F is for France, a Curious Cabinet of French Wonders by Piu Eatwell

For Francophiles and travel lovers looking for new icebreakers

As much as I love reading historical fiction and biographies, it's always nice to switch to lighter novels every once in a while. F is for France was sitting pretty on the "Featured Books" shelf at my local library—I took it as a sign to check out right away. 

Each chapter dissects France's culture in perfect bite-size facts that are made more memorable with the author's fun, quirky descriptions. Eatwell looks beyond the traditional guidebooks and focuses on more local lore to offer readers a fresh take on Paris—her British-born sensibilities reveal themselves in several instances where she artfully illustrates some cultural differences between France and England

A few of my favorite passages are Coffee, Champagne, Oysters, Paris, Restaurants... 

If you're starting holiday gift shopping, F is for France is a great gift for yourself or for the Francophile in your life.

A Chic Reading List for Francophiles

A few weeks back, I spotted a fellow Francophile at the local coffee shop reading Lunch in Paris: A Love Story with Recipes. 

I gently interrupted her to ask how she liked the book so far—she smiled and said that she enjoyed it very much since she was missing Paris after a recent visit. I asked her if she had pursued any other parisienne reading. When she shook her head, I quickly jotted down a few suggestions for further reading.

To say that I've read a decent number of books about Paris or France is an understatement. There can never be enough books on Hausmannian design, sparkling champagne and French fashion houses.

I have yet to pursue the more traditional literature on Paris in depth—Baudelaire, Hemingway and McCullough, of course—but here's my recommended reading list so far for those in love with the Paris dream.

Paris My Sweet, A Year in the City of Light by Amy Thomas. A playful read that's part dessert, part map—Thomas maps out the best patisseries in both Paris and New York—it's a cute, quick novel to help you unwind from the ordinary hustle...

Love Life Style by Garance Dore. I had the pleasure of meeting Garance at a Fashionista meetup in the city before reading the book. A huge superfan of her illustrations and successful blog, I look to Garance as a true model for the modern woman. 

My Paris Dream by Kate Betts. Another inspirational read for the fashion lover seeking a way to live in the City of Light—Betts shares her story of landing a position Fairchild Publishing and navigating her life between Paris and New York.

How to be Parisian Wherever You Are by Anne Berest, Audrey Diwan, Caroline de Maigret and Sophie Mas. A fun read to pass along to your girlfriends, then keep in plain sight in your apartment at all times. 

Paris, The Novel by Edward Rutherfurd. One of the longer novels on this list, Rutherfurd artfully curates a beautiful historical fiction for the reader to experience Paris in different time periods. 

Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert (translated by Lydia Davis). I read this specific edition while I was at university and it is my favorite book for classic French literature. I kept my course notes on the novel, I love it so much. 

The Starboard Sea by Amber Dermont

On my most recent trip to the bookstore, I furiously paced shelf to shelf, genre to genre, trying to decide what I wanted to read.

The Starboard Sea was a shelf or two above a book of short stories about romantic flings and affairs in Paris. The black and white cover and the red, embossed title on the binding stood out among the busier, bolder books. The nautical phrase also caught my eye—I was still searching for ways to keep summer alive. 

I would be lying if the "100 Notable Books The New York Times Book Review" sticker didn't also influence my decision.

The novel shares the story of Jason Prosper, a young sailor, and his privileged life among Upper East Side apartments, New England summer homes, private schools, and Ivy League legacies. What gives the novel substance is understanding the shadows in Prosper's past, as well as the unspoken truths behind all of the characters in his life—his family, his fellow Bellingham Academy classmates, and everyone else tangled in the elite web. 

Prosper's credibility is established through his innate sailing abilities, yet it is through his honest thoughts and admissions that Dermont makes Prosper's story worthwhile.

It's intriguing reading about such a level of exclusivity. There were some references that sounded vaguely familiar—sailing regattas at St. George's, mentioning the inevitability of winding up in Greenwich—but the powerful prose provides an insightful perspective on the true cost of living the high life. 

Although the novel takes place in 1987, Prosper's story of navigating love and friendship as a teenager transcends the decades—sailor or not, everyone strives to find their starboard sea. 

My Paris Dream by Kate Betts

If you're a Francophile and you keep a mini-collection of contemporary books on Parisian journeys, add My Paris Dream to the shelf.

Betts, an award-winning magazine editor and author, shares her coming-of-age story of living and working in Paris, France shortly after graduating from college. Her anecdotes finding her own way through the city and industry are absolutely fascinating—one story about Christian Louboutin is a favorite. 

While reading Betts's story, I can't help but be slightly envious of her background (Princeton) and ability to pursue such an illustrious career in the City of Light (Fairchild Publications). 

With that being said, it's clear that she worked hard for it and getting there wasn't a piece of cake—building her professional credibility, navigating cultural differences and dealing with the loneliness of living abroad takes an extraordinary level of concerted effort. 

My Paris Dream is the perfect inspirational story to move and motivate its readers.