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Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Paris Books

Macaron Bookmark, original watercolor 9" x 11"

One of the fun things to do in Paris is haunt bookstores.

 French guides to Paris are bound to have more secrets lurking within.


I love this series by PARISGRAMME - not hard to figure out no matter how meager your Fr. + only 100 pages long. And they fit nicely in your handbag. I have the chocolate + tea salon of this series(6 Euros).


 I love are the CARNET DE PARIS by Equinoxe. Little sketchbooks of the different arrondissements in Paris.


I bought this cookbook with high hopes. HA! My baking skills are nill but the pictures are nice.


In French so you get a lecon thrown in.


Sometimes I take quickie shots of pictures that inspire me.


What is it about jam jars - Nostalgia for times past?


If I see an inspiring watercolor how-to book I'll grab a shot, this one in W.H.Smith on rue de Rivoli near Angelina. They always have the latest Brit how-to books.


The French version of a Jean Dobie book - I was hoping this could jump-start my painting in Paris.


I love the cover of this catalog in Galignani's on rue de Rivoli.


I bought Art Buchwald's book this morning on Amazon for $0.01. Long overdue reading it. Do you have favorite books you bought in Paris?
BONNE JOURNEE

19 comments:

  1. I am ashamed to admit that I have never bought a book in Paris. But my books about Paris collection is enormous. It is my favorite genre of book.

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  2. You are right, Parigramme "Paris est à nous" is a great sery! ( said a parisian girl...)
    I was thinking at you, this morning, going to the cook book store " la Cocotte", in the 11th arrondissement. I guess you know this one year old bookstore?

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  3. Anonymous9:24 AM

    I bought a cookbook at Librairie Gourmande in the Latin Quarter. It is one of the premier cookbook stores and the owner if a founder of the International Directory of Cookbook stores.

    When I'm able to completely read the recipes without consulting my dictionary I will be ready to retire to Paris.

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  4. Anonymous9:26 AM

    Bonjour, Carol!
    I have seen this Laduree book you have shown on ebay, and wondered how good a read it was. The cover is so lovely.
    So, would you recommend it?
    Patricia

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  5. Anonymous9:27 AM

    I bought several wonderful books in Paris in December. I love the Shakespeare book store. It’s exactly what a book store should be…cluttered, cramped, dusty, and full of treasures. I found a book called Sarah’s Key. As WWII is a particular interest of mine, it piqued my curiosity. What a wonderful story! It intertwined the history of one of the darker stories of Paris during the war, with a modern day woman’s story of her life married to a Frenchman.

    I bought four other books and, on leaving the store, jested with the clerk that if he sees me coming again, to please lock the door! J I have too, too many books already.

    Nice column today, thank you.

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  6. Thank you Delphine!
    I meant to go to LA COCOTTE and forgot :(
    Next trip!!!
    Bien sur

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  7. I bought the book 'Almost French' after seeing it on the webside and it was fantastic and l felt as if l was in France for two weeks. If you haven't read it , get it now as you will read it over and over again,
    Jill

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  8. I love books and IF I were to ever get to Paris I know I would end up in the bookstores there too. Fabulous painting. I see you used the inspiration books and carried on with your own touch. Books and tea go so well together I think. Well done.
    Glad you explained the blury jam shot before I thought maybe I wasnt awake yet & My eyes weren't focusing. lol

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  9. Anonymous11:40 AM

    Books + tea + macarons = Perfection!
    Oh and preferably in Paris!

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  10. wonderful watercolor, Carol! Love the whimsical macaron bookmarks! Those books all look like ones I'd gravitate towards! And good old Art Buchwald--I loved him. I read his autobiography and have always been fond of him. And he really saved William Styron and Mike Wallace from the clutches of depression, too--he was such a unique man...sigh...hope the book is good.

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  11. A tottering tower of tiny tombes...and a cleverly gleeful At Buchwald...oohh, I drroll over books almost as much, well maybe more that I drool over chocolates and tea. Fabulous!! Makes me want to snoop even more in all those shops then stop fro a macaron.
    I put the Buchwald on my reading list...off to work I go for now. Hope all is well with you.
    All best, Jan

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  12. Anonymous1:12 PM

    First time here. Thanks Carol for the hotel advice. I got back from Paris a few weeks ago and it was amazing. Picked up a macaron cookbook at Gilbert Jeune. Now, I need to find a translator.

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  13. I always want to buy their books but I can't read French. I do buy loads of magazines when I am there but just looks at the pictures. I feel as though I have returned to my childhood :(

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  14. Anonymous4:31 PM

    Some time ago I found a paperbacjk at Oxfam - The last time I saw Paris by Elliot Paul, from 1942. I haven't read it yet, but I look forward to do so :-)

    The next Paris book I will buy must be by you!

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  15. Art Buchwald!
    How I miss him.
    His Paris memoirs have a place of honor on my bookshelves.
    Maybe I should go to Paris, after all?

    (I suppose you do know his Thanksgiving column, leaked to him "by a high government official in the Plymouth colony", about "le Jour de Merci Donnant" - I read it faithfully every TG in the Washington Post.)
    .

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  16. I'm currently kicking myself for not buying a 1950's French cookbook I saw in the Marches aux Puces a few weeks ago. Grrr! I did buy Nicolas Stohrer's late 1700's autobiography (in French) at the Stohrer Patisserie on the Rue Montorgueil. It's a treasure.

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  17. Anonymous7:29 AM

    The publisher of the cool books on the areas of Paris is the same one who published the books we bought in Carmel!

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  18. Anonymous7:29 AM

    Love the cover of "Laduree" Would love to do these kind of covers.
    Love the little illustrations as well as the use of overall color. Color
    combinations are my passion.
    Can see why you like the cover of the catalog; it is so your painting style!

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  19. Anonymous7:31 PM

    next time you're in town come over and I'll show you my library! it's half composed of books I bought in paris. I'm obsessed with livres de poche, mainly from gallimard but others are ok. I love the way their spines all look the same when they line up on the shelves (or more often pile up on top of them) :)

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