12 March 2022

Joan Koenig on the Power of Music

by Pallas-Amenah Morgan On a cloudy Saturday morning, the sound of drums, tambourines, maracas and horns could be heard coming from the Children’s Library at The […]
16 February 2022

Slam Poetry at the Library

Words have power, and poetry has been an art form used to inspire some of the greatest movements in history. This February, Children’s and Teens’ Services […]
24 January 2022

Burns Night 2022

Burns Night Burns Night is celebrated in Scotland on or around 25 January. It is a yearly commemoration of the life of the bard (poet) Robert […]
26 March 2021

Writing Tips and Advice for YAFF 2021

The Library encourages young authors, ages 5-18, from all over the greater Paris area to use their imaginations and prepare to submit an original story in […]
16 March 2021

More books, more space to read!

Selecting books for yourself or to share with a child should be a joyful task, although it can often be daunting. With the recent expansion of […]
4 December 2020

Gifts for book-lovers

Looking for the perfect present for the bookworm in your life? Here are gift ideas to satisfy readers of all ages. Suggestions include items from the […]
5 June 2020

A message of solidarity

Dear friend of the Library,  As the world reels from and mourns the horrific deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery and as we […]
16 November 2017

Book reviews by kids and teens

Kids and teens review books Name: InesAge: 9Book title: Harry Potter and the Deathly HallowsAuthor: J.K. RowlingReview: I love the books. They’re exciting, fun, and funny.  […]
16 October 2017

Interview with Adam Begley

Interview with Adam Begley   Author Adam Begley returns to the Library to talk about his book The Great Nadar: The Man Behind the Camera on […]
28 September 2017

Were you up to the Challenge?

This year the Library ran Summer Reading Challenges for Children, Teens and Adults from 24 June – 10 September. The Finale Party on 16 September saw […]
27 September 2017

Fall 2017 visiting fellow – James Verini

Fall 2017 Library visiting fellow James Verini The Library is pleased to welcome our fall 2017 Library visiting fellow, journalist James Verini. He has written extensively […]
20 September 2017

Roald Dahl Day Fun!

On Sunday 17 September the Library celebrated Roald Dahl’s birthday (the author was born on September 13), with a themed workshop celebrating all things Dahl!  Assistant […]
14 September 2017

Fall newsletter hits the stands

Ex Libris, the Library’s quarterly newsletter, is now available. Pick up a copy in the Members’ Lounge and read about the Library’s activities over the summer […]
7 September 2017

September Culture Picks

Now that you’re back from vacation and summer is coming to an end, why not chase away the rentrée blues by visiting a Parisian museum? These […]
18 August 2017

Kids recommend…

We hope you’re enjoying your summer reading! Here at the Library, we’ve heard from a few young members who would like to recommend some titles they’ve […]
10 August 2017

Birds of Paris

        Our Birds of Paris Children’s program on Saturday 22 July featured information about 9 different bird species that reside in our city […]
24 July 2017

Interview with Matt Black

An Interview with Matt Black One of our amazing volunteers is Matt Black. Matt, who has been a Library member for 10 years, supports the Library […]
10 July 2017

New e-books for children and adults

The Library has refreshed its OverDrive e-book collection with 100 new titles you can take with you on vacation. We’ve selected the best in recent fiction […]
27 June 2017

In praise of Susan Suleiman’s new book

The Library recently hosted a presentation of Susan Suleiman’s new book, The Némirovsky Question. Telling the tale of a family disseminated after having suffered the horrors […]
3 April 2017

Thank you for a great 2017 YAFF!

Thanks for a great 2017 YAFF! The deadline for the 2017 Young Authors Fiction Festival is now passed. This year’s YAFF had one of the largest […]
27 March 2017

A message from the Director

A message from the Director I want to share with the extended family of the American Library in Paris the news that I will be stepping […]
8 December 2016

John Morris at 100

John Morris’s event at the Library has been postponed, but The New York Times has published a wonderful interview-profile and slideshow marking his 100th birthday on December […]
29 August 2016

We’re open!

