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229 reviews for:
Flâneuse: Women Walk the City in Paris, New York, Tokyo, Venice and London
Lauren Elkin
3.54 AVERAGE
229 reviews for:
Flâneuse: Women Walk the City in Paris, New York, Tokyo, Venice and London
Lauren Elkin
3.54 AVERAGE
informative
inspiring
I did live this book! It made me a Lauren Ellin fan.
Definitely increased my daydreaming about running away to France.
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
This was a slow start for me as I struggled to pass the Jean Rhys chapter - a commentary on the writings and life of an author I know little about (should I admit that?).
Beyond that, I loved it. Elkin’s histories of iconic female walkers are mixed in with her own erudite comments on everything from architecture to protests. It's a love letter to some of the world's greatest cities, to walking and to intelligent and independent women, and I'm so on board with all of that.
Most of all I enjoyed Elkin talking identity. The power of cities to leave their marks all over us. How people suit places and places suit people. What it means to her to have made a home away from home.
Some have said they thought the Japan chapter felt like a middle class white woman bemoaning a culture she doesn't understand, but I didn't get that at all. In fact I loved it. In this chapter Elkin’s as insightful about following as she in every other about being free.
This book inspired me to take to my own city solo, and I don't know what more I could ask for.
Beyond that, I loved it. Elkin’s histories of iconic female walkers are mixed in with her own erudite comments on everything from architecture to protests. It's a love letter to some of the world's greatest cities, to walking and to intelligent and independent women, and I'm so on board with all of that.
Most of all I enjoyed Elkin talking identity. The power of cities to leave their marks all over us. How people suit places and places suit people. What it means to her to have made a home away from home.
Some have said they thought the Japan chapter felt like a middle class white woman bemoaning a culture she doesn't understand, but I didn't get that at all. In fact I loved it. In this chapter Elkin’s as insightful about following as she in every other about being free.
This book inspired me to take to my own city solo, and I don't know what more I could ask for.
related to this book immensely. wonderful portraits of wandering women who are bold and curious
Not what I was expecting. Much more academic and literary, and slightly boring.
At first I was just curiously intrigued by the title and wasn't sure what to expect given the mention of the other cities I've never been to but I found Lauren to be such a kindred spirit. It was one of those books that gave me validation and confidence in who I am as a traveler, wanderer and explorer of new places. She included so many other aspects to travel including books, women of the past and histories of places including protests in France.
I loved how she normalized simply existing in a place as its own form of art. That there is such beauty of sitting on a sidewalk cafe with a journal or sketchbook or combing city streets without an agenda just to admire the facades and sunset light reflected on windows.
At the very beginning of the book, she describes how being a woman out in public was once not an acceptable pastime. It was perfectly fine for a man to wander but if a woman was out, she would likely be seen as a woman of the night. Not to mention her safety would be in question. I realize, it is a privilege to exist pretty much anywhere I want in the city to observe life with my camera or just myself.
As far as the fluidity of the book goes, she does tend to jump around a bit. There were a couple times that I zoned out and had to reread a paragraph to catch what she said. Once I did, it was always fascinating. The part about the protests in France got a little long and I didn't feel bad skipping over that.
This was a book that inspired me to read other works -- she even mentioned out of my favorite authors Amor Towles. See? Kindred spirits. I'm adding Virginia Woolf to my list as well. And I may or may not have promised myself a trip to Paris, perhaps extending longer than a visit. We'll see. The power of books, right? I would highly recommend for people who have lived in other cities/countries, who love literature, women history, the magic of street life and even photography.
“The London [Woolf] loved: there are fewer and fewer people who remember it any more, leaving those of us who read her diaries and letters and books to reconstruct it for ourselves. We have to rebuild a world from the rustle of paper.
Or we could put on our shoes and go out the door.”
I loved how she normalized simply existing in a place as its own form of art. That there is such beauty of sitting on a sidewalk cafe with a journal or sketchbook or combing city streets without an agenda just to admire the facades and sunset light reflected on windows.
At the very beginning of the book, she describes how being a woman out in public was once not an acceptable pastime. It was perfectly fine for a man to wander but if a woman was out, she would likely be seen as a woman of the night. Not to mention her safety would be in question. I realize, it is a privilege to exist pretty much anywhere I want in the city to observe life with my camera or just myself.
As far as the fluidity of the book goes, she does tend to jump around a bit. There were a couple times that I zoned out and had to reread a paragraph to catch what she said. Once I did, it was always fascinating. The part about the protests in France got a little long and I didn't feel bad skipping over that.
This was a book that inspired me to read other works -- she even mentioned out of my favorite authors Amor Towles. See? Kindred spirits. I'm adding Virginia Woolf to my list as well. And I may or may not have promised myself a trip to Paris, perhaps extending longer than a visit. We'll see. The power of books, right? I would highly recommend for people who have lived in other cities/countries, who love literature, women history, the magic of street life and even photography.
“The London [Woolf] loved: there are fewer and fewer people who remember it any more, leaving those of us who read her diaries and letters and books to reconstruct it for ourselves. We have to rebuild a world from the rustle of paper.
Or we could put on our shoes and go out the door.”
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
This book was not what I expected and wanted it to be. Born in Paris, studied in New York and now living in London I thought this book would be for me - a lover of the Flaneur concept and newly introduced to the possibility of recontextualising it with a female gaze I was expecting more analysis on this rather than her musings that rarely have anything to do with the flaneuse.
Though I see why the cover claims she is the new Sontag because of her writing style that is about her to talk about the world, she doesn't do it as effortlessly (though I'm no Sontag super fan).
Her love for Paris is clear and beautiful but it's clear it's the only place which she knows and loves which makes her writing of other cities... less than interesting. Her chapter on Tokyo is infuriating - and this is coming from someone who isn't necessarily drawn to the city.
I will give it that her Cleo 5 a 7 reference made me watch and adore the movie by Varda.
Though I see why the cover claims she is the new Sontag because of her writing style that is about her to talk about the world, she doesn't do it as effortlessly (though I'm no Sontag super fan).
Her love for Paris is clear and beautiful but it's clear it's the only place which she knows and loves which makes her writing of other cities... less than interesting. Her chapter on Tokyo is infuriating - and this is coming from someone who isn't necessarily drawn to the city.
I will give it that her Cleo 5 a 7 reference made me watch and adore the movie by Varda.
emotional
inspiring
reflective
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
Wanderlust, melancholy, homesickness, adventure all mixed into this story of women, including the author, who travel the world. Women who leave home, who walk, who travel, who are independent or at least want to be. I think I learned something but I know I felt something. It made me question my whole life and all the choices I made but also love every step I’ve taken. And inspired me to take more steps and be that independent woman.