Take a photo of a barcode or cover
214 reviews for:
Flâneuse: Women Walk the City in Paris, New York, Tokyo, Venice, and London
Lauren Elkin
3.54 AVERAGE
214 reviews for:
Flâneuse: Women Walk the City in Paris, New York, Tokyo, Venice, and London
Lauren Elkin
3.54 AVERAGE
Seems to be misinformed about Tokyo saying not very walkable when in fact very walkable. More interesting when taking about culture instead of negative opinions. Paris stories nice.
Algo que disfrute mucho fue la cercanía con algunas referencias, por ejemplo haber visto una exposición de Sofie Calle y poder entender de que habla Elkin cuando escribe sobre esa exposición. He vivido en distintas ciudades, pero no en una que no pudiera caminarse, que no tuviera nada de banquetas, ni siquiera banquetas súper angostas que apenas y ayudan. Poner en perspectiva el hecho de que no tiene tanto que las mujeres pueden caminar solas por el mero gusto de hacerlo ciertamente hace pensar en cómo sería la vida sin esa facilidad, claro que se puede experimentar pensando en que las noches son un riesgo para nosotras en los espacios públicos de muchas partes de mundo. Toca tantos temas respecto a moverse en la calle que sin duda lo estaré releyendo, pero me gusta confirmar que no solo yo encuentro demasiada cercanía entre la movilidad al interior de una ciudad y la migración, hay mucho que reflexionar en esa relación.
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Virginia Woolf's 1927 essay 'Street Haunting' is an attempt to claim an ungendered place in the city by walking through it. Out in the street, we become observing entities, 'part of that vast republican army of anonymous trampers'. Whether or not we want to be androgynous eyes taking in the city, or bodies inviting desire, or any of the myriad ways of being in between, Woolf is telling us that we can integrate ourselves into the world of the city by becoming attentive to the shifts in the affective landscape. It is only in becoming aware of the invisible boundaries of the city that we can challenge them. A female flânerie – a flâneuserie – not only changes the way we move through space, but intervenes in the organisation of space itself. We claim our right to disturb the peace, to observe (or not observe), to occupy (or not occupy) and to organise (or disorganise) space on our own terms.
I FINALLY finished this book. It only took me about 2 months.
I bought this book, because it was a topic in one of my lectures. I was facinated by the Flaneur / Flaneuse concept and what it meant in the past times. And when my professor recommended this book I had to buy it.
Thoughout I have enjoyed this book. It is a bit longated and some parts are hard to read though but all in all it was an interessting read. Mixing the personal experiences of Elkin with studies and books she found on the topic.
I bought this book, because it was a topic in one of my lectures. I was facinated by the Flaneur / Flaneuse concept and what it meant in the past times. And when my professor recommended this book I had to buy it.
Thoughout I have enjoyed this book. It is a bit longated and some parts are hard to read though but all in all it was an interessting read. Mixing the personal experiences of Elkin with studies and books she found on the topic.
What I have learned from reading this book: the author and Paris are both way cooler than I can ever hope to be. After accepting this humbling self-assessment, I still cannot get my fill reading about ambitious women going after their dreams in another country with a culture so very different than what they have always known.
The chapters focusing on Virginia Woolf and George Sand, with the author's own thoughts interwoven in-between, spoke to me the most; as well as her discussions about women needing to be free to walk, to explore the way men have always been allowed to do.
"A culture that does not walk is bad for women. It makes a kind of authoritarian sense...As I became alert to the city, I became alert to women's history, literature, politics, as if it were impossible to learn about one without the other" (37).
While this book could be choppy at times, with certain chapters more riveting than others, I'm still very glad I read it. I hope more will be written about the flaneuse.
The chapters focusing on Virginia Woolf and George Sand, with the author's own thoughts interwoven in-between, spoke to me the most; as well as her discussions about women needing to be free to walk, to explore the way men have always been allowed to do.
"A culture that does not walk is bad for women. It makes a kind of authoritarian sense...As I became alert to the city, I became alert to women's history, literature, politics, as if it were impossible to learn about one without the other" (37).
While this book could be choppy at times, with certain chapters more riveting than others, I'm still very glad I read it. I hope more will be written about the flaneuse.
adventurous
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
When I was 19, I went to France by myself to stay with strangers and do research for a week. I had never been in Europe. I had never traveled on my own. I had never had to rely on my French. I had never stayed with strangers. When I got there, I expected my host to show me around. Instead, she passed me a map and her metro pass and encouraged me to wander. “It’s fun,” she promised. And it was. And it changed my life.
A year and a half later, I returned to France, this time to Paris for six months to study abroad. It was there that my love for wandering continued- walking from my residence in the 14th to the Eiffel Tower and back one night, or taking the Metro to a random part of the city and getting lost. This only grew my love for travel- leading me to travel to Germany on my own, to wander streets in London and Dublin and Greece and Switzerland on my own. Whenever I plan a trip, I always plan in some “wandering time” where I can walk the city on my own, pop in some headphones, take in the details, imagine stories of each little house, and imagine myself part of the city as well.
A few months ago, I listened to Lauren Elkin speak on “Tea and Tattle,” one of my favorite literary podcasts. When Elkin described “la flâneuse,” I knew she was describing me and my addiction to exploring cities on foot, happily and independently. After listening to her podcast, I immediately went to library and got the book. I felt such a thrill to read about these various literary women who also found happiness wandering around big cities on their own.
