Rendezvous Eighteenth
Jake Lamar’s latest book brings it home. After four novels, including “Bourgeois Blues” and “The Last Integrationist,” Lamar places his new thriller in his own Paris neighborhood, the 18th arrondissement where he has lived since 1993. Full of atmosphere, it weaves a tale whereby American expatriate life collides with the Parisian underworld. With a superb ear for dialogue and evident sense of geography, Lamar deftly captures the experience of African-American expats living in this capital during the ’90s. “In my fourth book ‘If 6 were 9’ I learned how to use the form of the thriller to explore all the questions about race, identity and American politics that had always concerned me,” says Lamar. “I was finally ready to write a mystery novel about my adopted city.”
About his arrondissement, Lamar says “the 18th is a city within a city: sprawling, multicultural, eccentric and hard-bitten; a place where tourist kitsch meets underworld sleaze. The 18th seemed like the ideal setting for a thriller, especially one that explores the complex bonds of family, nation, ethnicity and religion. I’m currently writing another thriller set in Paris, one in which some of the second tier characters of “Rendezvous” are the protagonists. I hope that in writing about the mysteries of Paris I might be able to unravel some of the mysteries of the human heart.” BR
“Fear’s Empire, War; Terrorism, and Democracy,” by Benjamin R. Barber (Norton)
In this hard-hitting but pragmatic critique of the Bush administration’s foreign policy, Barber who is the author of “Jihad Vs. McWorld” exposes in detail the folly of an agenda of preventive war, placing it in the context of 200 years of American strategic doctrine. Says Barber “we cannot defeat fear with fear.” He shows how chosen “rogue states” have been made to stand in for terrorists too difficult to locate and destroy, and how the United States continues to support dictatorship in nations it regards as friends, while still believing it can impose democracy on vanquished enemies at the barrel of a gun. The author argues that American self-righteousness is endangering its future, and that it cannot foster democracy either by confusing freedom with anarchic free markets or by imposing American-sytle political structures and aggressive secular materialism on other nations. BR
“Absinthe, a myth always green” — Benoît Noël/Peter Verte/Artemis (L’Esprit Frappeur)
A look at one of the few aperitifs to have been banned worldwide. It is still illegal to make or sell absinthe in the US. The drink which fueled the Belle Epoch of Parisian bohemia is examined in an effort to separate fact from fiction surrounding its alleged attributes of increasing sexual powers, inspiring genius and driving imbibers to madness. Beginning with some of the drink’s users/abusers such as Vincent Van Gogh and Paul Verlaine we learn for example that Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec drank his absinthe from a flask located in his cane. He liked his mixed with cognac and at a party in 1889 celebrating his paintings at the bar of the Moulin Rouge served a cocktail consisting of absinthe, tangerine, red wine and champagne. Naturellement, this mini book (available at Shakespeare & Co) includes tips on where and how to buy what it considers quality absinthe in France. BR
Paris Style ed. Angelika Taschen photos Deidi Von Schaewen (Taschen)
Beginning with 19th century photos by Eugene Atget and moving on to the present with luscious pictures of some of Paris’ most elegant apartments, this book is nothing less than a window on the world of French interior design and its legendary sense of style. Printed with a quality Taschen is famous for and priced at an affordable 6.99E, this light weight coffee-table book goes easy on both your holiday gift budget and Santa’s bag at flight check in time. BR
“Les mercredis de petits Parisiens” by Anne-Sophie Puget (Parigramme, Paris)
Parisian parents of children between the aged 3-12 are always on the lookout for fun activities and places to go. But almost inevitably, once all the obvious ideas have been done (and redone), there comes that moment when parents get stuck. Here, Parigramme has come up with a delightful addition to their pocket guide collection, “Les mercredis de petits Parisiens.” While the title, of course, makes a playful reference to how in years gone by, schoolchildren would be set adrift on Wednesdays, the dilemma of finding interesting and amusing things to do, remains forever pertinent... Here, good advice is dispensed for exploring different types of museums, helping to develop creativity, and appreciation for history, art and travel. Science and cooking activities for kids, sports, amusing walks and more are presented in an appealing manner (including fun places and ways to go shopping!). For parents, this guide truly can be described as indispensable. MH
“Paris France Personal Recollections” by Gertrude Stein (Peter Owen, London)
This is a reissue of a small book Ms. Stein published in 1940, on the day Paris fell to the Germans, describing the capital she had known and lived in for more than 40 years. With her usual great dollops of wit, intelligence, humor, seriousness and love of human nature, she outlines why France was and is so important to the world, to the 20th century (and all the others), and what it is about the French that makes that true. In her signature manner, she mixes food and fashion, pets and painters, musicians, friends and artists, to steer the reader towards a deeper understanding and more personal contact with a people who, to their immense credit, have always managed to maintain a fundamental belief in tradition, culture and dignity, despite having faced many difficult challenges, ranging in size all the way from horrendous national crises, down to the unfortunate, but quite common, attempts by those of lesser culture, to stereotype them. MH
