books & films | A French Collection

My Four Seasons in France – Book Review

'My Four Seasons in France - A Year of the Good Life' is the second book by Janine Marsh, editor of The Good Life France who writes about buying a dilapidated old house in northern France on a whim, almost by accident, and has ever since been making her tiny village in 'middle-of-nowhere-France' her home.

My Four Seasons in France

A Year of the Good Life starts with Janine and husband Mark in France on a wine buying trip with her father, when suddenly looking at homes for sale seemed a good idea, and then, buying the home her father declared as 'not fit to live in' even seemed like a good idea, so they did!

The 6 Best Libraries of Paris

Paris is full of libraries and book stores and we've searched and found the 6 best and most famous libraries of Paris for you.

“The very existence of libraries affords the best evidence that we may yet have hope for the future of man.” - T.S. Eliot

“The only thing that you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library.” - Albert Einstein

The 6 Best and Most Famous Libraries of Paris

Libraries functions as many things; databases, meeting places, peace for solitude seekers, joy for information lovers, and, if you’re lucky, a concentration of sensory pleasures; smooth cool wooden banisters worn by many hands, faded leather spines sporting shimmering metallic lettering, and the reassuring smell of yellowing paper. And Paris has some of the best libraries that are full of leather bound books, yellowing paper and corners of solitude.

The Beekeeper’s Promise: Book Review

The Beekeeper’s Promise by Fiona Valpy

Fiona Valpy expertly takes the reader into two worlds divided by seventy years in her best seller, The Beekeeper's Promise. Through clever narration she is able to set the differences in time and culture from the period of 1938 to present day. At the same time by highlighting the differences Valpy also reveals that over time and space much of what makes up an individual’s humanity remains essentially unaltered.

This book explores many themes; love and loss, loyalty and betrayal even domestic violence. On the face of it, one could be forgiven for thinking Valpy has tried to do too much, to tackle too many issues. However, her writing is skilled and she sensitively explores events by simply telling the story. She resists the temptation to moralise allowing her characters to live out their circumstances with sincerity.