I think the best part is Elkin’s personal reflections on her wanders. Her experience studying abroad in Paris sound almost exactly like mine- energized by newly discovered independence and many coffee shops. I discovered many of the same author’s she did, marveling in retracing their steps in my Paris wanderings. I also loved her inclusion of authors and cities I love and admire- like Virginia Woolf’s own “Street Hauntings” in my London. It was fun too to read about Elkin’s own experiences in Tokyo and Venice, places I’ve never visited, but was intrigued to see how she wrote about them.
As many people have mentioned in reviews, Elkin’s lovely reflections can get lost in plot summary of various literary works. This did make the work cumbersome at times, especially when I would be so attached her personal narrative and wanting to read what comes next. However, I also liked the literary aspect of it because it pushed it from just being an account of Elkin’s travels, to being this literary sisterhood of women walkers.
I’m not a huge fan of non-fiction, so it took me months to read this. I liked reading it one chapter at a time, at a coffee shop or on a long car ride, and seeing where that “flânerie” took me. On the day I checked out the book, I tried to walk around a local park and take some picture of fall colors, but I was approached by several strange men and eventually took refuge in a shop till they went away. This incident connects with the deepest meaning that Elkin has in her book: women experience and walk the city differently than men. And I agree. How do I keep walking and exploring when the experience itself can make me feel vulnerable and discouraged? While Elkin’s book doesn’t necessarily have the answers, it has enough powerful examples of women walkers to make me inspired to keep wandering regardless.
A year and a half later, I returned to France, this time to Paris for six months to study abroad. It was there that my love for wandering continued- walking from my residence in the 14th to the Eiffel Tower and back one night, or taking the Metro to a random part of the city and getting lost. This only grew my love for travel- leading me to travel to Germany on my own, to wander streets in London and Dublin and Greece and Switzerland on my own. Whenever I plan a trip, I always plan in some “wandering time” where I can walk the city on my own, pop in some headphones, take in the details, imagine stories of each little house, and imagine myself part of the city as well.
A few months ago, I listened to Lauren Elkin speak on “Tea and Tattle,” one of my favorite literary podcasts. When Elkin described “la flâneuse,” I knew she was describing me and my addiction to exploring cities on foot, happily and independently. After listening to her podcast, I immediately went to library and got the book. I felt such a thrill to read about these various literary women who also found happiness wandering around big cities on their own.
I think the best part is Elkin’s personal reflections on her wanders. Her experience studying abroad in Paris sound almost exactly like mine- energized by newly discovered independence and many coffee shops. I discovered many of the same author’s she did, marveling in retracing their steps in my Paris wanderings. I also loved her inclusion of authors and cities I love and admire- like Virginia Woolf’s own “Street Hauntings” in my London. It was fun too to read about Elkin’s own experiences in Tokyo and Venice, places I’ve never visited, but was intrigued to see how she wrote about them.
As many people have mentioned in reviews, Elkin’s lovely reflections can get lost in plot summary of various literary works. This did make the work cumbersome at times, especially when I would be so attached her personal narrative and wanting to read what comes next. However, I also liked the literary aspect of it because it pushed it from just being an account of Elkin’s travels, to being this literary sisterhood of women walkers.
I’m not a huge fan of non-fiction, so it took me months to read this. I liked reading it one chapter at a time, at a coffee shop or on a long car ride, and seeing where that “flânerie” took me. On the day I checked out the book, I tried to walk around a local park and take some picture of fall colors, but I was approached by several strange men and eventually took refuge in a shop till they went away. This incident connects with the deepest meaning that Elkin has in her book: women experience and walk the city differently than men. And I agree. How do I keep walking and exploring when the experience itself can make me feel vulnerable and discouraged? While Elkin’s book doesn’t necessarily have the answers, it has enough powerful examples of women walkers to make me inspired to keep wandering regardless.
This book read like a dauntingly long college senor thesis. It is written by a college professor, so that makes sense. I had to push myself to get through some parts, they were so drawn out and detailed that I felt like I was reading a paper where someone was writing pointlessly to fill a page quota. I usually don't like well-off people writing about pseudo struggles in the "real world." But it seemed to be the only time the author's writing was interesting and sometimes almost poetic. I was actually interested in her bougie lifestyle. And I liked when she talked in a personal or admirable manner towards the women she wrote about. But why does she need to describe every scene of an entire movie when references will do? If she can write well about a movie in reference to her topic, then I'll watch it. I don't appreciate having to power through a play by play of every blink of the actors.
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Really fascinating examination of various women and their experiences walking in the city. I loved Elkin’s observations, and the way she weaves her own memoir into literary criticism and historical commentary. Her descriptions of the cities she’s lived in are evocative and clear, making me miss cities I’ve been to (London and Paris), and helping me understand ones I haven’t been to (Tokyo and New York). at times it can be quite a messy dialogue (i didn’t really enjoy the ‘everywhere’ chapter), and i did think her commentary on japan felt slightly ungrateful? I also would have enjoyed more diversity of voices - perhaps if she’d been more open to understanding tokyo she would’ve read more japanese women flaneurs? not sure. overall though, i really loved it, and as a love letter to walking in cities, it’s one i can really get behind.