A Paris All Your Own: Bestselling Women Writers on the City of Light by Eleanor Brown

A Paris All Your Own: Bestselling Women Writers on the City of Light Reviews

• 
  Amina

  1) Get passport
  2) Read this book 📖☕️
  3) Ponder which you would love more, the bread or chocolate
  4) Realize the answer is both and this is why pain au chocolat exists
  5) Fantasize about whisking self away to Paris
  6) Repeat step #3
  7) Wonder if it would ever occur to hubs to whisk you away to Paris [or anywhere]
  8) Try to recall dusty high-school French
  9) Look on Yelp where to find #4
  10) Start mulling next adventure
  11) Allons-y!
• 
  Sue

  I must start this review by telling you that I travel a lot and Paris is absolutely my favorite city to visit. If I was a little younger and a lot braver, I would probably live there but I think its a little late in life for me to make such a change. I love reading books about Paris when I can't be there and this book didn't disappoint me - in fact, I loved it. I have read books by all 18 of the authors who contributed and since they all write different types of books, the essays all took different slants on their love or lack of love for Paris. As with any anthology, I loved some of the essays and wasn't too crazy about others. Whether you've visited Paris or want to visit or just enjoy reading about that beautiful city, this is a great book to read.
• 
  Rebecca

  A highly enjoyable set of 18 autobiographical essays on writers’ experiences with “a city so exquisitely beautiful it tricks you into believing you are owed an equally picturesque life” (as Maggie Shipstead puts it). For all the beauty and romance these women might have sought – and sometimes found – while in Paris researching their books, there was also plenty of disillusionment awaiting them: rain, overcrowded tourist destinations, getting lost, language confusion, haughty French people, family quarrels, and floundering relationships. So this book is by no means a falsely rosy picture of traveling abroad; it interrogates and adds nuance to many of the stereotypes about the delights of Paris.
  
  At the same time, it celebrates what’s undeniably wonderful about the place: the hidden corners as well as the big-name attractions, and the amazing food available in pretty much any boulangerie. Shipstead’s essay is probably the best, but there are also terrific contributions from Paula McLain, Therese Anne Fowler, Jennifer Coburn, Julie Powell, and Michelle Gable. Pieces by authors I was unfamiliar with were pretty much on par with those by authors I’d read and loved before. If you have a special love for Paris, or have always wanted to visit, or just enjoy armchair traveling, this collection won’t disappoint you.
• 
  catherine ♡

  I've read books that took place in France (honestly, what reader hasn't?), but this book was the only one so far that actually made me appreciate it for both its romantic stereotype and what it simply is - a city.
  
  My favorite essay was probably M.J. Rose's - I'm a hopeless romantic, and that essay must've added to my long list of unrealistic expectations for romance.
  
  Oh, and finally, this book made me really, really, REALLY want to learn French.
• 
  Katy O.

  I'll preface this with the fact that I have never been to Paris, but am obsessed with reading about it......if a title or book description has Paris in it, I. am. in.
  
  This book of 18 essays includes an astounding collection of female writers, all with books set in Paris, and provides a thoroughly well-rounded take on visiting, as well as living and writing in (and about!) Paris. I say well-rounded not because the essays cover all different topics (although many do), but because the authors are refreshingly diverse on their feelings about Paris. This is a love letter to Paris, but it's also a letter home to your parents from Paris-camp about why it's not as amazing as Mom promised and you really just want to go home. There is love, but there is also loneliness. There are amazing sights and experiences, but there are also rainy days and an inability to communicate in French.
  
  There are essays that are laugh-out-loud funny, and there are essays that are incredibly detailed accounts of the history of Paris during different time periods, as well as essays about mother-daughter relationships and romantic relationships - and more! I adored reading about how these authors all wrote about Paris, but also how they researched their books and ensured the authenticity of their stories. Authors who weren't able to visit Paris before starting their books, but read and read and read extensively and went to Paris later.
  
  It's hard to really describe this whole book since it's such a diverse range of essays, but here are my overall takeaways:
  
  1) I still want to visit Paris
  2) I should learn French, but even if I do it won't be usable in Paris so I should just speak English and admit that I'm a tourist
  3) Go without an agenda or schedule
  4) Sit and watch people
  5) Eat all the food
  6) Drink all the wine
  7) Hotel rooms are small
  8) SO MUCH HISTORY
  9) Lines for major attractions are so so long - buy tickets ahead if you can, maybe skip some of the most touristy stuff
  10) Walk and walk and walk and see the REAL Paris
  
  This is a must-read for anyone who longs to visit Paris, or reads books set in Paris.....or anyone who loves reading about writing in general!
  
