate, and doing one's duty. It is also a reflection on mortality and the nature of life. Even if you live in external chaos, you should stay true to reason and virtue. Marcus' reflections are personal, often meditative and sometimes stern. Avoid distractions, pleasures and vanity. They are repetitive, as you have to remind yourself of the virtues. They are easy to forget as you go through daily life, and you have to regularly contemplate their values. It might be difficult to think you can follow these rules today, but that is not the case. Many of them are eternal values for whatever society you live in. We have something to learn from them, also in our daily lives. Here are two famous quotes which I try to think of in my daily life. “You have power over your mind — not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” “Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one.” Marcus Aurelius reflections on life are still remembered today, and widely read and respected. There is something in his meditations for everyone. He embodies the ideal leadership based on ethical self-discipline and inner clarity. This is something that should inspire leaders today. It might be good for all of us to write down a few reflections of our day; what did we do? did we act in a good way to our fellow beings? were we true to ourselves. " For nowhere does a man retreat into more quiet or more privacy than into his own mind, especially one who has within such things that he has only to look into, and become at once in perfect ease; and by ease I mean nothing else but good behaviour . " From Meditations, IV.3 Jan Johannesson: Tychonium, Experimentet (The Experiment) Jan Johannesson is a Swedish civil engineer and strategy consultant, turned author. His debut novel came in 2022, Tychonium, The Discovery (unfortunately available only in Swedish). Johannesson has spent a lot of his life on Hven, the small island situated in Öresund, between Sweden and Denmark. Maybe that is why he chose to make his historical fiction trilogy about Tycho Brahe, the famous Danish astronomer, who lived on the island at the end of the 16th century. The Experiment is the second instalment of the trilogy. What a wonderful cover "The secret society Brahes Familia is put to new tests after the events of Bloody Sunday in St. Petersburg in 1905. Now they must find new ways to secure the possibility of carrying out Tycho Brahe's experiment - the explosive discovery that Tycho and his sister Sophie made on Hven in March 1590. At the beginning of the 20th century, society is developing at a furious pace and new ideas are pushing old truths aside. The peace negotiations in the United States to try to end the Russo-Japanese War force Kirsten Rööd-Michelsen to make a choice. No one is left untouched by the uprisings in Tsarist Russia, and when the need for change is greatest, everything is put to the test. Henri Becquerel's scientific abilities are tested to the limit when Brahes Familia must find a way to carry out the experiment while preparing for their most difficult mission. In 1908, the future of the world is at stake, in a time eerily similar to our own. Tychonium – The Experiment is the second part of the Tychonium series, a fantasy-inducing historical thriller about secret societies, power struggles, and great discoveries." As a fan of historical fiction this is a thrilling tale of international politics and power struggles. Both on a governmental as well as on a personal level. Johannesson is well researched in both historical events and in scientific research. I am full of admiration for the scientific parts of the story. Johannesson manages to put his charismatic characters into real world events, and include them, in a realistic way, to real historical persons included in the story. The second instalment of the trilogy is as exciting and thrilling as the first one. We get deeper into the main characters as well as being introduced to new ones. Behind them is the devastating experiment which finally is to take place, far out in the wilderness of Russia. A Russia in turmoil due to the Russian-Japanese war and revolutionary movements. All seen through various characters in Russia, on different levels of society. The Experiment is not only an international thriller, it is also a lesson in history and science. Mixed with the personal lives of the main characters it is a solid novel, difficult to put down. Is it a story of man's pursuit for scientific development, or a fight for knowledge to gain power? I can't wait for the third instalment. In the meantime I have finished another book, outside my 20 books list. Madame de Pompadour by Nancy Mitford. A review of this nonfiction account on her life will be published during Paris in July. I am to start the next book to read for this challenge; Nine Parts of Desire by Geraldine Brooks. Since I always need a couple of books to change between, I did another spin from my list, and got: Tamara - Memoirs of St Petersburg, Paris, Oxford and Byzantium by Tamara Talbot Rice. That is four books in total so far, of which I am very pleased. I hope you are doing well with the summer/winter reading?

