I clearly remember my first exposure to Edgar Degas’ wax sculptures of ballerinas. As a high school graduation gift, my parents sent me on a student trip to France. At 18, I’d heard of the word Impressionism and, being an avid student of dance, I’d seen some of Degas’ behind-the-scenes…
I have a small stack of French-related coffee table books that I’ve wanted to review for months but waited until December since I think they’d make great gifts. Today’s post was intended to supplement a previous piece, 35 Sensational Reads for the Francophiles on your Gift List. When I sat…
If you follow my blog, you’ve probably recognized that I have a penchant for sobering literature. While feel-good stories aren’t exactly banned from my shelves, most of what I read is either nonfiction or historical fiction that sheds light on a troubling period in human history. Likewise, when it comes…
Last week I wrote about a financial scandal that bilked the French people out of massive sums of money and slowed France’s economic recovery after World War II. Through a series of government-approved transactions, moving money from Saigon to mainland France, the French people inadvertently funded the weaponization of the…
In the novel, Le Grande Monde, by Pierre Lemaître, part of the story anchors on a true financial scandal that bilked the French people out of massive sums of money and slowed France’s economic recovery after World War II. Through a series of government-approved transactions, moving money from Saigon to…
Urgent While writing this post, I learned that Marcellus Williams is scheduled to be executed on September 24, 2024. His case is highly unusual because even the prosecuting attorney for St. Louis County, Wesley Bell, has been filing appeals to vacate Williams’ conviction and subsequent death sentence. Last week, Judge…
Like most graduates of the University of Michigan, I’m well aware of certain remarkable people who have attended my alma mater. Stories and sightings of celebrities like Madonna, Tom Brady, Arthur Miller, Gerald Ford, and James Earl Jones reside in the communal knowledge space of Michigan alumni. Then there are…
As an American francophile, I’m fortunate to live in a town that supports several French conversation groups. Two of my favorites are led by French women who have spent decades teaching their native language. These ladies not only know their subject matter inside and out, they’re also lively moderators who…