  Thanks to Net Galley for the advance copy of this title for review - all opinions are my own.
• 
  Sarah Swann

  Great anthology! Now I really want to go to Paris. I like the fact that not all of these stories are just glowing love letters to the city. There are some stories of hardships there and some authors didn't have good experiences and don't love the city. I liked the different takes on it. My favorite was Paula McClain's and now I can't wait to read The Paris Wife.
  
  * I was sent a review copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
• 
  Kim

  “A Paris All Your Own” is an anthology of eighteen stories. More than just a collection, it’s a literary guidebook, filled with out of the way places often accidentally discovered. It’s as much a reflection of the writers themselves as it is a reflection of the City of Light. These stories are funny, introspective, sad, honest, relatable, and most importantly personal.
  
  Even though there are eighteen different authors, there are several running themes throughout the collection. The main one concerns expectations. Paris comes with a mindset. It’s been chronicled for centuries. Parts have been destroyed, and others saved. Monuments and museums are everywhere. It’s a city known for indulgence, for love, for style, for class, and for culture. It’s simply Paris.
  
  After each story is the author’s social media information, their book pertaining to Paris, and recommendations of what you “should” and “shouldn’t” do while there. This was my favorite part. My exploding TBR thanks the editor for this.
  
  Instead of critiquing each individual story, I have decided to sum up each story in one word. It’s up to you to decide if your interest is piqued. (I also concede that if you aren’t, the fault is mine, not the author’s.)
  
  J. Courtney Sullivan - expansive
  Michelle Gable - intimate
  Ellen Sussman - invigorating
  Susan Vreeland - informative
  Megan Crane - apprehensive
  Paula McLain - biographical
  Eleanor Brown - honest (my favorite)
  Jennifer L. Scott - elegant
  Cara Black - literary
  M.J. Rose - intense
  Jennifer Coburn - inspirational (another favorite)
  Cathy Kelly - alliterate (literary and literal love of a local)
  Rachel Hore - surprising
  Julie Powell - mouthwatering
  Lauren Willig - misplaced
  Therese Anne Fowler - empowering
  Maggie Shipstead - productive
  Meg Waite Clayton - endearing
  
  I highly recommend this collection. I was an Anglophile, but now I consider myself a Francophile in training.
  
  Thanks to GoodReads for sponsoring this giveaway, and thanks to Flatiron Books for sending me the ARC.
  
• 
  Nancy Elliott

  This is a lovely collection of short essays and stories for anyone who loves Paris. As an extra added attraction for Francophiles, each author ends her piece with a list of books about Paris, both those she has written herself and her favorites by other authors. Lots of ideas here for 'French nuts' like me!
• 
  This Kooky Wildflower Loves a Little Tea and Books

  Memoirs of women writers and their Parisian fascinations. Overall, good tales permeate this collection. Several stories earned 4 stars. However, after a while, they blur as I notice the same tale told as the collection moves along.
  
  I gave this collection three stars, despite some good stories shared, because the book would have benefitted from diverse perspectives, including a woman from the LGBT community or women of color. Unfortunately, the same perspective writes this collection causing the aforementioned blur. Despite good writing and lovely memories, the collection suffers from almost no differences and too many similarities.
  
  3.5/5
• 
  Claudia

  Anthologies are usually a mixed bag for me and this one was no exception. However! I felt like I really liked/love most of the stories here. There were about 3 or 4 that really didn't do it for me, but for the most part the stories made me want to be in Paris again, this time with the eyes of someone without too-high expectations of a place she'd always wanted to visit.
  
  If you love reading about Paris I wholeheartedly recommend this anthology.
• 
  Susan (The Book Bag)

  A trip to Paris is on my bucket list of places to visit someday. I have always wanted to go there. It just seems like such a beautiful, romantic place to be so how could I not love a whole book about Paris? People have a passion for Paris, whether it's real or their fantasy.
  
  A Paris All Your Own is a wonderful anthology of Paris stories written by eighteen fabulous authors. The book is full of personal stories about the Paris that each of these women experienced. Some of the experiences were wonderful, like you would expect, and then some of them were not. It just goes to show that everyone's expectations and experiences are different.
  
  Some of the women are authors that I have read before and I loved reading their stories. Others were new-to-me authors and I enjoyed the little taste that I got of their writing style. Each chapter was a little autobiographical glimpse into the author's life. I learned about their personalities which is something that you typically don't get in their normal work.
  
