“Paris Lost and Found” - Salon du livre opening by Scott Carpenter
We are honored to open our 2024 Salon du Livre with a presentation by Scott Carpenter of his new book, "Paris Lost & Found". We are excited to discover the sequel to his acclaimed book, "French Like Moi"!
The presentation will be followed by a discussion led by Joëlle Vitiello.
About the book
Following his hilarious introduction to Paris in French Like Moi, Midwesterner Scott Dominic Carpenter returns to the scene of the crime with more tales of intrigue.
This time, though, the story starts with sorrow as Carpenter's wife struggles with dementia. Humor may be the best medicine, but even the antics of a vandal in their building can’t cement the tiles of her memory for long. Before he expects it, the author finds himself alone in a capital that is also blighted by the pandemic.
It’s against this backdrop that the city comes roaring back to life. From bizarre encounters on the Metro to comical clashes with authority figures, and even a quixotic battle against a flock of migrant parrots, Paris Lost and Found unveils sides of the great city that are as quirky as they are authentic. With his unique blend of wit, insight, and wistfulness, Carpenter charts a path through his new labyrinth of solitude—only to emerge on the other side, squinting into the bright light of hope and new beginnings.
About THE author
Scott Dominic Carpenter teaches French literature and creative writing at Carleton College (MN). Winner of a Mark Twain House Royal Nonesuch Award (2018), he is the author of French Like Moi: A Midwesterner in Paris (winner of a Next Generation Indie Book Award), This Jealous Earth: Stories, and Theory of Remainders: A Novel (a Kirkus Best Book of 2013), which is currently under option with a major film production company. Carpenter splits his time between St. Paul and Paris. His website is sdcarpenter.com.
About the moderator
Joëlle Vitiello, Professor and Chair of French and Francophone Studies department at Macalester Colleger, received her Ph.D. from Stanford University, her Diplôme d’études universitaires supérieures (D.E.U.G.) and License from Paris XIII in France. She started the French Lectures Series for the department in fall 1999. She focuses on 20th-21st-century French and francophone literature and culture; Haitian literature and culture; French and Francophone Cinema; Postcolonial identities; Immigration, and Violence in France and the francophone world.
This event is free with a $10 suggested donation to support our cultural programs. Merci pour votre soutien !