'The Paris Novel' revels in a good meal, a beautiful dress and a romantic city

NPR's Book of the Day

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Books, Arts

4.2 • 672 Ratings

🗓️ 22 May 2024

⏱️ 11 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

A plane ticket to Paris, a vintage Dior dress and a spectacular first-ever oyster — these three things upend the life of Stella, the sheltered, cautious protagonist at the heart of The Paris Novel, a coming-of-age story about losing all inhibitions in one of the world's most romantic cities. In today's episode, author Ruth Reichl speaks with NPR's Scott Simon about indulging in life's simple pleasures, writing in honor of her late editor and choosing to set her story in the Paris of the 1980s.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, it's Empier's book of the day. I'm Andrew Limbaugh. There's a moment in today's interview
0:06.6	where author Ruth Rijl describes eating an oyster in such a beautifully precious way
0:11.9	that it made me nostalgic. Not for eating oysters. I mean, I like him just fine, but for being
0:18.2	young and having the possibilities of the world finally be revealed to you.
0:23.3	That's what a perfect oyster can do, a perfect dress, a perfect city.
0:28.0	Rachel's novel is titled The Paris novel, and I think you can guess what city it's about.
0:32.6	And she admits to NPR Scott Simon that the Paris she's depicting is today something of a dream,
0:39.4	but it's a dream worth remembering. That's after the break.
0:43.6	In the U.S., national security news can feel far away from daily life.
0:48.4	Distant wars, murky conflicts, diplomacy behind closed doors on our new show, Sources and Methods.
0:55.0	NPR reporters on the ground bring you stories of real people, helping you understand why distant events matter here at home.
1:02.3	Listen to sources and methods on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.
1:08.2	With Gratula has written a novel that includes art, fashion, literature, the shadow of buried trauma and awakening to the joy of food in 1980s, Paris. Let's ask the author to read from a genuine love scene.
1:23.7	The oysters arrived on a deep bed of ice. She had never eaten an oyster, and she stared down at the platter. A ruffle of black encircled each opalescent heart. She thought of orchids. Triangles of lemons sat on the ice, and she picked one up and squeezed it, inhaling the prickly aroma. Then she reached for an oyster, tipped her head, and tossed it back.
1:48.0	The oyster was cool and slippery. The flavor so briny, it was like diving into the ocean.
1:54.4	She closed her eyes to savor the experience. Make it last.
1:59.5	Oistres, where have you been all my life?
2:02.3	Her novel is called The Paris Novel, and Ruth Rachel, the best-selling author, editor of
2:06.9	the Late Gourmet magazine and winner of six James Beard Awards.
2:11.6	Joins us now from our studios in New York.
2:13.7	Thanks so much for being with us.
2:15.3	Thank you for having me.
	...

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