Letters of Madame de Sévigné
The Bons Mots of the Marquise
Note to readers: You may choose to read this commentary on the letters of Madame de Sévigné here or listen to it on the audio file at the end of the article. When asked to give a list of what … Read More
Happy Days
Intuition of the Absurd
Note to readers: You may choose to read this analysis of Happy Days here or listen to it on the audio file at the end of the article. This week, I am going to discuss a play created by one of … Read More
The French Origins of Planet of the Apes
Monkeying Around with the Original
Planet of the Apes, probably the most successful sci-fi franchise after Star Wars, has permeated our culture with parodies and allusions, seen on everything from The Simpsons to the animated sci-fi film Rick and Morty. In 2018, Roseanne Barr infamously … Read More
Le Pont Mirabeau
Dangerous New Poetry
Note to readers: You may choose to read this analysis of Le Pont Mirabeau here or listen to it on the audio file at the end of the article. I wanted to concentrate this week on a single poem with an … Read More
Bérénice
Classic Love Triangle
Note to readers: You may choose to read this analysis of Bérénice here or listen to it on the audio file at the end of the article. On December 3, 1670, the secretary to the British Embassy in Paris, Francis … Read More
French Science Fiction
Over the Moon and Under the Radar
Science fiction has traditionally been dominated by the English-speaking world – think of authors like Ray Bradbury and Ursula Le Guin, and movies like the Star Wars franchise – but France has a surprisingly long pedigree in the field. The … Read More
The Powers of Sound and Song in Early Modern Paris
Hearing Paris in the 17th Century
In The Powers of Sound and Song in Early Modern Paris, Nicholas Hammond invites the reader to hear as well as to visualize Paris in the 17th century. This is, in many ways, counterintuitive, as we usually experience a period … Read More
Interview with David Lebovitz
French Culture in a Glass
One of the world’s best-loved food bloggers, Paris-based pastry chef David Lebovitz started his career at Chez Panisse, Alice Waters’ temple of fresh, local, seasonal cuisine in Berkeley, California. Since then, he has published a slew of cookbooks, including The … Read More
Les Fleurs du Mal
The Depths of the Unknown
Note to readers: You may choose to read this analysis of Les Fleurs du Mal here or listen to it on the audio file at the end of the article. The year 1857 was an important one in the French literary … Read More
Les Liaisons Dangereuses
Seduction Games
Note to readers: You may choose to read this analysis of Les Liaisons Dangereuses here or listen to it on the audio file at the end of the article. Paris Update readers of a certain age will undoubtedly know Les Liaisons … Read More