We’re open! All of us at the Library are delighted to report that the renovations are complete (or very nearly!) and our doors are once again […]
17 November 2015

Helping children cope with anxiety

In response to the tragic events in Paris this past weekend, the Library staff has asked crisis counselor Keri Hicks for permission to repost these tips […]
16 November 2015

A message from the director

Dear friends and members of the American Library: Like all Parisians, the expatriates and others who make up our Library community are feeling shock and grief […]
13 October 2013

New titles for kids

Written and illustrated by Molly Idle  Reviewed by Children’s Library Volunteer Kristen Crans  Meet Flora. Meet the Flamingo. Now watch them dance. At first awkward, separate,   […]
23 September 2013

A Visiting Fellowship at the Library

The American Library in Paris Visiting Fellowship was created in 2013 to nurture and sustain a heritage as old as the Library itself – deepening French-American […]
11 February 2013

Theasa Tuohy: A word on Vietnam

    For many the Vietnam War is no more than history. For those of us for whom it is a vivid memory, the 45th anniversary […]
10 December 2012

A new prize at the Library

Here at the American Library, we’re struck by how many books are being published about France every day and by how many of their authors would […]
22 November 2012

Winner of our first photo contest

Just in time for Thanksgiving, we’d like to announce the winner of our first (Halloween-themed) photo contest: Gracie Dobson as Apple Dumplin’. As told to us by Gracie’s […]
14 November 2012

For aspiring young artists…

How to Draw Princesses and Ballerinas and How to Draw Fairies and Mermaids Published by Usborne Reviewed by Children’s Library volunteer Carole Black Usborne has published […]
11 November 2012

About a Story

By Carmen Bugan What does a children’s story have to do with secret police documents evidencing someone’s crime against a regime? And what does the story […]
1 November 2012

If You Liked The Hunger Games…

DYSTOPI-WHAT!?  If you liked The Hunger Games, you should check out some of the other dystopian novels found upstairs on the Teen Mezzanine. Divergent by Veronica […]
28 October 2012

Halloween Photo Contest!

We’re having our first photo contest ever! Since it’s Halloween this week, we want to know what ghouls and goblins are reading. Take a picture of […]
2 October 2012

Q&A with Anne Korkeakivi

Anne Korkeakivi is the author of An Unexpected Guest. She has published widely in short fiction journals, newspapers, and magazines, and her debut novel has been […]
24 September 2012

Marjorie Williams on Markets

What’s your favorite food memory from the markets of Paris? Maybe yours is as recent as this morning, or last Thursday, or perhaps decades ago. My […]
19 September 2012

Artist Interview with Ann Bruce Hénaff

Artist Interview with Ann Bruce Henaff What inspired you to start making livres-objects – or book-shaped objects? I discovered book-shaped objects in one of Suzanne Manns’ […]
10 July 2012

A talk with Sabine Jaccard

The Library is pleased to interview photographer Sabine Jaccard about her Art on View: All the world’s a stage exhibition now at the Library through September 2, […]
30 June 2012

A Summer Rubik’s Cube

This summer the American Library will be rectifying a longstanding peculiarity in the way its book collections are physically arranged. For years, even decades, the Library’s […]
19 June 2012

In Case You Missed It

The Village Voice bookshop held a memorial on Saturday evening, anticipating thestore’s closure on July 31. In her address to the sea of writers, readers, and […]
18 June 2012

Dryansky on Decadence

Gerry Dryansky, the longtime Senior European person for Condé Traveler and author of six novels—three of which with his wife, Joanne– has been living and writing […]
11 June 2012

And the YAFF 2012 winners are ….

The American Library in Paris is proud to be the organizer of the Young Authors Fiction Festival, in collaboration with the Society of Children’s Book Writers […]
9 May 2012

New Historical Fiction for Kids

John, Paul, George & Ben: Written and illustrated by Lane Smith Reviewed by Children’s Library Volunteer Kristen Crans If you are looking for a fun and […]
7 May 2012

David Herlihy on bicycle history

David V. Herlihy is the author of The Lost Cyclist and Bicycle: The History, winner of the 2004 Award for Excellence in the History of Science. […]
20 April 2012

Go Green for Earth Day!

