Foreign Tongue
A Novel of Life and Love in Paris
By Vanina Marsot
(Harper Paperbacks, Paperback, 9780061673665, 384pp.)
Publication Date: March 26, 2009
Categories: General
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Paris, the storybook capital of romance—of strolls down cobblestone streets and kisses by the Seine—may not be the ideal location to mend a wounded heart. But pragmatic professional writer Anna, who has been unlucky in love in L.A., has come here with keys to her aunt's empty apartment. Bilingual and blessed with dual citizenship, she seeks solace in the delectable pastries, in the company of old friends, and in her exciting new job: translating a mysterious, erotic French novel by an anonymous author.
Intrigued by the story, and drawn in by the mystery behind the book, Anna soon finds herself among the city's literati—and in the arms of an alluring Parisian—as she resolves to explore who she is . . . in both cultures.
Vanina Marsot holds an MFA in literature and creative writing from the Bennington Writing Seminars. She divides her time between Paris and Los Angeles.
"Such a smart, sassy, and sexy book. Compulsively readable, funny, and wise. Marsot knows her French, she knows the French, and she knows the human heart. Run out and buy immediately!"
-Sheila Kohler, author of CRACKS and BLUEBIRD, OR THE INVENTION OF HAPPINESS
"Marsot's language delights the ear, and her characters leap off the page. She writes, with intelligence and passion, and this story pulses with life and language."
-Elizabeth Cox, author of THE SLOW MOON
"A charming, slyly seductive first novel. Marsot's shimmying wit carries us through the delectable maze of Paris."
-Askold Melnyczuk, author of THE HOUSE OF WIDOWS
"Marsot's debut novel is a delectable treat for any Francophile. Marsot succeeds in immersing the reader in French culture and mode de vie, and her ruminations on language in French and English are intelligent and engrossing. Recommended for all fiction collections and for fans of sophisticated chick lit."
-Library Journal
"'Foreign Tongue,' is a rare and canny creature: a brainy, sexy, romatic comedy of letters. If the moonlit Parisian finish to 'Foreign Tongue' is a little Hollywood, who says that's a bad thing?"
-Los Angeles Times
"The stunning descriptions of Parisian food and social life will certainly satisfy Francophiles."
-Publishers Weekly
"Marsot's impressive debut examines sex and love in Paris-for once neither romanticized nor sentimentalized.Lively examination of the intricate interplay between identity and culture."
-Kirkus Reviews
This book is on these lists:
Goldiepaws@gmail.com's Wish List by goldiepaws@gmail.comSkylight Event Bestsellers: JUNE by Emily Pullen
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