I found these questions @ Read with Stefani , to wrap-up my half year reading in 2025. They are from 2024, but will fit well into 2025 as well. Best book you’ve read so far in 2025? Trust by Hernan Diaz, a 2022 novel by Argentine‑American author Hernán Díaz. It won the 2023 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction (shared with Demon Copperhead). A book which is a little bit difficult to get into, but improves with the four short stories it contain. It is beautifully put together in the end. Best sequel you’ve read so far in 2025? I don't often read series, but I read a thriller, Stormvakt, by Kristina Ohlsson in 2022. I liked it so much and it was just by chance I found the following 2-5 in the series. I read them almost in one go, because they are so good and exciting. A perfect summer read as it takes place at the west coast of Sweden, by the sea. New release you haven’t read yet, but want to. I don't often look for new releases, since I have enough of books to read which are already out. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year. See above Biggest disappointment. De kommer att drunkna i sina mödrars tårar by Johannes Anyuru. A much anticipated read, it has won a prestigious prize in Sweden, but I did not like it at all, or even understood it. Biggest surprise. Tunnel 29 by Helena Merriman. A true story about people trying to flee from East Berling, when the wall was built. So exciting and touching, beats any fictional account. Favourite new author. (Debut or new to you). Hernan Diaz - looking forward to reading his first book In the Distance . Newest fictional crush. Must be Ray-Ray in Kristina Ohlsson's Strindberg series. He is a criminal investigator, never seen before. Totally charming. Newest favourite character. See above. Book that made you cry . I cry easily, but can't really remember. I probably did cry a little bit reading Dottern (The Daughter) by Sara Önnebo. It was a time wise sad story where a secret is kept to long, and there is no time to talk about it with the persons concerned. Book that made you happy. Shooting Butterflies by Marika Cobbold. I did certainly cry here as well. A beautiful, but sad, love story covering several generations. A wonderful book, highly recommended. Most beautiful book you’ve bought so far this year (or received). See above. That is really a beautiful story. I found it in a small street library, and is one of the books I kept after reading it. What books do you need to read by the end of the year? Reading about books from book bloggers there always pop up a lot of books I want to read. My idea is to plan my reading a little bit more this year. I am participating in 20 Books of Summer, Big Book Summer Challenge and Paris in July, so the reading for these three months is already planned. For the autumn, I would like to read the great Russian authors; Tolstoj and Dostoyevsky, possibly The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann. In other words; classics. However, I don't need to read any special book. That was a little bit of my mid-year wrap-up. I have read 56 books the first six months, of which 29 came from my TBR shelves. I am pleased with that. I hope you have also had a wonderful first half year of reading your favourite books, finding a new author, and possibly a new favourite character.