Let the Lorax help you introduce your kids to being green, while Lane Smith reminds us just how wonderful nature can be. Scroll down for a […]
18 April 2012

Just in: Beginning Chapter Books

Ling and Ting, by Grace Lin Reviewed by Children’s Library volunteer Sarah Grandin Ling and Ting are twin girls, but as the subtitle of the book […]
10 April 2012

Lily Tuck: How to learn through writing

Born in Paris, Lily Tuck is the author of four previous novels: Interviewing Matisse, or the Woman Who Died Standing Up; The Woman Who Walked on Water; Siam, […]
3 April 2012

Marilyn Waite on Earth Day

Marilyn Waite has worked, studied and researched in over eight countries across four continents. She has implemented water and sanitation projects in rural Madagascar, led task […]
21 March 2012

Read the Book First

Cinemas are full of adaptations right now. We’ve got some recommendations of books that have recently been adapted for the big screen. Whether or not you’ll […]
20 March 2012

American Library in Paris Librariana

From the Library History Buff Blog: Saturday, 3 March 2012 We are fast approaching the 95th anniversary of America’s entry into World War I (April 6, […]
7 March 2012

Heart-Warming New Reads

Check out a few of the new releases that have just arrived in the Children’s Library. These beautifully illustrated picture books are perfect to keep you […]
18 February 2012

Celebrate Black History Month

February is Black History Month in the US. Take this opportunity to explore the civil rights movement and black history with your kids using some great […]
13 February 2012

On Perfume, Paris and Glamour

Denyse Beaulieu is an author and translator based in Paris. She writes a bilingual blog on scent. Her book The Perfume Lover: A Personal History of […]
7 February 2012

Taking wine and words to new places

Robert Camuto is a career American journalist who moved to the South of France in 2001 and started snooping around cellars and vineyards to write about […]
24 January 2012

Little Rat Makes Music

Little Rat Makes Music, by Monika Bang-Campbell, Illustrated by Molly Bang Reviewed by Liz Gomes Little Rat wants to learn how to play the violin and […]
23 January 2012

Sophie Hardach on Forced Marriages in France

Sophie Hardach wrote her novel The Registrar’s Manual for Detecting Forced Marriages while working as a journalist for Reuters in Paris. Originally inspired by the fragments […]
18 January 2012

Interview with Arthur Phillips

Arthur Phillips was born in Minneapolis and educated at Harvard. He has been a child actor, a jazz musician, a speechwriter, and a five-time Jeopardy! champion. […]
18 January 2012

Ghostgirl

Ghostgirl, written by Tonya Hurley Recommended by Children’s Library volunteer Christel Prestige Charlotte Usher feels practically invisible at school, she is desperate to be popular to […]
3 January 2012

Lionel Shriver talks about Kevin

We look forward to welcoming prize-winning novelist Lionel Shriver on Wednesday 11 January at 19h30. In this essay, Shriver talks about how it feels to have […]
21 December 2011

Edwina the Emu

Written by Sheena Knowles and Rod Clement Reviewed by Children’s Library volunteer Carole Black Edwina tries to find ways to provide for her growing family after […]
21 December 2011

Happy Holidays!

Just a gentle reminder that the American Library is closed on December 24th and 25th as well as December 31 and January 1st. Wishing everyone happy […]
19 December 2011

L’aventure des Stein

Matisse, Cézanne, Picasso… The Stein Family 5 October 2011 – 16 January 2012 An exhibition organized by the Rmn-Grand Palais, the San Francisco Museum of Modern […]
14 December 2011

Pretty Little Liars

Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard Reviewed by Children’s Library volunteer Charlotte Bia. Pretty Little Liars is the first book in a series of novels for […]
13 December 2011

Philosophy in thin slices

Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar…Understanding Philosophy through Jokes by Thomas Cathcart and Daniel Klein On Bullshit and On Truth by Harry G. Frankfurt […]
8 December 2011

For Cat Lovers, Big and Small

Cats, Cats, Cats! written by Lesléa Newman illustrated by Erika Oller Reviewed by Children’s Library volunteer: Christel Prestidge This is a charming, loving, warming and fuzzy […]
3 December 2011

New at the Library!

Great new books are added to our collection every day. Check out some of our latest additions in the New Books section! Test your knowledge of […]
1 December 2011

Salting the Ocean

Salting the Ocean, with poems selected by Naomi Shihab Nye Reviewed by Children’s Library volunteer Marcia Lèbre Salting the Ocean is a collection of 100 poems […]
24 November 2011

We’re Thankful for Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is here! This American holiday celebrated on the third Thursday of each November is a chance to remind ourselves about all of the great things […]
23 November 2011

The ABCs of Yoga for Kids

These great kid’s books (new in the Children’s Library) will help you introduce your child to yoga and movement. The ABCs of Yoga, Written by Teresa […]
21 November 2011

Katy Masuga on Henry Miller

Katy Masuga received a PhD in 2007 at the University of Washington in Comparative Literature with a joint PhD in Literary Theory and Criticism. Her published […]
18 November 2011

The Wednesday Wars, a review

The Wednesday Wars by Gary D.  Schmidt Reviewed by  Children’s Library Volunteer Alex Toutounji On his first day of seventh grade in 1967 , Holling Hoodhood, […]
14 November 2011

David Downie on the City of Light

We look forward to welcoming David Downie to the Library on Wednesday 16 November at 19h30 as a part of our discussion of Paris on the […]
9 November 2011

Inheritance is in!

