Books

In the world of wine, I’ve decided to limit myself to France for the moment. Whenever I attend a wine tasting in Paris, I expect to spend the afternoon getting acquainted with wine from the home country. Drinking my way through various AOCs (appellations d’origine contrôlée) is a pleasurable way to learn about the soil, topography, climate, and wine-making technique of France by region. New rule: never pass up a wine tasting where France is the topic of conversation. Here are some books I’ve been considering on the subject.

Works Sighted

Wine and War: The French, the Nazis, and the Battle for France’s Greatest Treasure // Histoire des vins de France // Adventures on the Wine Route // Champagne: How the World’s Most Glamorous Wine Triumphed Over War and Hard Times

Champagne: The Essential Guide to the Wines, Producers, and Terroirs of the Iconic Region // The Widow Clicquot: The Story of a Champagne Empire and the Woman Who Ruled It // Le vin de Bourgogne // Champagne: Wine of Kings and the King of Wines

Land and Wine: The French Terroir //.Monseigneur le Vin: The Art of Drinking Wine (Like the French Do) // The New French Wine // French Wine: A History

Now seems like as good a time as any to take inventory of the collection of books in my Paris bookcase; my upcoming trip will present many opportunities to purchase more I’m sure. Despite the name I’ve aptly given it, the case also contains books pertaining to other areas of France and French culture as a whole. I’m open to recommendations and disagreements in the comments section. A library should be highly curated after all.

Style

• How to Be Parisian Wherever You Are // Anne Berest, Audrey Diwan, Caroline De Maigret, and Sophie Mas
• Dress Like a Parisian // Alois Guinut
• Older But Better, But Older // Caroline De Maigret, and Sophie Mas
• Parisian Chic // Ines de la Fressange and Sophie Gachet
• BCBG // Thierry Mantoux

Scenic Paris

• Eyewitness Travel Guides: Paris // Alan Tillier
• The Louvre // Alexandra Bonafante-Warren
• Bright Lights Paris // Angie Niles
• The Napoleon III Apartments // Anne Dion-Tenenbaum
• The Only Street in Paris // Elaine Sciolino
• The Little(r) Museums of Paris // Emma Jacobs
• Treasures of the Musee D’Orsay // Francoise Cachin (Introduction) and Xavier Carrere (Introduction)
• Paris Sketchbook // Jason Brooks
• The Little Pleasures of Paris // Leslie Jonath and Lizzy Stewart
• The New Paris // Lindsey Tramuta and Charissa Fay
• Paris aquarelles // Yves Simon and Fabrice Moireau

The Table

• The Bistros, Brasseries, and Wine Bars of Paris // Daniel Young
• Georges Perrier Le Bec-fin Recipes // George Perrier and Aliza Green
• A Table in Paris // John Donohue
• Mastering the Art of French Cooking Vol. I // Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle, and Simone Beck
• Mastering the Art of French Cooking Vol. II // Julia Child and Simone Beck
• French Kids Eat Everything // Karen Le Billon
• Diner à la Maison // Laurent Buttazzoni and Sofia Coppola
• Cook Like a Local in France // Lynne Martin and Deborah Scarborough
• Wine Folley // Madeline Puckette and Justin Hammack 
• French Women Don’t Get Fat: The Secret of Eating for Pleasure // Mireille Guiliano
• The Wines and Vineyards of France // Pascal Ribereau-Gayon
• The Food Lover’s Guide to Paris // Patricia Wells

Biography and Memoir

• Paris to the Moon // Adam Gopnik
• Marie Antoinette // Antonia Fraser
• Paris Memories // Isabelle Bronk
• Inspired by Paris // Jordan Phillips
• My Life in France // Julia Child
• My Paris Dream // Kate Betts
• The New Parisienne // Lindsey Tramuta and Joann Pai
• (Not Quite) Mastering the Art of French Living // Mark Greenside
• Bringing Up Bébé // Pamela Druckerman
• French Lessons // Peter Mayle
• A Year in Provence // Peter Mayle

History and Culture

• Home Sweet Maison // Danielle Postel-Vinay
• Entre Nous: A Woman’s Guide to Finding Her Inner French Girl // Debra Ollivier
• The Seine // Elaine Sciolino
• La Seduction // Elaine Sciolino
• The Discovery of France // Graham Robb
• Cahiers du Cinéma, The 1950s // Jim Hillier (Editor)
• Sixty Million Frenchmen Can’t Be Wrong // Julie Barlow and Jean-Benoit Nadeau
• The Bonjour Effect // Julie Barlow and Jean-Benoit Nadeau
• French Kids Eat Everything // Karen Le Billon
• Flâneuse // Lauren Elkin
• Salut!: France Meets Philadelphia // Lynn Miller and Therese Dolan
• Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgement of Taste // Pierre Bourdieu and Richard Nice (Translator)
• F Is for France // Piu Marie Eatwell
• Fragile Glory // Richard Bernstein
• A History of the French New Wave Cinema // Richard John Neupert
• Talk to the Snail // Stephen Clark

