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Photo by Austeja Gudziunaite |
UPDATED - 1/31/2021
(updated fairly often, so do check back)
It began as a list of books about Paris that I'd read about or heard about from friends.
Books I wanted to read while I dreamed of Paris.
Wondering if I'd ever get there.
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Photo by Paris Photographer Geneviève Thomas of My Joli Coeur Photography |
My "obsession" with Paris isn't anything new, it was one of those dreams I've had for as long as I can remember.
It started when I had a Parisian pen pal in grammar school. We corresponded for a couple of years, I think, and I often wonder whatever became of her.
When I knew my dream really was finally coming true and a date was set to leave, I started looking for more and more "Paris Books."
I discovered an amazing number of new novels, along with memoirs, guide books, architecture books, photo books, journals, etc etc etc
Being a lover of lists, I've continued adding to it.
And it grows.
And it will continue to grow.
And grow
and grow . . .
(my personal Paris library has grown a lot since I took this photo. The American Library in Paris might need to add Meat Camp, NC as an official satellite branch.

The list contains fiction and non-fiction. Classics and women's lit, romance and mysteries - it's a total hodge-podge, which is exactly what I read. A little of this mixed with a little of that.
If you love Paris, been there or not been there, you're welcome to think of this list as a great place to start your Paris reading 😍 and discover more as you go along.
Besides this list of mine, there are many (MANY) lists out there of "best" books set in Paris. Have fun finding them and coming up with a list of your own.
Do your research and find a hundred beezillion books to keep you happy until you finally get to The City of Lights. But be prepared, 'cause once you go and return, you'll want more Paris books to keep you entertained and help you plan your next trip. Once you're hooked on all things Paris - you're hooked forever.

Fiction:
THE ELEGANCE OF THE HEDGEHOG by Muriel Barbery
If you love Paris, been there or not been there, you're welcome to think of this list as a great place to start your Paris reading 😍 and discover more as you go along.
Besides this list of mine, there are many (MANY) lists out there of "best" books set in Paris. Have fun finding them and coming up with a list of your own.
Have Fun!
* * * * *
This Little Black Book of Paris (from Peter Pauper Press, but can also be found in many indy bookstores). I love it, and it has come in very handy (besides just being plain ol' fun).

Our favorite map (so far) is Michelin's Paris Par Arrondissement. Having a list of places to see by Arrondissement, along with this map works out wonderfully well.
Cooking for Picasso: A Novel by
THE ELEGANCE OF THE HEDGEHOG by Muriel Barbery
The Gourmet by Muriel Barbery
Love Letters from Montmartre by Nicolas Barreau
The Ingredients of Love by Nicolas Barreau
One Evening in Paris by Nicolas Barreau
The Secret Paris Cinema Club by Nicolas Barreau
Paris is Always a Good Idea by Nicolas Barreau
The Paris Architect by Charles Belfoure
Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans
The Paris Vendetta by Steve Berry
LETTERS FROM PARIS by Juliet Blackwell
The Paris Key by Juliet Blackwell
THE LOST CAROUSEL OF PROVENCE by Juliet Blackwell
The Vineyards of Champagne by Juliet Blackwell
A FRENCH PIROUETTE by Jennifer Bohnet
The Lost Manuscript by Cathy Bonidan
Paris Still Life by Rosalind Brackenbury
The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown
THE LIGHT OF PARIS by Eleanor Brown
THE PARIS EFFECT by K. S. R. Burns
PARIS EVER AFTER by K. S. R. Burns
PARIS BY THE BOOK by Liam Callanan
The Little Paris Patisserie by Julie Caplin
The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles
Haunting Paris by Mamta Chaudhry
Paris, Rue des Martyrs, Adria J. Cimino
A Year in the Merde by Stephen Clarke
In the Merde for Love by Stephen Clarke
THE RACE TO PARIS by Meg Waite Clayton
Cousin Bette, by Honoré de Balzac
Flowers of Darkness by Tatiana de Rosnay
A Paris Affair by Tatiana de Rosnay
The House I Loved by Tatiana de Rosnay
Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
The Rain Watcher by Tatiana de Rosnay
While Paris Slept by Ruth Druart
The French Girl by Lexie Elliott
IT'S NOT LOVE, IT'S JUST PARIS by Patricia Engel
Maggie Finds Her Muse by Dee Ernst
The Paris Girl by Natalie Meg Evans
The Secret Vow by Natalie Meg Evans
THE DRESS THIEF by Natalie Meg Evans
A Gown of Thornes by Natalie Meg Evans
The Milliner's Secret by Natalie Meg Evans
The Queen of Paris A Novel of Coco Chanel
by Pamela Binnings Ewen
PARIS ECHO by Sebastian Faulks
Paris Never Leaves You by Ellen Feldman
The Girl Who Reads on the Métro by Christine Féret-Fleury
The Art of Regret by Mary Fleming
THE DESIGNER by Marius Gabriel
The Parisians by Marius Gabriel
Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris by Paul Gallico
Hidden in Paris by Corine Gantz
The Game of Hope by Sandra Gulland
THE NIGHTINGALE by Kristin Hannah
THE NIGHTINGALE by Kristin Hannah
Chocolat by Joanne Harris
The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
Claris by Megan Hess
Claris' Fashion Show Fiasco by Megan Hess
Claris Bonjour Riviera by Megan Hess
The Story Sisters by Alice Hoffman
The Paramour's Daughter by Wendy Hornsby (this is the 7th in the Maggie MacGowan series, but the first in the series that focuses on Paris. More in the series from this book forward take place in France. For background, I recommend reading the previous books. It's not necessary, but it's one of my favorites series by one of my favorite authors).
