Summer before 2012 Pregnant in Paris Trip
The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris (2011)
By David McCullough
Motivation
I read this in preparation for and during our 2012 Pregnant in Paris trip.
David McCullough is a master biographer and beautiful writer. His John Adams is a masterpiece and one of the books I recommend most often. (The HBO miniseries based on the book is also stellar.) I would read anything McCullough writes but this was perfectly times for me to better understand how other Americans before me, if to a much more serious an prolonged degree, took in Paris and took Paris home with them.
“Not all pioneers went west.” –David McCullough
Overview
This book is about Americans who traveled to Paris in the 19th century in order to train and become the best doctors, writers, artists, and scientists. As all of McCullough’s books, it’s meticulously researched and is wonderful storytelling throughout. With so many subjects it might seem like you’d get lost but somehow you never do.
You follow Samuel F. B. Morse (of Morse Code fame) as he looks to become a better artist; pioneer women like Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman in America to earn her medical degree, and Mary Cassatt, the painter and printmaker; as well as a lively cast of adventurous souls who sought Paris as the center of art, science, culture, and politics.
The legendary portrait painter John Singer Sargent is here too, stirring up trouble not least with his scandalous Madame X portrait (pictured, right).
It’s an important read when considering the long geopolitical and cultural relationship between America and France and in the benefits to the sharing of expertise and cross-pollination of ideas that are represented in the many disciplines of 19th century Paris. Most of these Americans brought back new ideas, knowledge, expertise, and skills that benefited the US. An important principle for any country. McCullough uncovers how Paris changed these Americans and how these Americans changed America.
Recommended for
- fans of beautiful nonfiction
- anyone looking to see Paris through the eyes of previous Americans
- previous visitors of Paris who want a new and fascinating perspective
- wide audience, not just biography and history readers
Considerations
- there are a lot of people to keep track of but the author does a great job reminding you who is who
Kid factors
- 7+ – they may not have heard of Morse Code, or Mark Twain but you could explain to them why so many smart and adventurous people went to Paris too
- 10+ – they may recognize some names but will definitely be interested in following the path of such influential people; regularly ask them what they will take home from the experience (ideas, taste in food, art, language?)
- 13+ – they could read (or listen to) this themselves. Shouldn’t be any controversial language or sexuality. Same ideas as above. Not all pioneers went west. What do pioneers look like in 21st century??
- They might also consider the idea of studying abroad to be an impossibility but it’s been done before; are they interested in pursuing it someday? What will you (they) need to do to make that happen? What did the characters in the book go through in order to make that dream a reality?
Also of note: if you’re staying anywhere near the Latin Quarter on the left bank you’ll be very close to the Sorbonne, the intellectual center where many of the people in the book studied and worked.
I may not reread this for France 2018 given the non-Paris emphasis (so far), but I would definitely reread it on subsequent trips so I could refresh and share the ideas and stories in more detail for the kids.
Check it out of your local library, or, if you’re thinking about buying it, do so here to help support this site.
McCullough also narrates the audio edition, highly recommended!
Resources
- Watch: PBS Newshour clip with McCullough (8 min)
- Read: Sunday Book Review of book – (NY Times)
- Watch: McCullough lecture at Library of Congress (58 min; skip to min 10 to get going)
- Watch: McCullough Interview with New York writer (71 min)
- Listen: The Best of the Louvre, On a Single Canvas (Morse Painting discussed) (7min)
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