Language Learning

• The Penguin French Phrasebook // Jill Norman, Henri Orteu, and Silva De Benedictis
• Larousse Unabridged French Dictionary
• Entre nous 1 // Neige Pruvost, Frédérique Courteaud, Sonia Gómez-Jordana, et al.
• Le Petit Nicolas // René Goscinny and Jean-Jacques Sempé
• Les Vacances Du Petit Nicolas // René Goscinny and Jean-Jacques Sempé
• Le Petit Nicolas a des ennuis // René Goscinny and Jean-Jacques Sempé
• Le Petit Nicolas Et Les Copains // René Goscinny and Jean-Jacques Sempé
• Le Petit Nicolas : Le ballon et autres histoires inédites // René Goscinny and Jean-Jacques Sempé
• Short Stories in French: New Penguin Parallel Text // Richard Coward
• Getting Started with French // William E. Linney and Brandon Simpson
• La Clef. Introduction Au Francais Elementaire // Yvette De Petra and Eldon Dedini

Further Reading

My French Soul: An Introduction

A week ago, I went to happy hour with a friend. I usually order a glass of wine but decided to order a cocktail this time. The one specially priced for the occasion consisted of (if I remember correctly) vodka, cranberry juice, grapefruit juice, lime juice, and simple syrup. I requested that the mixologist dispense with the simple syrup. My friend followed suit; American-level sweets are too much for the both of us. The mixologist agreed but warned that the freshly-squeezed lime juice was potent. The color of the drink was a beautifully-subdued shade of pink. Its tartness was pleasing. As we sipped, the mixologist set to work on several concoctions for others. One drink called for a blackberry on a cocktail pick. Another, a blow-torched sprig of pine, the scent of which could only be described as the epitome of the season. I imagined myself behind the bar mixing and blow-touching to my heart’s content. Then, I came down to earth and rounded up some books that might be hepful to the home mixologist.

Works Sighted

Apéritif // I’m Just Here for the Drinks // Good Drinks // Spirits of Latin America

A Woman’s Drink // Cocktail Codex // Batch Cocktails // The Joy of Mixology

Spritz // Keto Happy Hour // Mezcal and Tequila Cocktails // Essential 3-Ingredient Cocktails

Every year around this time, just before winter break, I think of the grandest giving idea. Maybe I’ll bake cookies for them, I say to myself. Them, the people outside of my immediate family to whom I’d like to extend a small token of gratitude. But, every year the pressure of finishing up a course and finalizing the menu for Christmas dinner (amongst other things) takes precedence over baking, boxing, and distributing cookies. Miraculously, I’ve managed to keep the tradition of card-giving alive over the years. When the opportunity to bake finally presents itself, I’ll have one of these books at the ready.

Works Sighted

The Cookie Collection // 100 Cookies // Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar

Paleo Baking at Home // The British Baking Book // BraveTart: Iconic American Desserts

Dorie’s Cookies // Biscuits and Cookies: A Global History // French Macarons for Beginners

I celebrated the conclusion of my most recent research paper by watching The Booksellers (2020), a documentary featuring sellers of rare books primarily based in New York. Ironically, the seller who has the least airtime is most memorable. Elizabeth (Lizzy) Young appears on screen in a crisp, white button-up. The owner of a rare bookshop in Newport, RI, Lizzy, like myself, is interested in the history and culture of food and drink. Her business’s logo comprises a sketch of a whisk and a cocktail glass above an opened book. Cooking, cocktails, & culture, her slogan reads. A woman doesn’t need much more than that in life.

Works Sighted

Chicote, Pedro. El Bar Americano en España (1927).
M. F. K Fisher. With Bold Knife And Fork (1969).
Julia Child. The French Chef Cookbook (1968).

Kara Newman. Nightcap; More than 40 Cocktails to Close Out Any Evening (2018).
Jessie Sheehan. The Vintage Baker; More Than 50 Recipes from Butterscotch Pecan Curls to Sour Cream Jumbles (2018).
Henry McNulty. Drinking In Vogue (1979).

Neil I. Rosenthal. Reflections of a Wine Merchant; On a lifetime in the vineyards and cellars of France and Italy (2009).
M. F. K Fisher. Map of Another Town; A Memoir of Provence (1964).
Jancis Robinson. How to Taste; A Guide to Enjoying Wine (2008).