Ruminations...

The last time I was in Paris, I ran out of reading material. Although I love a challenge, for some reason I wasn't in the mood to read a book in French (perhaps because I was having a hard enough time just speaking the language). Thank goodness for Galignani, a wonderful English bookshop on the right bank (at 224 rue de rivoli). I am an absolute sucker for a good book store or library, so this shop had me the moment I walked through the front door. Galignani was overflowing with wonderful choices, and I left with this:

"Paris to the Moon," Adam Gopnik's charming account of his family's five years in Paris. The book is a collection of essays Gopnik wrote for the New Yorker while he lived in the City of Light with his wife and young son. The cover features the Jardin de Luxembourg, where I loved settling into a green chaise with Mr. Gopnik's ruminations on life in Paris. The only problem with trying to read in the Luxembourg Gardens is the delightful distractions:

The little birds who would like just a small piece of baguette, S.V.P

The children sailing boats on the pond

The games taking place throughout the gardens

The flowers which change with the seasons

And the beautiful statues and art installations

Despite the distractions, I managed to finish. I really enjoyed "Paris to the Moon"... so much, in fact, that I had to pick up this:

"Through the Children's Gate," another great read, this one about the Gopniks' life in New York after they returned from Paris. Since I have finished both "Paris to the Moon" and "Through the Children's Gate," I am now hoping Gopnik and his family move again! (And also wondering what Charlie Ravioli is up to these days...)