The fourth book in the Inheritance Cycle has just arrived at the Library! Inheritance, the fourth installment following Eragon, Eldest and Brisingr, was just released yesterday. […]
7 November 2011

Penelope Rowlands at the Library

Penelope Rowlands was raised in London and New York and has lived intermittently in Paris. A journalist and critic, she has contributed to Vogue, the Wall […]
3 November 2011

Did a Dinosaur Drink this Water?

Did a Dinosaur Drink this Water? by Robert E. Wells Reviewed by Children’s Library volunteer Elizabeth Harkins In this colorfully illustrated tale, we are invited to […]
31 October 2011

Where in the world do you belong?

Born in the U.S.A.; university in London; first job in Hong Kong; wedding in France; career on the computer. Welcome to the ordinary life of a […]
28 October 2011

Boo-tiful Books for Halloween

Halloween is almost here! We’ve got our pumpkins carved, and our costumes are ready for the Library’s festivities tomorrow, but you may still be looking for […]
27 October 2011

Ancient Egypt: Insiders Alive

Text by Robert Coupe, design and paper engineering by Andy Mansfield Reviewed by Children’s Department volunteer Carole Black Ancient Egypt is crammed with true to life […]
25 October 2011

Pirates & Princesses

Written by Jill Kargman & Sadie Kargman, Illustrated by Christine Davenier Reviewed by Children’s Library Volunteer Kristen Crans Have you ever had a best friend?  The […]
11 October 2011

Animal Baths by Bob Barner

Reviewed by Children’s Library Volunteer Carole Black Fans of Bob Barner’s books Walk the Dog and Dem Bones will enjoy the authors latest book, Animal Baths, […]
10 October 2011

What’s for dinner?

We are delighted to invite bestselling cookbook author Joan Nathan to the Library on Wednesday 19 October at 19h30. She will present her latest book, Quiches, […]
7 October 2011

When You’re Strange

Anne Marsella is the award-winning author of four books, most recently The Baby of Belleville, a novel about life, love, and motherhood in Paris. Today, she […]
29 September 2011

Instant Images

(Jennifer Huxta and her vintage Polaroid)) Thanks to all of you who participated in our Instant Images photography workshop with professional photographer and poet Jennifer Huxta. […]
28 September 2011

American Jazz Trio at the Library

Have a listen to the American Jazz Trio playing at the Library Open House Sunday evening. Phil Crawford, Adrien Dearnell, and Oliver Griffith played a sublime […]
26 September 2011

From Experience to the Page

We are thrilled to invite travel writers Ann Mah and Lisa Pasold to talk about how they move from their experiences to the page on Tuesday […]
21 September 2011

Ten Miles Past Normal

Ten Miles Past Normal by Frances O’Roark Dowell. “Just once this year, I want someone to look at me and think, ‘Hey, that Janie Gorman’s pretty […]
15 September 2011

Frosted

Wow, what excellent creations the teens came up with at the Library during our Cupcake Decorating Teen Night last Friday! There was chocolate to dip things […]
13 September 2011

The Business of Books

Great digital expectations, from The Economist Digitisation may have came late to book publishing, but it is transforming the business in short order Sep 10th 2011 […]
7 September 2011

Nothing

Nothing by Janne Teller (translated from the Danish by Martin Aitken) When Pierre Anthon declares that life has no meaning and leaves school to live in […]
3 September 2011

Cleopatra and her Asp

Cleopatra and Her Asp by Margaret Simpson Reviewed by Children’s Library volunteer Colleen Olson Having just watched the Rome Series, I was intrigued by the life […]
30 August 2011

Interview with Phoebe Marshall-Raimbeau

Phoebe Marshall-Raimbeau is the Director of the English-language Library in Angers (ELLIA). The library is the largest English-language library in western France, containing more than 32,000 […]
19 August 2011