Thank you to Emma @ Words and Peace  who is hosting this event this year as well. We are already guided into the various themes of this year. Head over to Emma's website for more information. The great thing about Paris is when you decide to visit a museum, a place or do whatever you have in mind. Once done, you just have to check out Google maps and you will find several other interesting places to visit. This was the case when I visited the Bastille. Well, the original Bastille is gone today, left is only a square and a park. The Bastille As you know it was once a fortress, known as the Bastille Saint-Antoine. For most of its history it was a state prison. On 14 July 1789 it was stormed during the French Revolution. After the destruction very little remained of the fortress. What remained was later demolished and replaced by the Place de la Bastille. Today a rather peaceful place. At the centre stand the July Column, commemorating the 1830 revolution. On the top is the famous statue Génie de la Liberté by Augustin Dumont. The July Column with the Génie de la Liberté Maison de Victor Hugo It did not take too much time, so I was eager to visit something else. I checked Google maps and found that Victor Hugo once lived nearby, when he returned to Paris from his exile in Jersey and Guernsey. We visited his house in Guernsey some years ago and I was eager to see how he lived in Paris. His house in Guernsey is a little bit of a horror house. He decorated it himself, and it is a dark place, with rustic furniture and I could not imagine to live there. His flat in Paris is another matter. Situated at the beautiful Place des Vosges in the Marais district, it is the oldest planned square in Paris. with a park in the middle and surrounded by beautiful noble houses. It is one of the royal five squares in Paris. A fashionable place to live. Victor Hugo lived her from 1832 to 1848. In 1903 the flat was made into a museum. One of the rooms in the Victor Hugo museum. The man himself in the painting .It is not decorated with furniture from Hugo’s time, but decorated with pieces from that time. The family of Hugo has also generously donated many items to the museum. It was interesting to walk around the rooms, which were much nicer than his house. The Picasso Museum Coming out of the museum and walking around the square admiring the buildings surrounding it, it was time for another map. I discovered that there is a Picasso museum nearby, so started walking in the direction. It showed me another nice area of Paris, with its small streets with shops and restaurants, and small parks everywhere. I found the museum after a somewhat labyrinthine walk through the small streets. The Museum was another surprise. I am not that much of a fan of Picasso, but when I followed his career from early years through his life, I am much impressed by the man. He never seems to have settled with what he was doing, always developing his art along the way. If you ever are in Paris you have to visit the museum. It gives such a good insight into his life and artistic work. Impressive entrance One of Picassos beautiful paintings Maison de Honoré de Balzac Another day, another literary home. I took the metro to come to Balzac’s house which is situated a little bit outside the Seine. The metro station before my destination was the Eiffel tower. It turned out there was something wrong with the doors of the wagons, so we all had to leave the train. I had not intended to go to the Eiffel tower since I have been there before. But, when fate takes you this way, you just have to say thank you. I did not go very close but stayed on the route to Balzac. Still, I got closer than before and got a nice picture from the bridge over the Seine. I continued through a very nice area of apartment houses, had to go up a lot of stairs to come to the next level. It was tough. Please note that there are stairs also to the right and left, plus more stairs in the middle above. Once letting my breath come back to normal, I continued along the road. All houses seemed to be rather younger than Balzac, and when I saw the modern entrance I was wondering what was going on. I went inside, it was for free, and walked down the stairs and came into a wonderful, peaceful garden, where people were scattered here and there, reading, drinking coffee or just relaxing. At the end of the garden was a small house which turned out to be where Balzac used to live. It turned out that the house was over three floors and what you see from the garden is the top floor. From here you have a nice view over Paris, although in his days, it must have been pure countryside here. The beautiful, relaxing garden Entrance to the house from the garden Even if the house was not as it was when Balzac lived here, it was a nice remembrance of his time. I have not read a lot of his books, only Père Goriot which I did like. His most famous writing is that of La Comédie Humane . His study, although I don’t think this is the desk he wrote from, but at least the place He was an inspiration to writers of his time and beyond. He has been compared to Dickens, although I must say I think his books are not as thick as Dickens. Richard Lehan, states that "Balzac was the bridge between the comic realism of Dickens and the naturalism of Zola". Even Flaubert was influenced by Balzac and wrote: “What a man he would have been had he known how to write!” Balzac put attention to detail and depictions of bourgeois life. Even Marcel Proust adored Balzac and studied his works. View from the garden, or the upper part of the entrance Even Henry James was affected by Balzac, and he was sad about the lack of contemporary attention paid to Balzac. I guess that is often the case. Artists get more praise when they are gone. Just look at Van Gogh. James wrote: “Large as Balzac is, he is all one piece and he hangs perfectly together.” Just make me want to read more of Balzac.