The Ambassadors by Henry James
THE PARIS DIRECTIVE by Gerald Jay
Enchantress of Paris by Marci Jefferson
The Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff
All the Flowers in Paris by Sarah Jio
The Paris Model by Alexandra Joel
Le Divorce by Diane Johnson
Le Divorce by Diane Johnson
L'Affaire by Diane Johnson
Into a Paris Quartier by Diane Johnson
Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly
THE BONES OF PARIS by Laurie R. King
Lost Roses by Martha Hall Kelly
THE BONES OF PARIS by Laurie R. King
The Paris Secret by Natasha Lester
P.S. FROM PARIS by Marc Levy
P.S. FROM PARIS by Marc Levy
Vanessa Yu's Magical Paris Tea Shop by Roselle Lim
Verlaque & Bonnet mystery series by M. L. Longworth
APRIL IN PARIS, 1921 by Tessa Lunney
APRIL IN PARIS, 1921 by Tessa Lunney
French Short Stories 1 / Nouvelles Francaises 1: Parallel Text (Penguin Parallel Text) (French and English Edition) edited by Pamela Lyon
The Last Collection - A Novel of Elsa Schiaparelli and Coco Chanel by Jeanne Mackin
The Beautiful American by Jeanne Mackin
The Confectioner's Tale by Laura Madeleine
The Bennett Sisters Series by Lise McClendon
The Paris Wife by Paula McLain
Dragonfly by Leila Meacham
One Summer in Paris by Sarah Morgan
Paris for One by JoJo Moyes
Left Bank by Kate Muir
Water Lily Dance by Michelle Muriel
Abundance: a Novel of Marie Antoinette by Sena Jeter Naslund
Abundance: a Novel of Marie Antoinette by Sena Jeter Naslund
Paris Spring by James Naughtie
Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky
Madame Fourcade’s Secret War by Lynne Olson
The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer
Down and Out in Paris by George Orwell
The Lost Gargoyle of Paris by Gigi Pandian
Quicksand by Gigi Pandian
The Glass Thief by Gigi Pandian
Rooftop Soliloquy by Roman Payne
All the Devils are Here by Louise Penny ("The 16th novel by #1 bestselling author Louise Penny finds Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Sûreté du Quebec investigating a sinister plot in the City of Light." I recommend, as does the author, starting this series by reading Book 1, Still Life. )
Rooftop Soliloquy by Roman Payne
All the Devils are Here by Louise Penny ("The 16th novel by #1 bestselling author Louise Penny finds Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Sûreté du Quebec investigating a sinister plot in the City of Light." I recommend, as does the author, starting this series by reading Book 1, Still Life. )
The Velvet Hours by Alyson Richman
The Black Swan of Paris by Karen Robards
The Paris Winter by Imogen Robertson
One Way Ticket to Paris by Emma Robinson
Moonlight Over Paris by Jennifer Robson
The Secret Language of Stones by M. J. Rose
The Book of Lost Fragrances by M. J. Rose
The Age of Light: A Novel by Whitney Scharer
Perestroika in Paris by Jane Smiley
PARIS, HE SAID by Christine Sneed
FRENCH LESSONS by Ellen Sussman
The Paris Secret by Karen Swan
PARIS ADRIFT by E. J. Swift
Lost in Paris by Elizabeth Thompson
The French Escape by Suzie Tullett
THE FRENCH FOR LOVE by Fiona Valpy
THE FRENCH FOR ALWAYS by Fiona Valpy
THE FRENCH FOR CHRISTMAS by Fiona Valpy
THE BEEKEEPER'S PROMISE by Fiona Valpy
The Dressmaker's Gift by Fiona Valpy
The Secret French Recipes of Sophie Valroux by
Samantha Verant
Sisters of the Resistance by Christine Wells
Paris, 7 A.M. by Liza Wieland
Paris, 7 A.M. by Liza Wieland
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Photo by Paris Photographer Geneviève Thomas of My Joli Coeur Photography https://tinyurl.com/y2of7rtp |
Non-Fiction:
Paris: A Curious Traveler's Guide by Eleanor Aldridge
My (Part-Time) Paris Life: How Running Away Brought Me Home by Lisa Anselmo
Paris Peasant by Louis Aragon & Simon Watson Taylor
Walking Paris Streets with Eugene Atget
Here's one I highly recommend!