  And at the end of the chapters, each author lists some interesting facts for the reader, such as what a person must do when visiting Paris and a list of things to skip. It's sort of like a little travel guide for Paris. Bonus!
• 
  Bookishfolk

  Such a great book and perfect to read while in the planning phase of visiting Paris. I furiously took notes while reading and although I borrowed it from the library, I think I’ll buy it and scribble more notes inside the book! Great insight into Paris, and not just the touristy, typical spots. If fact, the writers barely mentioned those spots and instead talked about little parks, perfect cobblestone streets, cafes where people are crammed together drinking coffee and reading a book, or the restaurants that serve the most delicious, cheap Nutella crepes. The best part of the book-not every persons experience was rosy and beautiful and charming...but there was something about each story that just made me fall in love with Paris more and more. Highly recommend!
• 
  Amanda

  This book is a little gem. Eighteen female authors, who have written novels set in Paris, write of their own experiences in the 'city of light'. These essays are extremely varied and, while some write of the city itself, a number of the essays write of the human experience that just happens to have Paris as a backdrop.
  
  I particularly liked the little lists at the end of each essay that included the authors' own Paris works and their favorite (and least favorite) Paris moments. There is much more reading that can be done, using this book as a guide.
• 
  Kathryn

  This book was quite good. Each chapter was written by a different woman author who has written a novel or novels associated with Paris. Each woman shares her personal experience visiting the city of light. Each story was incredibly different and interesting. A fun read especially since I have never been to Paris.
• 
  Gunta

  Grāmatā apkopoti dažādu personību (mums pazīstamu un ne tik ļoti) atmiņu stāsti par Parīzi - par pirmo reizi šajā pilsētā, par pieredzi tur dzīvojot un, protams, mīlestību. Kas tur ko brīnīties, ka ne visi stāsti ir Parīzi apjūsmojoši, tomēr pārsteidza, ka daļa no tiem bija par sadzīves sīkumiem - bruģi uz ielām (ar augstiem papēžiem grūti), mājām bez lifta, šaurām kāpnēm utml. Nenoliedzu, ka tas var būt apgrūtinoši, bet ko gaida no pilsētas ar tik senu vēsturi?
  Kopumā ne pārāk interesanti, uzrunāja tikai daži no stāstiem. Neskatoties uz to, cik dziļi man pašai sirdī iekritusi Parīze, nespēju šo grāmatu novērtēt.
• 
  Cathy Farrell

  This is one of those compilation books that leaves you with a list of authors that you haven't read yet, but now want to read, because their style appeals to you. (Personally, these essays had varying levels of appeal for me, but they were all enjoyable to some degree.)
• 
  Rhiannon Johnson

  Read my full review here:
  
  https://ivoryowlreviews.blogspot.com/...
  
  Disclaimer: I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I received no additional compensation. 
  
  
  This collection of 18 essays was just what I needed in terms of reading material. Since arriving back from Book Expo (a month ago!), I've not gotten much reading done. Most of my time has been spent getting my daughter ready for her study abroad trip to London and trying to keep up with the day to day mountain of daily duties in addition to working. After Kali left on her trip a few days ago, I set about to deep cleaning the house and reclaiming my office (her room when she is home from school). In between tasks, I took to reading A Paris All Your Own. I could start some laundry, read an essay, run to the store, read an essay, do a bit of work, ...you get the point. I enjoyed some essays more than others but will probably reference the book as a whole when speaking to friends about traveling. I've learned to never expected too much when traveling and you've got to be able to roll with the punches. Almost every writer in this collection talked about unmet high expectations or unexpected but highly enjoyable side tracks. I've learned, (through trial and error) that you have to let go a bit and make each journey your own. For example, back to Book Expo, my 1st trip to NYC was not filled with typical tourist destinations. Upon my return I was asked if I visited this or that attraction. When I told them "no" and the places I did visit, I was usually met with strange looks. But I had the perfect NYC trip...for me. This weekend my daughter is going to Paris, and hopefully she'll have the perfect Paris trip...all her own.
  
  
• 
  Syed Ali Hussain Bukhari

  Good collection of essays relating different female writers' personal experiences in Paris.
• 
  Brenda

  I got this book from the library, solely to read the essay by Jennifer L. Scott. I have read all 3 of her Madame Chic books and have grown to really admire her on many levels, home, dignity, morals, lifestyle, etc.
  I did read the rest of the essays. It's an easy quick read. Seems like a lot of the authors talk about staying in the 16th arrondissement area, which makes me curious about it.
  What I enjoyed most was the best experience, worst experience, in Paris you must...., and in Paris you can skip at the end of each author's essay.
  The essays also made me VERY hungry! Ha ha!
  There was also a LOT of comments on how French women wear their scarves. I wish I had a link
  to a video of how they wear them and then how to tie them.
  
• 
  Susan White-Riggs

  I liked this book-of course I LOVE Paris, so no surprise there. But it was interesting to hear the different perspectives of the women and their trips and experiences of Paris. And I got a lot of tips, too!
  