One of the reasons why I wanted to spend extra time in Paris was to follow in the footsteps of the many famous writers and artists living here in the 1920s. Before I venture into the Shakespeare & Company, visit the streets where the writers lived and worked, it might be interesting to know why - especially - the writers were called the lost generation. In general, the term “The Lost Generation” is used for the young people who reached adulthood around World War I. In particular it was also used for the group of American expat writers living in Paris during the 1920s. The term was coined by Gertrude Stein, and was made popular by Ernest Hemingway when he used it in his novel The Sun Also Rises : “You are all a lost generation.” Here he refers to people who are “disoriented, wandering, directionless” which probably fit a lot of the survivors of the war. Shakespeare & Company The bookshop, who sold mostly books in English, was first opened by American expat Sylvia Beach on 19 November 1919, then at 8 rue Dupuytren. The store worked as a library as well as a bookstore. In 1921 Beach moved to a larger place at 12 rue de l’Odeon where it remained until it was closed down in December 1941. Many of the then unknown, but later famous writers and artists, frequented her shop; like the Lost Generation writers Ernest Hemingway and F.Scott Fitzgerald, as well as Ezra Pound, Gertrude Stein, Sherwood Andersson, T.S. Eliot and artists like Man Ray, Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse. Hemingway, as a poor young, aspiring writer used to come here and borrow books, and sit down and write in the rooms upstairs. Beach even had beds for those who did not have anywhere to sleep for the night. Sylvia Beach was a patron for the writers and also helped publish James Joyce’s “Ulysses” in 1922, when nobody wanted to print it. When published it was banned in Britain and United States. She sold other books banned in those countries, like D.H. Lawrence’s Lady Chatterley’s Lover . Sometimes she organised gatherings with writers, reading from their books. The bookshop we see today at 37 rue de la Bûcherie, was founded by American George Whitman in 1951. "I created this bookstore like a man would write a novel, building each room like a chapter, and I like people to open the door the way they open a book, a book that leads into a magic world in their imaginations." — George Whitman The building, where the store is today, was constructed in the early 17th century, and was originally a monastery. Whitman has kept up the tradition started by Sylvia Beach and has made the bookstore a center for expat literary life in Paris. Among his visitors to the store we find Allen Ginsberg, William Burroughs, Anaïs Nin, Richard Wright, William Styron, Julio Cortázar, Henry Miller, William Saroyan, Lawrence Durrell, James Jones, and James Baldwin. In 2002 Whitman’s daughter Sylvia returned to Paris and the bookstore and started helping her father. George Whitman passed away in 2011, but the bookstore is in the good hands of Sylvia. She has introduced many new endeavours and traditions and it is an interesting place to visit. Not a long line this day The rooms are small, bare concrete walls, filled with bookcases and books. You can find anything here. On the second floor are rooms in the style of Sylvia Beach, with sofas, tables and chairs and books that you can read while you take a brake from the busy streets of Paris. The visitors are numerous and I had to wait in line outside for about 20 minutes. I was there in the afternoon. Just to come into the shop, see all the books, look at all the people around you who love books as much as you do, is a special feeling. Although it is not the same place as the original book store, you get a feeling for how it was in the old days. You can see Hemingway sitting at the desk, hammering on a typing machine. Taking down a book from the shelves and sit down in an armchair to read, maybe study something for his stories. Take a coffee and talk to a fellow writer. A small quiet corner in an otherwise busy life. It was not allowed to take photos, but Shakespeare and Company has a website with photos and more information. There is even a link “Prepare your visit”. Did I buy something? I did buy three books and a tote bag. The books are not cheap, but I guess you also pay for the place and the possibility to wander around history for a while. When you enter the shop, to the left, there is a bookcase with books from The Lost Generation, if that is what you are looking for. I was pleased with my visit.

