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Levy's Paris novel inspired by literary giants
24 May
Summary
- Deborah Levy discusses her novel, My Year in Paris with Gertrude Stein.
- The book features three friends navigating life and art in Paris.
- Literary influences include Woolf, Spark, and Maya Angelou.
Award-winning author Deborah Levy recently discussed her latest novel, "My Year in Paris with Gertrude Stein," on Take Four Books. Alongside presenter James Crawford, Levy delved into the three primary literary influences that shaped her new work. The novel itself follows the intertwined lives of three women residing in Paris.
These friends include Eva, an artist managing a long-distance marriage; Fanny, a bold financier exploring her sexuality; and the unnamed narrator. The narrator is focused on writing an essay about the influential American poet and art collector, Gertrude Stein. Their experiences in Paris involve shared activities like cooking and walking, alongside discussions and a whimsical search for a missing cat.
Levy identified Virginia Woolf's 1927 novel "To The Lighthouse," Muriel Spark's 1961 "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie," and Maya Angelou's 1978 poem "Still I Rise" as the foundational texts for her narrative. These selections highlight a rich engagement with modernist and feminist literary traditions.
