The Secret Life of the Seine

By Mort Rosenblum

Book Overview

Mort Rosenblum, a celebrated foreign correspondent, invites us aboard his fifty-four-foot launch tied up in the center of Paris and introduces us to the characters who share his life along the river, ranging from eccentric movie stars and reclusive novelists to barge families just scraping by. He then hauls in the bow line for an unforgettable tour of the river itself from its source to its mouth. The Secret Life of the Seine is a love story between man and boat and the river that they live on, a discourse on the sensual beauty of France and the art of living well. In the tradition of A Year in Provence, Under the Tuscan Sun, and Paris to the Moon, here is what Garry Trudeau called "a moveable feast with] a top speed of five knots--fast enough for fun, languid enough for dreaming. Take a trip you'll never take: This is what books are for."

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0306810743
• ISBN13: 9780306810749
• Release Date: October 2001
• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.5" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

This is a book to read on a plane to Paris!

This is a great read, particularly if you've been to Paris or are going. It truly gives you a different view of the city. The author is living on a houseboat on the Seine and decides to travel the river from "start" to "finish". Some great characters add to the account of the journey and some interesting history emerges along the way too. I also got a vivid feel for what it must be like without having to actually endure the discomforts!

Better than being there

Actually living on a boat on the Seine is a pain in the backside with leaks, breakdowns and constant maintenance. *Reading* about living on a boat on the Seine is, however, better than being there. Even though this is non-fiction, colorful characters fill the pages. If you love France, you'll love this book about the river through its heart. Rosenblum's writing is supple and never gets in the way.