Thank you to Emma @ Words and Peace  who is hosting this event this year as well. We are already guided into the various themes of this year. Head over to Emma's website for more information. One of the aims for my visit to Paris was to follow in the footsteps of the lost generation, Gertrude Stein and the artists who came to Paris in the beginning of the 20th century. As I mentioned in my last newsletter, some of the most famous authors were Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, James Joyce and many more. I had a few addresses to look up, found some on my way and discovered new ones. But, let’s start with the hub of the wheel; Gertrude Stein. Gertrude Stein She was an American novelist, poet, playwright and art collector who made her name when she moved to Paris. She came here in 1903, and stayed for the rest of her life. It might not have been her intention, but she started a salon in Paris where the crème de la créme of artists in Paris met. She saw later famous names like Pablo Picasso, Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Sinclair Lewis, Ezra Pound, Sherwood Anderson and Henri Matisse in her salon, or living room. I am sure there were others who realised her influence. Very early on she bought paintings from the then unknown artists, which must have fetched enormous prices later on. It was maybe not until 1933 that she became more famous outside her inner circle. This is the year she published her memoir of her Paris years, The Authobiography of Alice B. Toklas. Alice B. Toklas was her life long partner, and she used her name to write about their lives. I have just read it and it is really an interesting piece of memories of a varied life. She was famous for writing long sentences, with repetitions. Like these quotes: “Rose is a rose is a rose is a rose” and “there is no there there”. She refrains from these things in her novel, and the writing is more like someone is speaking to you. It works. The famous address at 27, Rue de Fleurus in Paris Gertrud and Alice lived at 27, rue de Fleurus, where her famous salon was established. Stein used to received Matisse in her salon on Saturday evenings. Soon people started to turn up to look at his paintings, as well as those of Cézanne. As Stein was disturbed by people turning up at any time, she fixed the salon for Saturday nights. When Stein received the artists, Alice used to entertain the wives or spouses. The wives, being not so important as the artists themselves. Hemingway was another person who frequented Stein’s salon. They had an uneven relationship. From the beginning they were close friends, but later on they grew apart. One of the reasons might have been that Stein called Hemingway “yellow” in her “The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas”. However, Hemingway asked Stein to be the godmother of his child. Ernest Hemingway Hemingway has described part of his life in Paris in his “The Moveable Feast”. It was not finalised before he died, but what he wrote is a memoir of his time in Paris and the people he met. He lived in several places and I visited two of them. The house and entrance where Hemingways lived 74, rue de Cardinal Lemoine is still there and even has a plaque saying that Hemingway once lived her. It is a quiet street off the Place de la Contrescarpe in the 5th arrondissement. Quite beautiful and not a bad place to live. It turned out that just opposite the French poet Paul Verlaine lived before he died. I wonder if Hemingway knew that? The house where Paul Verlaine lived. He even got a restaurant named after himself. I don’t know if he would have appreciated this? Hopefully he would have. Stefan Zweig wrote a “biographical exploration” of Verlaine letting us see a glimpse of his life. He is one of the French Symbolist poets, which takes me to a visit I made to the Ordrupgaard museum a few weeks ago and its Symbolist exhibition. However, I got carried away, more about that in another post. Later on Hemingway and his wife Hadley, moved to 113, Rue Notre-Dame des Champs. The address is not far from my hotel so I walked there. Once I reached the place I could not find a no 113. There was 111 and 115, but no 113? I think that 113 must have once been where this new building is now standing, which had several 115 as the address: a, b etc. Well, you can’t win them all. It is, even today, a quiet street and must have been quite pleasurable to live there in the old days. Somewhere her, to the left of the entrance, should have stood the no 113 where Hemingways lived. Most likely the state of the house was too bad and torn down to give way to a more modern house. 5th and 6th arrondissement, the Left Bank One can only imagine that writers liked to live in this area. Even today it is so nice to walk around in the small streets, going in all directions, but maybe centralising in the Jardin de Luxembourg. A wonderful park, where people go to relax, to make sports, or to just sit down and read a book. It is a place for relaxation, and meeting friends. The area is full of bars and restaurants and, although a buzzing neighbourhood, rather quiet and peaceful. Walking around the streets, I can feel the atmosphere of the area, how writers and artists were inspired by the surroundings, the places where they used to write, the people they used to meet, and the relaxing intoxication of Paris. Yes, it is a magic place, an inspirational place. Even today. Paris is Paris.

