Paris Tales

OUP Oxford, Sep 9, 2004 - Fiction - 256 pages

Paris Tales is a highly evocative collection of stories by French and Francophone writers who have been inspired by specific locations in this most visited of capital cities. The twenty-two stories - by well-known writers including Nerval, Maupassant, Colette, and Echenoz - provide a captivating glimpse into Parisian life from the mid-nineteenth century to the present day. The stories take us on an atmospheric tour of the arrondissements and quartiers of Paris, charting the changing nature of the city and its inhabitants, and viewing it through the eyes of characters such as the provincial lawyer's wife seeking excitement, a runaway schoolboy sleeping rough, and a lottery-winning policeman. From the artists' haunts of Montmartre to the glamorous caf--eacute--;s of Saint-Germain, from the shouts of demonstrators on Boul Mich' to the tranquillity of Parc Monceau, Paris Tales offers a fascinating literary panorama of Paris. Illustrated with maps and striking photographs, the book will appeal to all those who wish to uncover the true heart of this seductive city.

Contents

• Introduction: 1
• Nightmare: 13
• The Green Monster 2: 23
• The Last Napoleon 3: 35
• A Parisian Adventure 5: 47
• Montmartre Cemetery: 59
• The Gare SaintLazare 7: 69
• The Twentieth Arrondissement: 85
• In NotreDame 9: 89
• The Runaway 11: 105
• The House in the Place des Fêtes 12: 121
• The Joyful Death of Fassola 13: 139
• Rue du Commerce 15: 161
• léna 17: 179
• Manuscript Found: 205
• Feeding the Hungry 22: 227
• Further Reading: 242

About the author

Helen Constantine was Head of Languages for many years at a comprehensive school in Oxfordshire and now works as a full-time translator. She is married to the poet, David Constantine. In January 2004 they took over the editorship of Modern Poetry in Translation.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Paris Tales
• Translated by: Helen Constantine
• Publisher: OUP Oxford, 2004
• ISBN: 0191539562, 9780191539565
• Length: 256 pages
• Subjects: Fiction / Anthologies (multiple authors); Fiction / City Life; Fiction / Literary; Fiction / Short Stories (single author); Literary Collections / General; Travel / General