Paris to the Moon by Adam Gopnik

We are heading for Los Angeles this morning, taking advantage of the four-day weekend. We are going to visit E’s family and my grandfather, and hopefully get some dumpings at Din Tai Fung.

Whenever we go to L.A., we stay with my friend L. She has a small but fascinating bookshelf in her apartment. The last time we visited, during the Christmas holiday, I found Adam Gopnik’s Paris to the Moon on her shelf. Even though I had brought three books with me, I ditched them all to start in on Paris to the Moon.

I’m a big fan of Adam Gopnik’s New Yorker articles, and of Paris too. How could I not enjoy this book? It is a compilation of Gopnik’s writings during his stay in Paris between 1995 and 2000, many of which were originally published in the New Yorker as his “Paris Journals” series. The essays begin with his family’s arrival and cover both the daily obsessions of expatriate life as well as national and local events. In all cases, Gopnik’s love for Paris is evident, and he even describes Paris’ more frustrating aspects with wit and style.

I was only halfway through Paris to the Moon when it was time to go home, but I didn’t want to borrow it (I have an irrational fear of stranded books never making it back to their owners). So now, six months later, I am looking forward to visiting L again, and picking up where I left off.

Paris to the Moon by Adam Gopnik

tags: books book reviews Paris New Yorker Adam Gopnik