Thank you to Emma @ Words and Peace  who is hosting this event this year as well. We are already guided into the various themes of this year. Head over to Emma's website for more information. We have all heard about the French food and how wonderful it is. However, when you are in France, you don’t always have this experience. We travelled in different areas of France quite frequently, when we lived in Belgium, but we did not have a lot of good food experiences during those trips. So, how did Paris treat me? Not much better. Please, misunderstand me right. I am sure there are fantastic restaurants in Paris, and in France. The problem is you have to know where to go. I should not complain too much because it turned out I was quite lucky with my restaurant choices. But, there were a few I have already forgotten about. Here are a few of my favourite restaurants. Some are very touristic places I just had to visit, although they were fine. After all, the authors and artists who lived here in the 1920 frequented these restaurants. A must, I mean … I start with the top two restaurant that I would gladly go back to, and highly recommend. Here I found wonderful interiors, good food and excellent service. Brasserie Lipp (151 Bd Saint-Germain, 6th arr.) The brasserie was founded in 1880 by Léonard Lipp and his wife Pétronille. They were from Alsace so their speciality was a ‘cervelat remoulade’ (a smoked sausage from pork and beef) as a starter, followed by ‘choucroute garnie’ (what else?) served with beers. In those days prices were very moderate (obviously did not last into our time) and the atmosphere was a great success (which has lasted into our time). It was redesigned by Marcellin Cazes, the new owner, in 1920. By this time it was frequented by poets such as Paul Verlaine and Guillaume Apollinaire, and their expat followers. I presume the decorations are the same as we see today. Tiled murals with painted ceilings and purple moleskin seating. In 1955, the brasserie was taken over by his son Roger. The interior is beautiful (sorry for the bad photo, but it was difficult to get a good shot). It was quite full when I arrived in the late afternoon, but I got a table rather quickly. The waiters with their formal dress with the white napkins over the arm, ran around to serve the hungry guests. I took a beef filé with sauce béarnaise and it was divine, just melted in the mouth, together with a wonderful glass of French red wine. I wanted to have île flottante, one of my favourite desserts, since it is difficult to get anywhere else than in France. Unfortunately, too many of the guests had the same idea, so nothing was left for me. I had a crème caramel instead, which is another favourite. Fantastic. Procope ( 13 Rue de l'Ancienne Comédie, Paris, 6th arr.) I ran into this restaurant on my way home. However, I had read about it and wanted to visit. It is the oldest café in Paris and was the first restaurant to introduce coffee and offering table service in a porcelain cup. Since 1686, it has been a symbol of French gastronomy and the Parisian art of living. It is situated in the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Prés and has stood the test of time. The great minds of literary, artistic and political society used to meet here; La Fontaine, Voltaire, Rousseau, Benjamin Franklin, Danton, Marat, Diderot, Napoleon, Balzac, Hugo, Gambetta, Verlaine and Anatole France. Noblesse oblige, I was thinking upon entering the establishment. Would they let me in wearing my tights and t-shirt? They did. Cosy library corner in the restaurant Upper floor dining room Another dining room I got a table in a small room at the back of the restaurant, which also has an entrance from a small alley. I could enjoy a cosy library where presumably Voltaire once was sitting, eating, reading and discussing. It is stated that each recipe has been carefully preserved and are still used today; such as Coq au vin and Joue