Paris, France (Peter Owen Modern Classic)

 

Gertrude Stein lived in Paris from 1903 with her brother Leo, acting as patron for a number of soon-to-be famous artists, most notably Pablo Picasso. Published in 1940, on the day that Paris fell to the Germans, this account blends Stein's childhood memories of Paris with trenchant observations about everything French. It is a witty fricassée of food and fashion, pets and painters, musicians, friends, and artists, served up with a healthy garnish of Steinien humor and self-indulgence. For readers who have previously considered Gertrude Stein to be a difficult or even unreadable author, Paris, France provides a delightful window on the personal and unique world of one of the 20th century's most celebrated modernists.