Director of Philanthropy Carter Hedberg recommends The Paris Novel by Ruth Reichl.
Ruth Reichl’s The Paris Novel is an absolute delight! I found it to be a sumptuous, transportive journey through the City of Light and France, told through the eyes of Stella, a reserved and tightly-wound young woman. Her life begins to unfold after an unexpected inheritance from her mother: a one-way plane ticket to Paris and a note that simply reads, “Go to Paris.” What follows is a tender, layered story of self-discovery, sparked by the mystery of the model in Manet’s iconic painting, Olympia, and deepened through the new friendships Stella forms.
As I read, I found myself irresistibly drawn back to my own memories of Paris, savoring a café crème under the arcades of Place des Vosges, standing before Olympia for the first time in the Jeu de Paume, and becoming gleefully lost in the stacks of Shakespeare and Company. And, of course, discovering extraordinary food at every turn. Reichl captures the city’s essence with such richness and clarity that I often felt I was walking in step with Stella, experiencing Paris as she does, tentatively at first, then with increasing energy and appetite.
Reichl’s reverence for food, art, and the intoxicating thrill of adventure is found on every page. The Paris Novel is not simply about unlocking a painting’s secret, it’s about embracing a more expansive, more flavorful life…something that seems to unfold when visiting Paris.
Ruth Reichl will appear at The Community Library on Tuesday, July 22, in conversation with Jenny Emery Davidson, as part of the Community Speaker Series, presented in partnership with the Sun Valley Writers Conference. While in-person seating is full, the program will be livestreamed. More/register for the livestream link here.