Independent bookstores add a new chapter

The small, independently owned bookstore is staging a modest rebirth amid a killer economy By Neely Tucker, for The Washington Post The brick-and-mortar bookstore is, like […]
16 August 2011

Down and Out in Paris

George Orwell published his autobiographical book Down and Out in Paris and London in 1933. Have things changed since then? On the trail of George Orwell’s […]
12 August 2011

Freak out, Speak out

Performer and producer Severin came to host a Teen Night at the Library this past winter and the results were fantastic. Below is a song by […]
8 August 2011

Welcome Back!!

The Library is open! Come see our new space. Summer hours are Tuesday through Saturday from noon to six p.m. Please note that we are closed […]
28 July 2011

Renovation

It’s been a wild ride, but the renovation is nearly finished and we look forward to welcoming our members to see the remodeled Library on Tuesday, […]
28 June 2011

Tama Carroll at the Library

Tama Carroll’s passion with film started at a very early age, and culminated in a double major in Film and Cultural Anthropology (US) and a Masters […]
20 June 2011

American Lady

The Library is pleased to interview Caroline de Margerie, Conseiller d’Etat and author of the new biography, ‘American Lady: Une reporter en gants blancs,’ which has […]
13 June 2011

Spelman student Briana Haymon

Each year, the Library is fortunate to have interns from American universities. We all felt very lucky to have Briana Haymon with us. In this essay, […]
6 June 2011

Dinaw Mengestu at the Library

We look forward to welcoming Dinaw Mengestu back to the Library on Wednesday 8 June at 19h30. We hope that you will enjoy this interview in […]
30 May 2011

A Night at the Movies with Judith Merians

Judith Merians serves as a consultant to independent film producers in structuring their film projects, securing film financing and distribution, and developing film production companies.  She […]
13 May 2011

Where Liberty Dwells

On Thursday 17 May at 19h30, we look forward to welcoming Ambassador Stapleton to the Library to discuss his book Where Liberty Dwells. His co-author Louise […]
9 May 2011

Love and Peace at the Library

On Wednesday 11 May at 19h30, Scott M. Weber, Director-General, of Interpeace, one of the world’s largest peacebuilding organizations will take us on a ‘behind the […]
2 May 2011

A Week of Events in Paris

Paris is the place for people who love prose and art. Every night, there are events for the Anglophone community. Unsure of what to do this […]
29 April 2011

Sneak Peak

We look forward to welcoming the author Joe Ashby Porter to the Library on Wednesday, May 4 at 19h30 and hope to see you there. In […]
20 April 2011

Art and Soul

Richard Prince. American Prayer. Libraries are more than books! Check out this great new exhibition at the French National Library at their François-Mitterrand site, from 29 […]
15 April 2011

Joe Ashby Porter

On 4 May at 19h30, the Library will have the pleasure of hosting Joe Ashby Porter for a presentation called The Two Mr. Porters: The Scholar […]
11 April 2011

Interview with Marie de Hennezel

Marie de Hennezel is an author and psychologist. Her book The Warmth of the Heart Prevents the Body from Rusting has sold over 100,000 copies in […]
1 April 2011

Jennifer Butler at the Library

The memoir James Jennifer Georgina illustrates author Jennifer Butler’s struggle of dealing with her husband’s alcoholism while trying to shield her daughter Georgina. The memoir is […]
21 March 2011

Mary Jo Salter at the Library

Most poets hope that their message might be conveyed to future generations—though perhaps not necessarily via the telephone. Mary Jo Salter’s A Phone Call to the […]
7 March 2011

Laura Furman

We are thrilled to welcome Laura Furman back to the Library to discuss her new collection of short stories, the Mother Who Stayed. Recently appointed to […]
4 March 2011

Our Garden Series Blooms!

