Reading About Paris

Their is a multitude on books, stories, articles. memoirs, written about Paris, needless to say, but I say it anyway. Besides the previously mentioned, there are magazines, travel guides, web sites and blog's dedicated to Paris information also. Not France, but Paris spacifically.

My sister, who works at a library, took out and loaned me one of the more famous memoirs, written by Ernest Hemingway. I have tried reading his writing before, without much success. I just am not in tune to his style of writing. I actually think that Hemingway's continued reverence within the literary world is perpetuated by the continued word of mouth of his, greatness as a writer, which was started decades ago and is just believed in "our" time by just believing what was said in the past. Now, that being said, I decide to read the book by Hemingway called "The Movable Feast". It is his recollections of his years in Paris with his wife, Hadley, a decade or so after WWI. He wrote the book in the 1960's at his home in Idaho.
I thought it would be a good story to get the flavor of an American in Paris in the 20's. I can only refer to my previous comment about Hemingway.  His greatness escapes me. Even with his being one of the characters in Woody Allens' newest movie, "Paris at Midnight". He is portrayed as the emotional writer of the day that he was. I will read more of his books (at least one more, the one about his time in Italy as an ambulance driver (volunteer) during WWI. He was injured and this eventually lead to his going to Paris. I will try to read this story before I completely pass judgment on his writing. It just might not be my vintage.
 I do want to mention though, that while reading the chapter "People of the Seine" he writes of bookstalls which are set up along the Seine. He writes about where the booksellers accumulate the books they sell. There is a paragraph which he has a small conversation with a woman whom he knows, who sells books written in English. He mentions that the books sometimes come from the Hotel Voltaire, which has a wealthier clientle. The books are left behind and the staff collects them and sells them to the booksellers. I mention all this because, coincidentally, that is the Hotel which I have reserved for my stay in Paris. I find coincidences like that fairy interesting. But I still don't like how he writes. The story, by the way, is of such a personal nature that it really does nothing to "put" you in Paris while reading.
Previous to Hemingway, I was reading, and have yet to finish, Eiffel, the story of Gustaf Eiffel and his Tower project. His own idea to construct. The only other "tall" structure in the world at the time, 1878, was the Washington Monument in DC. 500 Ft. Eiffels tower is over 1,000 Ft.
The David McCullough's book is about the American exodus to Paris in the 1830's. The US was still a young country without many educational opertunities for the advancement of Medicine, Art, Education, etc...Paris was the world leader in these and more areas of study at the time. 

The travel books by various publishers are very informative and the Time Out magazine and tour book series published in the UK is grate for current events. Rick Steves is very cost consious and informative. He even has FREE downloads on his web site of many items including mp3 recordings for playing back while walking through the Louvre, Musee du Orsey, Verssie walking tour of Ile de citi and the Latin Quarter area. I almost took his tour but opted o book it all myself. There are so many well organized tour companies to purchase single tours and trip through, it was fairly easy. lol.
The book I am reading now, was written by an ex-patriot (American) who has lived in Paris for twenty years. I just started it but it seems to be what I am looking for regarding the day to day life in Paris. One bit of information I found interesting was about the water supply for Paris. It is the river which runs through the city, the Seine. It is a little joke among the residents of the city that when you drink a glass of Paris water, it has already been through five other Parisians. Bottled water for me thanks, and when I drink a coffee at a cafe, well, I just will have to realize, it won't kill you!