Paris Was Ours - Softcover

Penelope Rowlands was born in London, raised there and in New York, and has also lived in Paris. A journalist and critic, she has contributed to Vogue, the Wall Street Journal, Architectural Digest, The New York Times, and other publications. Her most recent book is A Dash of Daring: Carmel Snow and Her Life in Fashion, Art, and Letters, a biography of the legendary editor-in-chief of Harper's Bazaar.

"...Paris doesn't merely put visitors in the mood; the city itself is the object of mad crushes. This diverse collection of reflections is a testament to that passion...." The New York Times

"... it's fascinating when 32 writers asked to note their impressions of the French capital react in uncanny harmony. In Paris Was Ours the authors describe their attraction to the mystical, mercurial city as the always dazzling yet also dizzying experience of being drawn, moth-like, to a flame..."  The Courier-Journal (Louisville, KY)

."..Penelope Rowlands culls 32 essays, stories and poems, some original, some previously published, from writers who include professors, single mothers, gay men, a homeless woman, a wealthy Iranian and a poor young Cuban. The collection takes some of the shine off Paris but not the allure..."  Minneapolis Star-Tribune

"In vivid, varied, demitasse-length essays, students, mothers, journalists, chefs, and designers (from America and Great Britain, but also Iran, Iraq, and Cuba) attempt to decipher their Parisian counterparts. ... The authors' often hard-won insights and admiration provide a welcome key to the heart of this iconic city." Virtuoso Travel

"I'm also reading Paris Was Ours ... It's the exact escape I need during this snow mania, and it includes pieces by David Sedaris, Diane Johnson, Marcelle Clements and others."  USA Today's Pop Candy blog

"A lively show-and-tell about the city's legendary Latin lovers, celebrated cuisine, fashion worship, and its rarely heard from (or about) homeless citizens." --Elle
(Elle )

"Whether you have lived in Paris or not, this captivating collection will transport you there." --National Geographic Traveler
(National Geographic Traveler )

"The essays capture the mood of the city in all of its dark and light shades, evoking the spirit of Eugene Atget and Marcel Proust. "Paris Was Ours" is a sparkling collection as well as a nice literary complement that fans of the Woody Allen movie "Midnight in Paris" would especially enjoy." --The Chicago Tribune