We are thrilled to continue our Evenings with Gardens series! Join us Wednesday 9 March at 19h30 for an illustrated walk down the paths of gorgeous […]
28 February 2011

Jane Weissman at the Library

In addition to curating the display on New York Community Murals for the Library, Jane Weissman has led two workshops for children and teens this week. […]
28 February 2011

Champagne & Chanel No. 5

The Library is thrilled to welcome Tilar J. Mazzeo (pictured above). Tilar is the best-selling author of The Widow Clicquot, a biography of the woman behind the Veuve […]
23 February 2011

Not just a thriller writer

Scott Turow, who will be the Library’s featured gala dinner speaker on May 24, is known for writing legal-themed thrillers. But he writes often and insightfully […]
21 February 2011

Recommendations from our interns

Zoe Olivier, Julia Wilcox and Walker Mimms, interns from Bennington College, have volunteered at the Library during their winter break. They organized the Library’s periodicals collection, […]
16 February 2011

Essay by John V Fleming

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7 February 2011

Congratulations to Art Spiegelman!

Art Spiegelman, a Swedish-born American, won the Grand Prix at France’s Angouleme world comic strip festival. Spiegelman is best known as the creator of Maus, an […]
31 January 2011

John Baxter at the Library

Turner Classic Movies on John Baxter’s latest biography Von Sternberg. Belligerent and evasive, Josef von Sternberg (1894-1969) chose to ignore his out-of-wedlock birth in Austria, deprived […]
3 December 2010

Portraits of Expatriate Experience

Professor Peter Gibian will be with us on Wednesday, December 8th at 19h30 to talk about John Singer Sargent and his Portraits of Expatriate Experience. John […]
26 November 2010

Madoff et Moi

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19 November 2010

Ted Mooney at the Library

Ted Mooney is the author of is author Easy Travel to Other Planets (1981) , Traffic and Laughter (1990), and Singing into the Piano (1998). His […]
15 November 2010

Ninfa

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12 November 2010

An Evening with Peter Gumbel

Peter Gumbel, author of a best-selling essay about the French education system, “On achève bien les écoliers”, will be our guest on November 16, and will […]
11 November 2010

A life in books

If you’re interested in what a great book editor sounds like and thinks about in 2010, you could not do better than reading this long interview […]
8 November 2010

Alan Riding at the Library

On June 14, 1940, German tanks rolled into a silent and deserted Paris. Eight days later, a humbled France accepted defeat along with foreign occupation. The […]
3 November 2010

The Magic of Manuscripts by Andrew Motion

The British Library’s Ritblat Gallery is a treasure trove of manuscripts. Andrew Motion, chairman of the Booker Committee, explains its magic … From INTELLIGENT LIFE Magazine, […]
25 October 2010

November is National Novel Writing Month

Interested in writing a novel but aren’t sure where to start? November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), and the writers at NaNoWriMo have some great […]
18 October 2010

When Can You Call Yourself a Writer?

Today’s guest blogger is Thomas E. Kennedy, author of In the Company of Angels, will be speaking at the Library on Wednesday, October 20th at 19h30. […]
14 October 2010

Captain Underpants and Cats in Hats

When discussing our favorite kids’ books, here at the American Library in Paris, there is always a variety of opinions. Dr. Seuss’ classic The Cat in […]
11 October 2010

In Search of Consequential Strangers

When I initially emailed the ALP about my most recent book, Consequential Strangers–which focuses on the importance of acquaintances, I had an ulterior motive:  Now that […]
20 September 2010

Festival America at the ALP

Festival America, the dynamic literary gathering that brings together 60 North American writers, kicks off this week — and the American Library in Paris is thrilled […]
7 September 2010

Libraries of yore

Have you ever wondered what circulating libraries in the 18th and 19th centuries were like? We have. (Then again, we do work in a library.) This […]
3 September 2010

What I read on my summer vacation

The Library director’s peculiar (and occasionally regretted) choice of  reading matter – and an invitation to share what you are reading. Hitch-22: A Memoir by Christopher […]
3 August 2010

New short story contest announced

It’s no secret that writers find Paris inspiring (Hemingway, Fitzgerald, and Joyce would agree). And now, with the advent of the Paris Writers News Short Story […]
26 July 2010

Libraries are the new black

Are libraries the new cultural zeitgeist? A post on NPR’s blog, entitled “Why The Next Big Pop-Culture Wave After Cupcakes Might Be Libraries” argues yes. As […]
20 July 2010

ALP in the blogosphere

We blushed when we read this delightful blog post from writer Eric Heywood about the American Library in Paris, which appears today at Forbes.com. For those […]
12 July 2010

A Classic turns 50

Harper Lee’s classic turns 50 this month, with much fanfare from publisher HarperCollins, who have created a special anniversary website to celebrate. The book — Harper […]
28 June 2010