  
  Re-read for the second time, always fun to revisit Paris!
• 
  Ellie

  I loved this book. It made me very homesick for Paris but in a good way, because it reminded me of all the wonderful things I love about the city.
• 
  Katie

  3.5 stars that I rounded up. One thing I notice about travel stories is that they frequently converge on the same theme, which is that if you plan your own trip, it is necessary to embrace the change, messiness, and deviations from the plan that inevitably arise when things don't follow your neat itinerary. Nearly every story in the collection makes this point in some way, and it's a resonant one with me because it mirrors my own experiences with increasing my psychological flexibility as a frequent traveler.
  
  A Paris All Your Own, like nearly all collections, is uneven in the quality of its contributions, but there were a couple I enjoyed very much: MJ Rose, J Courtney Sullivan, Paula McLain (the last line especially), and Maggie Shipstead (begrudgingly, because I saw a lot of myself in her cloistering in a fancy part of a famous new city).
  
  The preface acknowledges the lack of diversity in the chosen authors, which I'd like to echo here. To some extent, this is a function of the fact that all the authors had to have published a book that in some way contains Paris, and class demographics make this likely to be financially comfortable, straight white women. But it would have been a better book, and a richer experience, to nix this requirement in favor of just including "women writers who have been to Paris" and curate a more diverse collection.
  
  I received a copy of this book via Netgalley.
• 
  Jennifer

  Edited by Eleanor Brown (The Light of Paris), A Paris All Your Own is a charming collection of 18 Paris-themed essays written by bestselling female authors who have each published novels set in the City of Light. Authors like Paula McLean - The Paris Wife, Julie Powell - Julie and Julia, and Michelle Gable - A Paris Apartment.
  
  In this anthology each woman was asked to share their own personal stories of Paris.
  
  And Paris, with all of her sophistication and experience, is not a simple city. She is kind to some and not to others.
  
  There were romantic stories solidifying our understanding of why Paris is the city of romance and love, and then other stories that pretty much went the way you'd imagine them to go if you were thinking about dragging sleepy teens around Paris.
  
  Apart from allowing me to daydream about my next trip Paris, I really enjoyed learning about the research phase of the writing process many of the authors described. Some visited the city before writing, some while writing, and others didn't visit until after their books were complete. Nonetheless, it was fascinating to learn about the role that Paris played in their lives and in their careers.
  
  As a final bonus, upon reading A Paris All Your Own, you instantly have the titles of more than 18 Paris-themed books by these authors to add to your "to be read" list! Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler, is one of the new titles I'm interested in checking out.
  
  Whether you've travelled previously to Paris or not, you will love to visit it from the coziness of your own home through A Paris All Your Own.
  
  Disclaimer - I received a complementary copy of A Paris All Your Own from Penguin Random House Canada. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.
• 
  Tracey Ellis

  I enjoyed this book more for how the writers described their writing/research process rather than their impressions of Paris. Having lived there, I’m beyond the surface charm of the city they all described, and the American perspective of expecting a place to adapt to you rather than you adapting to it, became cumbersome, as well as all the clichéd moments. Yes, most came round to liking Paris after a few hurdles, but as one writer rightly put it, ‘Paris doesn’t care’, it doesn’t care what you wear, what you do, how you see the city, (and it doesn’t care if you’re wearing comfortable shoes or not, you’ll want to walk endlessly in this city and need to be sensible!).
  
  No, Paris doesn’t care, and within that is some glorious liberation I’ve never felt in any other place. Paris doesn’t care, and I’m not sure I care about these authors’ impressions of a city that I’m completely in love with from inhabiting it and embracing it. Nor, I realized, do I care why they were inspired to write about it, I mean, who isn’t?
• 
  Diana

  Very good armchair travelling. While I’m not particularly interested in any of the authors here’s individual works, these essays on Paris were very enjoyable. Not all of the authors were enamoured of the place but it was still good to read their thoughts. Until we can all return there, books like this will have to do.
• 
  Hilary

  Has me really pumped to stroll this city this summer! What a great collection of stories about the same city but from very different perspectives. I took many notes on what to do and what not to do when we visit. Can't wait!
• 
  Jessica

  When a group of writers contribute to one book you are bound to like some stories more then others. I really enjoyed some and skipped a few pages on others. This was not an exciting read that kept me wanting more. Instead it gave me pretty severe travel envy.
• 
  Stacy

  This is a collection of short stories of authors who have written about Paris telling about their own times in Paris. I loved reading about their differing experiences. It made me want to go back to Paris again soon!
  
  I won this book as a FirstRead.