Name: Erin 's review of The Only Street in Paris by Elaine Sciolino
Item: The Only Street in Paris
Rating: 5
Author: Erin

Elaine Sciolino

Elaine Sciolino, the former Paris bureau chief of the New York Times, invites us on a tour of her favorite Parisian street. “I can never be sad on the rue des Martyrs,” Sciolino explains, as she celebrates the neighborhood's rich history and vibrant lives. While many cities suffer from the leveling effects of globalization, the rue des Martyrs maintains its distinct allure. Sciolino reveals the charms and idiosyncrasies of this street and its longtime residents—the Tunisian greengrocer, the husband-and-wife cheesemongers, the showman who's been running a transvestite cabaret for more than half a century, the owner of a 100-year-old bookstore, the woman who repairs eighteenth-century mercury barometers—making Paris come alive in all its unique majesty. The Only Street in Paris will make readers hungry for Paris, for cheese and wine, and for the kind of street life that is all too quickly disappearing.

Life on the Rue Des Martyrs

The Only Street in Paris

Erin 

I've stated in my updates how much I loved this book. All the characters on the Rue de Martyrs were charming, even if they weren't particularly friendly, and it gives me a small thrill to remember that this is not a novel and these people really do exist. I have been to Paris once before and didn't visit this area, but I think that when I return (and I will return) I should like to take a stroll through the street, nipping in and out of the shops as Elaine describes. I am a big fan of Haussmann (who designed the modern, clean Paris we see today), but would definitely find it interesting to walk through this street stuck in time. I certainly wouldn't have found out about the Rue de Martyrs and its significance if it wasn't for this book.

Also, I am on a bit of a Parisian memoir binge lately, and this book certainly satisfied my craving. If you are in love with Parisian life, read this!

"Part memoir, part travelogue, part love letter to the people who live and work on a magical street in Paris. Elaine Sciolino, the former Paris bureau chief for the New York Times, invites us on a tour of her favorite Parisian street, offering an homage to street life and the pleasures of Parisian living. 'I can never be sad on the rue des Martyrs,' Sciolino explains, as she celebrates the neighborhood's rich history and vibrant lives. While many cities suffer from the leveling effects of globalization, the rue des Martyrs maintains its distinct allure. On this street, the patron saint of France was beheaded and the Jesuits took their first vows. It was here that Edgar Degas and Pierre-Auguste Renoir painted circus acrobats, âEmile Zola situated a lesbian dinner club in his novel Nana, and Franðcois Truffaut filmed scenes from The 400 Blows. Sciolino reveals the charms and idiosyncrasies of this street and its longtime residents--the Tunisian greengrocer, the husband-and-wife cheesemongers, the showman who's been running a transvestite cabaret for more than half a century, the owner of a hundred-year-old bookstore, the woman who repairs eighteenth-century mercury barometers--bringing Paris alive in all of its unique majesty. The Only Street in Paris will make readers hungry for Paris, for cheese and wine, and for the kind of street life that is all too quickly disappearing"--Provided by publishe

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The Only Street in Paris by Elaine Sciolino

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The Only Street in Paris by Elaine Sciolino