A Fascination with Vichy

Today’s guest blogger, Allan Massie, will be speaking at the Library on Wednesday, 30 June at 19h30. More years ago than I care to think I […]
21 June 2010

Mr. Darcy, you smell so good

“The pheromone that attracts female mice to the odour of a particular male has been identified. Named ‘darcin’ by researchers writing in the open access journal […]
21 June 2010

Secrets of screenwriters

Today’s guest blogger, screenwriter Diane Lake, will be speaking on the art of writing for the silver screen at the Library on Wednesday 23 June at […]
20 June 2010

Letterheady

The weird stationery of Mussolini, Ian Fleming, Charles Atlas, Dr. Seuss, Marlene Dietrich, and more … all collected by Letterheady.  According to the rubric, “Letterheady is […]
19 June 2010

Shelf talk

One of the most admirable and inventive and current library blogs around comes from the Seattle Public Library. Its Shelf Talk blog is a trove of […]
14 June 2010

Tradition and the individual bookseller

Today’s guest blogger, Keri Walsh, is the editor of The Letters of Sylvia Beach, a collection of the Shakespeare & Co. doyenne’s correspondence. She’ll be speaking […]
12 June 2010

Martin Gardner, R. I. P.

A few weeks ago the world lost one of its most original and unusual intellects, Martin Gardner, polymath and prankster and puzzler, the “Mathematical Games” columnist […]
10 June 2010

Boring, and skewering

For some reason Browser can’t get enough of these withering remarks made by one author about another: Gore Vidal on John Updike: “Just another boring little […]
9 June 2010

Radio drama

Before the TV mini-series, there was the radio play. Happily, despite the advent of flat-screens, DVDs, DVRs and other innovations we don’t really understand, this form […]
7 June 2010

Stella!

You may not think you would like to hear the following paragraph spoken aloud 1,300 times, or even once, but read on to change your mind: […]
6 June 2010

The lost art of concentration

The time we spend on the internet is diminishing our power to concentrate, to pay attention. Nicholas Carr believes our contemporary on-line life threatens “a form […]
24 May 2010

New books on our shelves

A few new titles, as selected by Collections Librarian, Simon Gallo. The Invention of Paris: A History in Footsteps by Eric Hazan — A historically rich tour […]
19 May 2010

The Library at 90

Ninety years ago today the American Library in Paris was incorporated. Some two million books had been sent from American libraries, through the Library War Service, […]
17 May 2010

The Second Sex, a second time

Today’s guest bloggers, Constance Borde and Sheila Malovany-Chevallier, will present their new translation of Simone de Beauvoir’s masterwork, The Second Sex, at the Library on 19 […]
6 May 2010

‘Men don’t read books’?

“If you’ve worked in publishing, you’ve heard the tired old maxim: Men Don’t Read. Try to acquire or sell a book aimed predominantly at men, and […]
2 May 2010

Sunday best

A rainy Sunday afternoon. Twilight of the vacances. A perfect time to stop by the Library to check out the magazines or study for exams or […]
29 April 2010

‘Godthink’

Time to pop a well-meaning bubble: All religions are basically the same. Stephen Pothero calls this “naive theological groupthink – call it Godthink –” perpetrated by […]
26 April 2010

Home again in Chinatown

shanghaigirls_coverBestselling author Lisa See will present her new novel, Shanghai Girls, at the Library, Wednesday, April 29 at 19h30. Today she shares an essay that originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times, about the relationship between Los Angeles's Chinatown and her book.

Almost all writers write about place. Los Angeles writers are no exception. Walter Mosley, Michael Jaime-Becerra and Janet Fitch, to name a few, capture the intimate details of very specific neighborhoods. Sometimes the sense of place is so strong that the natural topography, the streets and what's on them, become as fully realized as a living, breathing character. The neighborhood I write about is Chinatown. Yes, a lot of my novels take place in China, but those stories wouldn't -- couldn't -- have been written if not for Chinatown.

I lived with my mother, Carolyn See, when I was growing up. We moved eight times before I turned 9, so Chinatown, where my paternal grandparents and my grandfather's brothers and sister worked in the family antiques store, became home base for me. To my eyes, Chinatown didn't change. More than that, my Chinese American relatives didn't move or change either. Rather, they were very much stuck in the past. It was a past that entranced me when I was a child; it's a past I long for every day, and one I got to write about in "Shanghai Girls."

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