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Carousels of Paris |
The Bonjour Effect by Julie Barlow and Jean-Benoit Nadeau
The Most Beautiful Walk in the World: A Pedestrian in Paris by John Baxter
Chic & Slim Toujours: Ageing Beautifully Like Those Chic French Women by Anne Barone
Ritz & Escoffier by Luke Barr
The Most Beautiful Walk in the World: A Pedestrian in Paris by John Baxter
Shakespeare and Company by Sylvia Beach
The Madeleine Project by Clara Beaudoux
A Paris All Your Own - Bestselling Women Writers on the City of Light edited by Eleanor Brown - Contributing authors include Paula McLain, Therese Anne Fowler, Melissa Shapiro, Jennifer Coburn, Maggie Shipstead, Lauren Willig, Cathy Kelly, Rachel Hore, Meg Waite Clayton, Ellen Sussman, M. J. Rose, Susan Vreeland , Megan Crane, Michelle Gable, J. Courtney Sullivan, Julie Powell, Jennifer Scott, and Cara Black.
Paris Cocktails: An Elegant Collection of Over 100 Recipes Inspired by the City of Light (City Cocktails) by
The Artist Who Loved Cats: The Inspiring Tale of Theophile-Alexandre Steinlein by Susan Bernardo, Illustrated by Courtenay Fletcher
My Paris Dream by Kate Betts
A Paris All Your Own - Bestselling Women Writers on the City of Light edited by Eleanor Brown - Contributing authors include Paula McLain, Therese Anne Fowler, Melissa Shapiro, Jennifer Coburn, Maggie Shipstead, Lauren Willig, Cathy Kelly, Rachel Hore, Meg Waite Clayton, Ellen Sussman, M. J. Rose, Susan Vreeland , Megan Crane, Michelle Gable, J. Courtney Sullivan, Julie Powell, Jennifer Scott, and Cara Black.