de Bœuf braisée. I chose the first one which was delicious. As a dessert I tried a strawberry Pavlova, which was covered with too much cream to be perfect. But, a wonderful surrounding for a meal. During the meal it became very dark and it started hailing. Big hail balls fell on the streets of the alley. It gave me a good excuse to stay a little bit longer. Before leaving, I visited the upper floors which have smaller rooms for dinner guests, all beautifully decorated with antique furniture. Les Deux Magots (6, Place Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Paris, 6th arr.) Since the very beginning this café has been a favourite hangout for famous artists and writers such as Guillaume Apollinaire, André Gide, Jacques Prévert, Ernest Hemingway, and many more. Even literary and artistic movements were conceived here, such as André Breton’s surrealism and Jean-Paul Sartre’s and Simone de Beauvoir’s ideas of existentialism. Even today it is a creative crossroads within the arts, as well as all tourists who are interested in soaking up the atmosphere. Me being one of them. There seems to always be a queue outside, but I was rather lucky and only had to wait around 10 minutes. I got a table at a glassed in terrace with a view to the street. The service was good and friendly. I only had my favourite sallad; Chèvre chaud with sallad, walnuts and figs. A kir to start with and a glass of Sancerre (always excellent) to go down with it. It was, in spite of all the people around, rather pleasant and peaceful to sit at the café and reflect on its history. Price wise a little bit of a tourist trap, but more or less what you pay in other cafés and restaurants. Its history goes back to the end of the 19th century and if you are interested you can read it from this document , downloaded from their website. LM (13 rue de Médici, Paris, 6th arr.) This beautiful and relaxed café is situated along the Jardin de Luxembourg. I visited it two times, because of its very tasty Chèvre Chaud sallad and its nice atmosphere and possibility to sit outside on the pavement overlooking the park. The service was good and friendly and seemed to highlight ecological and fresh ingredients. Perfect for a light lunch. Not the best of photos, but a relaxing atmosphere Roger de Beyrouth (103, Rue Monge, Paris, 5th arr.) I was lucky to find this Lebanese restaurant on my way home, rather early one evening (very close to metro Censier-Daubenton). As always with Lebanese food it was excellent. I enjoyed a Kafta, which is one of my favourite dishes, together with a lovely Lebanese wine. It included very friendly service. Quite pleased when I afterwards slowly walked back to my hotel. Café des Deux Moulins (15 Rue Lépic, Paris, Montmartre) If you have not seen the film about Amélie from Montmartre , or, Le fabuloux destin d’Amélie Poulain (The Fabulous Destiny of Amélie Poulain), a French romantic comedy from 2001 you have to. It is a wonderful film and I can highly recommend it. She lived in Montmartre and used to go to her neighbourhood restaurant. It was filmed in Café des Deux Moulins which is a nice café, almost with a touch of American fifties bars. Quite simple, but having a nice atmosphere. On the menu you can eat Amélie’s favourite food. I chose her favourite main dish boeuf du bourgogne, which was really good. Amélie in a mirrored version Cave La Bourgogne (144 Rue Mouffetard, Paris, 5th arr.) Another easy going restaurant/café close to the hotel and close to metro station Censier-Daubenton. Good and friendly service with a variety of food so you are sure to find something that please you. Both inside and outside seating. I ate there twice and had breakfast once. Turned out to become a favourite spot, and I wish I had found it earlier. All in all it seems my eating experience in Paris was very good. I did aim for a few of them, mostly due to literary connections, but the rest was just lucky spur of the moment visits.

