Parisian Modern Life's Poet Par Excellence
Selecting books thoughtfully is one of the biggest challenges of building a library that will last a lifetime. While reading can and should be solitary, having read books that are common conversational and literary reference points can enrich both the reading process and our ability to engage with others. Did you catch that witty reference that so and so made the other day to War and Peace? Did you know that Helen is based on Helen of Troy, as are countless other Helen’s in literature? If you’re an aspiring reader perhaps those empty bookshelves at home and that warehouse of books in The Strand or your local B&N inspires overwhelm. Where is one to begin? Even sitting at my desk and writing this I will admit that I am overwhelmed by the weight of selecting this first book for my blog series on building a library. While my own shelves are overflowing with books, imagining empty shelves is at once full of promise and at the same time seems like a large responsibility. But I think I have the one. Just hold on a minute while I find it.
Author: Charles Baudelaire
Recommended Texts:
Today I want to start with some basics, and for readers interested in French literature, flânerie, modernity, Paris, urbanism, fashion, poetry, art, and/or classic works of literature, the above works by Baudelaire are a perfect place to start. Love him, hate him, or re-historicizing him, Baudelaire is one of those authors who acts as a touchstone for the above topics. For example, he is widely regarded as the final word on flânerie and even those authors who question this legacy (Priscilla Parkhurst Ferguson has an amazing article on historicizing the flâneur) have to acknowledge him as the best known author in the flânerie genre.
Best known for his poetry, Baudelaire is often credited with being the original modern French author. His poetry (Flowers of Evil ) and his prose poetry (Paris Spleen) are highly regarded for having captured the transformation of Paris through Haussmannization. At a time when many authors were nostalgically glancing backward Baudelaire embraced modern Paris as the subject of his writing, even writing one of the most well known essays on urban modernity: “The Painter of Modern Life.”
Whether you are looking for a new book to cosy up in your reading chair with, some literature to get you excited for your upcoming trip to Paris, or looking to deepen your knowledge of classic authors for your next witty repartée on literature, Baudelaire is a solid addition to any bookshelf.
If you find yourself unsure where to begin two of Baudelaire’s most widely regarded poems are “The Swan” (“Le Cygne”) and “To a Passerby” (“À one passant”) and, of course, I recommend reading all of his “Parisian Tableaus” (“Tableaux Parisiens“), which are the poems I have read. From Paris Spleen “The Crowd” (“Les Foules”).
I’ll be returning to “The Painter of Modern Life” myself as a part of an article I’m drafting on Edith Wharton’s Age of Innocence. Let me know in the comments below if you would like to see me blog my perspective on rereading Baudelaire. Otherwise, feel free to tell me about your perspectives on Baudelaire or what brought you here to this series on building your library.