It's not hard to imagine that I spend a lot of time on reading everything I can on Paris and her history. Many years ago I came across The Most Beautiful Walk in the World written by Australian John Baxter and devoured it. It led me to find every book he wrote on Paris until one day I looked in the back of the book and found his website just in case there were any books I may have missed. In doing so I found that he also did literary tours in Paris. The thought of a guided walk with an author I admire was too much and signed up right away.
Taking a handful of fellow fans, John guides people through the streets of Montparnasse and Saint Germain des Près where the pages come alive before you. Each tour ends in his apartment with lunch and wine while you are surrounded by first editions of F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Hemingway. His apartment just happens to be located on Rue de l’Odeon where from his terrace you see the top of Notre Dame and as you look out you can imagine Hemingway on the same roof, taking out German soldiers that still held Odeon during the Liberation of Paris before he moved onto the Ritz and liberated many bottles of gin. Since that first tour, I never miss a chance to meet up with John, whether it is a long and lovely lunch at a tiny bistro to a quick coffee or wine in his historic building. For me, being in this building holds a huge significance from the generations long before me and walking in the footsteps of another Hemingway from long ago.
On my last visit John gave me his newest book, The Paris Men’s Salon, a collection of stories and his most personal book yet. Self published you too can grab one of these limited editions before they are gone, through his website. (link in my bio). I cherish every moment I can spend with John and has even become a mentor to me in my own writing. We can sit and talk about those old characters of Paris and I always leave him floating on air from such lovely chats.
Check out his website and his large library of books. Each and every one is fantastic.
John’s holiday book Immovable Feast is also our featured book the month for our La Vie Creative book club. Join the club now and at the end of the month on December 27th we will have a live zoom with the author himself.