Thank you to Emma @ Words and Peace  who is hosting this event this year as well. We are already guided into the various themes of this year. Head over to Emma's website for more information. Stefan Zweig in Paris Stefan Zweig spent time in Paris during the 1920s and 1930s, immersing himself in its vibrant literary and artistic scene. There, he met prominent figures such as Auguste Rodin, Rainer Maria Rilke, and Romain Rolland. Zweig was deeply impressed by Rodin, particularly by the intense focus and dedication he brought to his art. In 1940, Zweig witnessed the fall of Paris—an event that profoundly affected him. He felt a deep connection to the city, its cultural legacy, and its symbolic significance for Europe. The German occupation, combined with his despair over the future of the continent, contributed to his decision to leave Europe. He eventually settled in Brazil, where, in 1942, he and his wife Lotte took their own lives. Zweig’s autobiography, The World of Yesterday , offers a poignant and moving account of his life and the Europe he once knew. It reflects not only on his time in Paris but also on the broader cultural collapse he experienced. The book stands as a testament to a lost world—one that, even today, resonates with striking relevance. I read Zweig's eminent reflection on The World of Yesterday last year, and I found a few quotes from his visits to Paris, a city he loved, which I would like to share with you. " To love Paris properly, you ought really to have known Berlin first, experiencing the natural servility of Germany with its rigit class differences, painfully clearly delineated, in which the officer's wife did not talk to the teacher's wife, who in turn did not speak to the merchant's lady, who herself did not mix with the labourer's wife. In Paris, however, the inheritance of the Revolution was still alive and coursing through the people's veins; the proletarian worker felt himself as much of a free citizen as his employer, a man with equal rights; the café waiter shook hands in a comradely manner with the general in his gold-laced uniform; the industrious, respectable, neat and clean wives of the lower middle classes did not look down their noses at prostitutes who happened to live on the same floor in their building, but passed the time of day with them on the stairs, and their children gave the girls flowers. " Unfortunately, I did not visit Berlin first, but I hope to do that next year. I am looking forward to immerse myself in the history and present day events in this city. " The Latin Quarter no longer enticed me. On an earlier brief visit, when I was twenty, I had gone straight there from the railway station, and on my very first evening I had sat in the Café Vachette, getting them to show me, with all due reverence, the place where Verlaine used to sit and the marble-topped table on which, when he was tipsy, he used to bang angrily with his heavy stick to get a respectful hearing. " Café Vachette does no longer exit. I found a photograph from Roger Viollet Gallerie from around 1910. It can be bought if someone is interested. It looks like a traditional café at the time. Such a pity it does not exist anymore. I took the help of ChatGPT to find out more about the café. Historical Overview Originally founded during the First French Empire as the Café des Grands Hommes, it later became known as Café Vachette. Situated at numbers cited variously as 27 or even 37 boulevard Saint‑Michel—historical sources pinpoint it as a fixture on the Latin Quarter’s literary map. A Literary Haven From around 1880 onward, the café emerged as a center of the Parisian bohème littéraire. Regular patrons included writers and poets such as Paul Verlaine, Pierre Louÿs, Maurice Barrès, Guy de Maupassant, and most prominently Jean Moréas, who spent most evenings there. Intellectual Atmosphere In contrast to the more hedonistic cafés of the Latin Quarter, Café Vachette was known for its scholarly atmosphere. It survived until Moréas’s death in 1911 and was praised as a model of intellectual circumspection, “leaning more to scholarship than sensuality.” Ownership & Cultural Role The establishment was part of Joseph Vachette’s café empire, later managed by chef-restaurateur Paul Brébant in the mid-19th century. Brébant expanded the business significantly, and the café became widely known as a hub for bohemian dining and late-night socializing. His son, Eugène Vachette (pen name Eugène Chavette), became a notable writer. His literary career and frequent connection to the café reflect the continuity between its gastronomic and intellectual life. Cultural Legacy Many Symbolist and Parnassian writers argued there, read their poems, and held vibrant conversations here. As Carco recalled, Moréas addressed young aspirants urging them to “Base yourselves firmly on principles... They will certainly end up giving way!” Local antiquarians remembered the Vachette as a café of restraint, standing apart from those given to late-night revelry or less reputable entertainments. Present Day Today, no café exists at the original address. A visit to 27 boulevard Saint‑Michel reveals a modern street frontage, with a bank, clothing boutique, and Joseph Gibert bookstore—no trace of Café Vachette remains. Why It Mattered Café Vachette represented more than just a place to dine—it was a melting pot of literary ambition, intellectual dialogue, and artistic ferment. Famed writers gathered around its tables, testing their ideas. It stood as a symbol of how cafés in Paris served as incubators of culture and conversation, especially in the vibrant milieu of the Latin Quarter. If it had still existed it would probably serve as a hub for tourists as does Les Deux Magots, Café de Flore and Brasserie Lipp today. I have not heard about this café anywhere else. What about you? Have you read about it somewhere, or it popped up in connection with literary achievements?