Expatriate Paris

A Cultural and Literary Guide to Paris of the 1920s

By: Arlen J. Hansen

Narrated by: Robert Blumenfeld

Paris has long been a storied center of art and culture, and of romance, but in the 1920s its magnetism was especially irresistible. From around the world writers, artists, and composers steamed in, to visit or linger, some to reside. This book - a work of immense erudition spiced with anecdotes and gossip - documents their haunts and habits, their comings and goings, their relationships intimate and artistic.

©1990, 2012 Arlen J. Hansen (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

Some books don't work well in audio

This is an interesting book but does not work as an audio book. It's format is basically bullet points about different addresses i.e. who lived there, dates they lived there, a small story about the person or persons. This is the type of book that would have lots of highlights and dog eared pages.

Like walking the streets of Paris

Although I would categorize this book as being one for reference as it lists addresses names dates coupled with short accounts of what took place in each case, I would still recommend it as it summarizes life and times in post WWI Paris.
The author picks up places long since gone and many still in existence little known to most who visit Paris and have literally no idea of her vast and fabled history.

A rushed and boring affair

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

Sticking with fewer expatriates and providing more information. As it is, the narrator rushes from Paris Street to Paris Street, providing house number and American celebrities who lived in them in the 1920s. It might be useful if one only wishes to wander the streets of Paris and exult "Imagine, so-and-so live there for X months." Maybe that's why it called a "guide". But it left this reader (listener cold)

Has Expatriate Paris turned you off from other books in this genre?

Not necessarily. There doubtless is a way of doing this more engagingly.

What didn’t you like about Robert Blumenfeld’s performance?

It was fairly monotonous and quite rushed.

What character would you cut from Expatriate Paris?

Many of them; but my bias is toward more meaningful biographical information, and clearly this was not the author's intention.