Paris Times Eight: Finding Myself in the City of Dreams

by Deirdre Kelly

Over eight visits to Paris, Deirdre Kelly has found herself -- first as a 19-year-old and then later as a budding writer, a dance critic, and a fashion reporter. Subsequent visits -- with her mother, her future husband, and later as a mother herself -- have shown her that while some parts of Paris remain constant, her life is always evolving. More than just a beautiful and romantic backdrop for her self-discovery, Paris itself contributes to that...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1553652681
• ISBN13: 9781553652687
• Release Date: October 2009
• Publisher: Greystone Books
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.82 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.5" x 7.6"

Customer Reviews

Great read.

Paris Times Eight is exactly what I look for in my leisure reading: it is accessible but still smart, witty and engaging. It is a refreshing change from the typical narratives for female audiences - nothing is forced or exaggerated. The book is split up into 8 chapters, each a different trip to Paris. The chapters feel almost like short stories as they each take place in a different time in her life. Her experiences are all dramatically different - from young au pair to starving artist; a successful career womans romantic vacation to a mother/daughter trip; a lonely woman to one who is engaged - Kelly illustrates Paris from different poles and perspectives and it is enchanting from each. These short stories are interwoven together as a coming of age story as we see the author develop from as young as high school graduate to mother of two young children. The journey is poignant and thoughtful. This book does not suffer from the too heavy/dramatic perspective that is akin to many memoirs - it is light enough to read in one sitting, smart enough to make last and engaging enough to read more than once.Kelly's story is consistently honest and candid and its imagery is beautiful, sexy and subtle, like Paris itself.