F. Scott Fitzgerald: The Paris Years by Paul Brody
The Lost King of France by Deborah Cadbury
Hidden Gardens of Paris: A Guide to the Parks, Squares, and Woodlands of the City of Light by Susan Cahill
Parisian Charm School: French Secrets for Cultivating Love, Joy, and That Certain je ne sais quoi by Jamie Cat Callan
The Gargoyles of Notre-Dame by Michael Camille
City of Immortals: Père-Lachaise Cemetery, Paris by Carolyn Campbell
The Piano Shop on the Left Bank: Discovering a Forgotten Passion in a Paris Atelier by Thad Carhart
Pancakes in Paris by Craig Carlson
Pancakes in Paris by Craig Carlson
Paris to the Past: Traveling through French History by Train by Ina Caro
The Grand Louvre: From the Fortress to the Pyramid by Catherine Chaine
My Life in France by Julia Child
Mastering the Art of French Cooking (2 Volume Set) by Julia Child
A Walk in Monet's Garden: Full Color Pop-Up With Guided Tour by Francesca Crespi
Permanent Parisians: An Illustrated Guide to the Cemeteries of Paris by Judi Culbertson & Tom Randall
Strapless by Deborah Davis
The Secret Gardens of Paris by Bruno de Laubadere and Alexandra D'Arnoux
100 Places in France Every Woman Should Go by Marcia DeSanctis
Old-Fashioned Corners of Paris by Christophe Destournelles
Forever Paris: 25 Walks in the Footsteps of Chanel, Hemingway, Picasso, and More by Christina Henry de Tessan
City Walks: Paris, Revised Edition: 50 Adventures on Foot City Walks by Christina Henry de Tessan
The Hare with the Amber Eyes: a Hidden Inheritance by Edmund de Waal
The Best of Doisneau: Paris by Robert Doisneau
Paris Pop-Up by Ehrhard Dominiq
Paris, Paris: Journey Into the City of Light by David Downie and Allison Harris
A Beautiful Fall by Alicia Drake
UN, Deux, Trois: First French Poems Selected by Opal Dunn
Flâneuse: Women Walk the City in Paris, New York, Tokyo, Venice, and London by Lauren Elkin
The 500 Hidden Secrets of Paris by Marie Farman
The Little Book of Paris by Dominique Foufelle
Eugene Atget: Paris by Jean Claude Gautrad
Paris Mansions and Apartments 1893 by Pierre Gelis-Didot
Americans in Paris: Life and Death under Nazi Occupation by Charles Glass
The Maid and the Queen, The Secret History of Joan of Arc and Yolande of Aragon by Nancy Goldstone
Americans in Paris: A Literary Anthology by Adam Gopnik
Paris to the Moon by Adam Gopnik
The Hemingses of Monticello: an American Family by Annette Gordon-Reed (much of the story, although not all, is set in Paris)
DON'T BE A TOURIST IN PARIS by Vanessa Grall
City Trails - Paris by Helen Greathead
City Trails - Paris by Helen Greathead
Paris by Julian Green
A Drinkable Feast: A Cocktail Companion to 1920s Paris by
French Women Don't Get Fat by Mireille Guiliano
French Women for All Seasons by Mireille Guiliano
Gail Albert Halaban: Paris Views by Gail Albert Halaban and Cathy Rémy
Paris: Capital of Modernity by David Harvey
EVERY FRENCHMAN HAS ONE by Olivia de Havilland
A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway
Eating and Drinking in Paris: French Menu Translator and Restaurant Guide by Andy Herbach
Paris Is Always a Good Idea by Renee Herrington
Monet's House at Giverny : A Pop-up Carousel by Bob Hersey
Paris: Through a Fashion by Megan Hess
F. Scott Fitzgerald's Taste of France by Carol Hlker
Demystifying the French By Janet Hulstrand
La Vie en Rosé: A Very French Adventure Continues by Jamie Ivey
Paris under Water: How the City of Light Survived the Great Flood of 1910 by Jeffrey Jackson
Paris in Love by Eloisa James
I. M. Pei: The Louvre Pyramid by Philip Jodidio
The Little Pleasures of Paris by Leslie Jonath & Lizzie Stewart
White Truffles in Winter by N.M. Kelby
Paris Reborn: Napoléon III, Baron Haussmann, and the Quest to Build a Modern City by Stephane Kirkland
A Day with Picasso by Billy Kluver
French Milk by Lucy Knisley
Karl Lagerfeld: Paris Photo by Karl Lagerfeld
Paris in Bloom by Georgianna Lane
L'Appart: The Delights and Disasters of Making My Home in Paris by David Lebovitz
That's Paris: An Anthology of Life, Love and Sarcasm in the City of Light edited by Vicki Lesage
Curiosities of Paris by Dominique Lesbros
A Writer's Paris A Guided Journey for the Creative Soul by Eric Maisel
Pop-Up Paris (Lonely Planet Kids) by Andy Mansfield
BEMELMANS The Life and Art of Madeline's Creator by John Bemelmans Marciano
My Good Life in France, In pursuit of the Rural Dream by Janine Marsh
My Four Seasons in France by Janine Marsh
A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle
