Publishers Weekly - Audio
10/26/2015
Jean Perdu runs a book shop located a barge moored on the Seine in Paris. When a broken heart shakes Perdu from his moorings, he embarks on a journey down France’s storied waterways accompanied by Max Jordan, his neighbor and a young author whose early success has paralyzed his creativity. Voice actor West beautifully demonstrates Perdu’s evolution over the course of the novel, from an aloof loner to a reluctant father figure, while also providing the voice of Max, his pitch rising at the end of nearly every sentence like it’s a question, then growing in confidence, and a little bit of mischief, as Max rediscovers his muse. The other two performances are less successful, not because actresses Bering and Campbell aren’t excellent (Bering in particular has a perfect French accent), but because the novel itself gives them so little time compared to Perdu. A Crown hardcover. (June)
Publishers Weekly
04/27/2015
A bookseller embarks on a quest for his own happy ending in George’s novel. Jean Perdu’s Literary Apothecary is unique among Paris bookshops, and not just because it’s a barge moored on the Seine. Perdu has the uncanny ability to prescribe the perfect book to cure any spiritual malady: heartbreak, loneliness, ennui. But for 21 years—ever since the woman he loved walked out of his life—Perdu has lived an ascetic, routine-filled existence, and he’s never opened the farewell letter she left for him. When he’s finally compelled to read it, the unexpected contents spur him to hoist his anchor and take the bookstore barge on a trip upriver to Avignon, in search of closure and forgiveness. Max Jordan, an eccentric young author paralyzed by writer’s block, hitches a ride as the boat is pulling out of port. Along the way the pair encounters a host of other quirky characters, who feed Perdu incredible cuisine, help unravel a long-unsolved literary mystery, and teach him to feel joy again. Though George’s prose is sometimes a bit overwrought and the “physician, heal thyself” plot device has been done to death, her cast of engaging characters keeps the story moving. Her sumptuous descriptions of both food and literature will leave readers unsure whether to run to the nearest library or the nearest bistro. Agent: Cecile Barendsma, Janklow & Nesbit Associates. (June)
From the Publisher
New York Times Bestseller
A LibraryReads Favorite of the Favorites
An Indie Bestseller of 2015
"If you're looking to be charmed right out of your own life for a few hours, sit down with this wise and winsome novel...Everything happens just as you want it to... from poignant moments to crystalline insights in exactly the right measure."—Oprah.com
“The settings are ideal for a summer-romance read…Who can resist floating on a barge through France surrounded by books, wine, love, and great conversation?”—Christian Science Monitor
“[A] bona fide international hit.”—New York Times Book Review
"A story that reflects all the romance and sweetness of Paris itself.” —San Francisco Book Review
"George’s exquisite, multilayered love story enchanted Europe for more than a year, and the U.S. publication of this flawless translation will allow gob-smacked book lovers here to struggle with the age-old dilemma: to race through each page to see what happens next or savor each deliciously enticing phrase. Do both; if ever a book was meant to be read over and over, this gem is it.”—Library Journal (starred review)
"Warmhearted...A charming novel that believes in the healing properties of fiction, romance, and a summer in the south of France."—Kirkus
"A beautiful story of grief, companionship, forgiveness and building a life worth living. A vulnerable, relatable tale of great love and loss, missed opportunities and moving on, The Little Paris Bookshop is, like the books its main characters recommends, medicine for the wounded soul.”—Bookpage
"Engaging... [George's] sumptuous descriptions of both food and literature will leave readers unsure whether to run to the nearest library or the nearest bistro."—Publishers Weekly
"There's a special category of books that appeal most strongly to people who just plain love to read. Not thrillers, or mysteries, or traditional romances, they are instead love letters to books themselves and to the power and delight of the written word and of stories…Now joining the ranks of those books you just have to give to the bibliophiles in your life is The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George…The Little Paris Bookshop is the kind of book that readers might not know they needed or wanted until they picked it up — meaning that George herself is doing exactly the same kind of work as Jean Perdu on his floating literary apothecary.”—Bookreporter.com
"Nina George's enchanting The Little Paris Bookshop deals with the nature of grief and the power of friendship, love and truth…George is a lyrical writer whose beautiful, sensory language and imagery enhance this adventurous, moving narrative.”—Shelf Awareness
"Uplifting... An international best seller, this one will make you happy."—The Independent
"The Little Paris Bookshop is an enchantment. Set in a floating barge along the Seine, this love letter to books - and to the complicated, sometimes broken people who are healed by them - is the next best thing to booking a trip to France."—Sarah Pekkanen, author of Catching Air
“Simultaneously heartbreaking and heartwarming, Nina George’s impressionistic prose takes the reader on a journey not just through the glories of France and the wonders of books, but through the encyclopedic panoply of human emotions. The Little Paris Bookshop is a book whose palette, textures, and aromas will draw you in and cradle you in the redemptive power of love.”—Charlie Lovett, author of The Bookman’s Tale
"Nina George tells us clever things about love, about reading that 'puts a bounce in your step,' about tango in Provence, and about truly good food. . . . One of those books that gets you thinking about whom you need to give it to as a gift even while you're still reading it, because it makes you happy and should be part of any well-stocked apothecary." —Hamburger Morgenpost (Germany)
“Enchanting and moving ... Rarely have I read such a beautiful book!”—Tina magazine (Germany)
JUNE 2015 - AudioFile
Narrator Steve West carries listeners along on a literary adventure down France's rivers, from Paris to Provence. After reading a decades-old letter from a former love, Jean Perdu untethers his bookstore barge and leaves the City of Lights for the south, accompanied by two equally impulsive friends. Although the men are initially focused on their pasts, their journey soon becomes one of new horizons and second chances. West wisely reserves his French accent for the dialogue, immersing listeners in the setting without overwhelming them. His quiet, gentle performance fits the mood of this charming, contemplative story, which is perfect for book lovers. Although the majority of the audiobook is read by West, Emma Bering and Cassandra Campbell have small parts that enhance the listening experience. C.B.L. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
2015-04-02
This newly translated German bestseller is a warmhearted, occasionally sentimental account of letting go of the old loves to make room for new. Parisian bookseller Jean Perdu has lived in a time capsule of his own grief. Twenty-one years ago, his lover, Manon, left, leaving behind only a letter to explain herself—which Jean never opened. Ever since, Jean has devoted his life to his floating bookstore, the Literary Apothecary, a barge docked on the Seine. He can diagnose a shopper's ills (ennui, disappointment, a range of fears) and select the correct literary remedy. When heartbroken Catherine moves into his building, Jean brings her an old table and a stack of books to cure her crying. In the table Catherine finds Manon's unopened letter and demands Jean read it, or she will. The two fall into kissing, and Jean, buoyed by Catherine, finally reads Manon's letter, but the truth is heartbreaking. Manon returned to her home in Provence (and her husband—it was complicated) to succumb to the cancer she had been hiding. Her last request was for Jean to visit before she died. Jean, overwhelmed by news of her death, his tragic error, his wasted life pining for a dead woman, lifts the Literary Apothecary's anchor to finally make the journey to Manon. Stowed away is his neighbor Max, a young novelist running away from his fame. The two navigate the canals of France selling books for food, engaging in adventures small and large, all against the backdrop of quaint villages and bittersweet memories. They take on some passengers: a roguish Italian who has been searching the waterways for his long-lost sweetheart; and a renowned novelist. As Jean makes his way to Manon's home (all the while writing love letters to Catherine), he prepares to ask for forgiveness—from the memory of Manon, from her husband, and from himself. A charming novel that believes in the healing properties of fiction, romance, and a summer in the south of France.
