ePub Flâneuse: Women Walk the City in Paris; New York; Tokyo; Venice; and London by Lauren Elkin in History

Review

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful. A close look at all we can see if we will but pay attention.By Bookreader13First; a quick definition of the male version; flaneur: an idler; a loafer. It's someone who spends a lot of time walking around their community; and thus recognizing things others would miss in their hurried rush from place to place. I was drawn to this book; Flaneuse; because it offered stories about women who wander around some amazing cities. It was a good book; but I had no idea it would cover so many literary characters. It told of the author's wanderings in each city; but also told of literary women from different periods throughout history. That was a bit much for me to wade through; because I wasn't familiar with most of the references. Overall; it was still a solid read. If you are a Literature enthusiast; you'll enjoy this immensely.18 of 21 people found the following review helpful. An inspiring; joyous read that is both memoir and historical analysisBy Judah MI really loved this book! It is equal parts personal memoir and historical analysis. That might sound like an odd combination; but Elkin really merges her stories and observations in beautifully with the history of the city she is in. We get introduced to George Sand's Paris in the time of great change and revolt; we read about Virginia Woolf's beloved neighborhood and writing circle in London; as well as several other writers; artists and cinematographer's experiences in Venice; Tokyo; New York and the aforementioned cities. It is an inspiring; joyous read that I couldn't wait to pick up every day.16 of 20 people found the following review helpful. Flaneuse: a wonderful memoir; history; and celebration of city walkingBy Merrily BairdWhat a delight it is; with Lauren Elkin's "Flaneuse;" to have a book that examines from the woman's viewpoint the art of "flanerie;" a French noun that refers to wandering the streets of a big city without a specific destination in mind. Although the practice of "flanerie" by individuals known as "flaneurs" dates back at least to the 19th century in France; it is most commonly associated with an aimless; male-oriented lifestyle that flourished above all in Paris of the 1950s; a lifestyle usually involving multiple stops for liquid refreshment and days spent with few ends other than savoring the various moods of neighborhoods. That such an apparently aimless lifestyle had a certain cachet was due in good part to its linkage to prominent figures such as Guy Debord (a leftist philosopher and author) and to theories such as "psychogeographie" as promoted by Debord and other intellectuals. Elkin's puts the art of "flanerie" into historical perspective; relates it to cities other than just Paris and London; and; most important; celebrates its relevance to women. In searching for history's pioneering "flaneuses;" she has identified George Sand and Virginia Woolf; among others; and; by recounting her own experiences in New York; Tokyo; and Venice; she brings the art of "flanerie' up to date and pens a charming memoir.Readers intrigued by the tradition of "flanerie" may enjoy several books that provide enriching background. Luc Sante's "The Other Paris" has several pages of excellent material on Debord and the theory of "psychogeographie;" while Merlin Coverley digs deeper in his academically-oriented "Psychogeography." Meanwhile; a sense of the 1950s cafe society of Paris is beautifully provided by Patrick Modiano's "In the Cafe of Lost Youth;" which has been translated from the Nobel Prize winner's "Dans le cafe de la jeunesse perdue." The book opens with an epigraph from Guy Debord; leaving no doubt about the lifestyle to be described thereafter.