Toujours Provence by Peter Mayle
Encore Provence: New Adventures in the South of France by Peter Mayle
Provence by Peter Mayle
Provence from the Air by Peter Mayle
Provence A-Z by Peter Mayle
The Hotel on Place Vendome: Life, Death and Betrayal at the Hotel Ritz in Paris by Tilar J. Mazzeo
The Widow Clicquot: The story of a champagne empire and the woman who ruled it by Tilar J. Mazzeo
The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris by David McCullough
Paris: Panarama Pops by Sarah McMenemy
BOOKS, BAGUETTES AND BEDBUGS by Jeremy Mercer
60 Million Frenchmen Can’t Be Wrong: Why We Love France But Not the French by Jean-Benoit Nadeau and Julie Barlow
ROOFTOPS OF PARIS by Fabrice Moireau and Carl Norac
Quiet Corners of Paris Unexpected Hideaways, Secret Courtyards, Hidden Gardens by Jean-Christophe Napias
History of France by John Julius Norwich
Inspired by Paris: Why Borrowing from the French is Better than being French by Jordan Phillips
Paris: Beautiful Designs on the Street Cornery by PIE Books
American Expatriate Writing and the Paris Moment by Donald Pizer
FRANCE IS A FEAST: The Photographic Journey of Paul and Julia Child by Alex Prud'homme & Katie Pratt
Remembrance of Things Paris: Sixty Years of Writing from Gourmet by Ruth Reichl
Spectacular Paris - Rizzoli Classics
Paris in Love by Nichole Robertson
Spectacular Paris - Rizzoli Classics
Paris in Love by Nichole Robertson
Follow Me Through Paris by Jill Robinson and Michel Delacroix
French Toast: An American in Paris Celebrates the Maddening Mysteries of the French by Harriet Welty Rochefort
How to Read Paris: A Crash Course in Parisian Architecture by Chris Rogers
French Toast: An American in Paris Celebrates the Maddening Mysteries of the French by Harriet Welty Rochefort
How to Read Paris: A Crash Course in Parisian Architecture by Chris Rogers
Communal Luxury: The Political Imaginary of the Paris Commune by Kristin Ross
May '68 and Its Afterlives by Kristin Ross
Paris Was Ours by Penelope Rowlands
Paris by John Russell
Drawing Lessons by Patricia Sands
Be My Guest: At Home with the Tastemakers by (Author),
Do Not Go Gentle. Go to Paris.: Travels of an Uncertain Woman of a Certain Age by
The Only Street in Paris: Life on the Rue des Martyrs by Elaine Sciolino
La Seduction: How The French Play The Game Of Life by Elaine Sciolino
The Seine: The River that Made Paris by
LE PARISIENNES by Anne Sebba
Impressions of Paris: An Artists's Sketchbook by Cat Seto
by Linda Spalla
Paris Flea Market Style by Claudia Strasser
The Paris Apartment by Claudia Strasser
Paris in 500 photos 500 Photos by Maurice Subervie
Paris: An Architectural History An Architectural History by Anthony Sutcliffe
A Kitchen in France: A Year of Cooking in My Farmhouse: A Cookbook by
Living Well Is the Best Revenge by Calvin Tomkins
Almost French: Love and A New Life in Paris by Sarah Turnbull
Everybody Was So Young: Gerald and Sara Murphy: A Lost Generation Love Story by Amanda Vaill
Seven Letters from Paris: A Memoir by Samantha Vérant
Queen of Fashion: What Marie Antoinette Wore to the Revolution by Caroline Weber
PARIS IN STRIDE, AN INSIDER'S WALKING GUIDE by Jessie Kanelos Weiner and Sarah Moroz
40 Romantic Restaurants by Chuck Porter
Atget: Postcards of a Lost Paris by Benjamin Weiss
Our Paris: Sketches from Memory by Edmund White
The Guide to the Architecture of Paris by Norval White
The Historic Restaurants of Paris: A Guide to Century-Old Cafes, Bistros, and Gourmet Food Shops by Ellen Williams
6 comments:
Wow, Kaye! What a great list! You've done a lot of work that others can benefit from. I didn't used to care much about going to Paris, but you have me getting closer and closer to jumping on a plane.
Wonderful list! and I love the photos of Paris!
I found this list while looking for recommended books to read while I spend the next two weeks in Paris. I just want to say that this is so thorough and interesting. I'm both overwhelmed and excited! You obviously put a ton of thought and time into this. Know that it is appreciated!
P.S. Seeing the obvious joy in your pictures makes me so happy and excited for my own trip. Thanks for posting!
Tori - You have made my day, Thank You!!!!
Now, please, let me hear about trip AND what you decided to read.
Have fun (how could you not?!) in Paris
Wonderful
What a wonderful list! Thank you for including my book, LOST IN PARIS! I'm honored. ~ Elizabeth Thompson
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