The Flâneur

More about the book

The Paris of The Flâneur, a return to familiar territory for Edmund White, explores the City of Lights through the lens of leisurely exploration. Having lived in Paris for nearly two decades, White's intimate knowledge of the city is both enviable and effortless. This work can be seen as a companion to his earlier novel, The Married Man, enhancing the connection between story and place. White celebrates the art of loitering as a genuine means of discovering travel, appealing to anyone who has enjoyed a leisurely afternoon of people-watching. He introduces readers to the lesser-known haunts and stories of artists, writers, tycoons, and royals who have shaped modern Parisian culture. With his polished writing and extensive research, White invites readers to join him on his rambles, sharing vibrant anecdotes about figures like Josephine Baker and Sidney Bechet. The narrative assumes a level of sophistication and intimacy often absent in typical travelogues. As the inaugural work in Bloomsbury's "The Writer and the City" series, The Flâneur promises more engaging insights from White, whose dapper prose and captivating revelations of an off-the-beaten-path Paris are sure to delight readers.