Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
218th out of 238 books
—
104 voters
13, rue Thérèse
American academic Trevor Stratton discovers a box full of artifacts from World War I as he settles into his new office in Paris. The pictures, letters, and objects in the box relate to the life of Louise Brunet, a feisty, charming Frenchwoman who lived through both World Wars.
As Trevor examines and documents the relics the box offers up, he begins to imagine the story of...more
As Trevor examines and documents the relics the box offers up, he begins to imagine the story of...more
Hardcover, 278 pages
Published
February 2nd 2011
by Reagan Arthur Books
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
2,017)
From my blog for my book club:
On November 21, the International Fiction Book Club met for the 31st time to discuss the novel 13 rue Thérèse by Elena Mauli Shapiro. Ms. Shapiro lived in Paris until she was 13 years of age and then moved to the States with her family. Though written in English, this novel is entirely French, both in setting and character of style. I say character of style because it is through a peculiar style that characters gradually emerge. Or do they only seem to emerge?
Fren...more
On November 21, the International Fiction Book Club met for the 31st time to discuss the novel 13 rue Thérèse by Elena Mauli Shapiro. Ms. Shapiro lived in Paris until she was 13 years of age and then moved to the States with her family. Though written in English, this novel is entirely French, both in setting and character of style. I say character of style because it is through a peculiar style that characters gradually emerge. Or do they only seem to emerge?
Fren...more
This book is unlike anything I have ever read before. Bizarre and at times confusing, yet always enthralling. Only a French woman could devise a tale so unique and lovely as this! Props to Elena Mauli Shapiro! Now, I must say, this book isn't for everyone. It's quirk factor is FULL HILT and some people may not understand or appreciate that. It sort of reminds me of the style of Woody Allen's movie "Midnight in Paris".
The big plus of this book is that it contains a LOT of pictures. The main char...more
The big plus of this book is that it contains a LOT of pictures. The main char...more
A novel spun around an inherited box of mementoes, gathered over the course of a life.
It sounded lovely but I thought it might be just a little predictable. I found though that it was anything but.
"She will give him the office with the tall, useless empty file cabinets in the corner. He will probably not think to open all the drawers and look at them his first day on the premises. But he will, eventually, discover a box tucked all the way into the darkness at the back of the bottom drawer, innoc...more
It sounded lovely but I thought it might be just a little predictable. I found though that it was anything but.
"She will give him the office with the tall, useless empty file cabinets in the corner. He will probably not think to open all the drawers and look at them his first day on the premises. But he will, eventually, discover a box tucked all the way into the darkness at the back of the bottom drawer, innoc...more
I adored this book! It took me a while to get into this one, but once I did, I was completely drawn to the sketched characters and objects documented within.
I can't begin to describe the plot, because it is best to just let the segments wash over you and not concentrate on "where is this going?" but rather to just enjoy each chapter and moment as it comes. The story as it comes together deliberately leave holes, and after I would set the book down for the evening, I would spend some time filling...more
I can't begin to describe the plot, because it is best to just let the segments wash over you and not concentrate on "where is this going?" but rather to just enjoy each chapter and moment as it comes. The story as it comes together deliberately leave holes, and after I would set the book down for the evening, I would spend some time filling...more
O.k. I admit it. I am partially biased towards this author since I know her. Nonetheless, I would not give five stars if I did not think this book is a good piece of literature. Shapiro takes the pieces of an actual Parisian woman's life during WWII and gave her life again to help give a perspective on how people lived and behaved during World War II and its aftermath. It is clever and witty to draw anyone in and make them think differently about how people acted during a difficult time. There a...more
Oh my! This book was such a surprise and a delight. I truly didn't know quite what I was getting into when I decided to read this book but I am so very glad that I did. The book is fiction but the box upon which it is based is not. Ms Shapiro has created a life, actually several lives out of the contents of a box her mother saved when a tenant in their apartment house died without heirs. The landlord allowed the people in the building to go through the deceased's belongings before they were pack...more
A mysterious allure into the past so enticing with a hint of eroticism.
The book is fiction, but the mysterious box on which it is based is real. Every item inside it, described in the book in intimate detail and photographs, exists. We may never know the real story behind each of them, but the items themselves offer a peek, and it inspired a woman to catch that mystery, wonder, and inspiration in this lovely, movingly descriptive novel.
What an exceptionally intriguing novel this has been, from s...more
The book is fiction, but the mysterious box on which it is based is real. Every item inside it, described in the book in intimate detail and photographs, exists. We may never know the real story behind each of them, but the items themselves offer a peek, and it inspired a woman to catch that mystery, wonder, and inspiration in this lovely, movingly descriptive novel.
What an exceptionally intriguing novel this has been, from s...more
13 Rue Therésè is a Pandora’s Box of a book, published Feb, 2011, by Little Brown ($26.99). Inside are reproductions of old photographs, lace gloves, jewelry and other memorabilia. I first turned to the afterword to learn that the author, Elena Shapiro, as a child in Paris in the 1980s, was given a box of these objects and letters that had belonged to Louise Brunet, the late occupant of the apartment above theirs at 13 rue Therésè. When Louise died the landlord, unable to locate any relatives, i...more
I have to admit that the cover is the first thing that drew me to this novel. I have a photo of my English grandmother that looks eerily similar to the photo on the cover. I am glad that I did choose to read and review this book, it's an enjoyable journey through one mysterious and enigmatic woman's history and a modern man's self-imposed task of retracing her path and finding his own.
It was one of those books that draws you deeply into the story. The very astute author includes color photos of...more
It was one of those books that draws you deeply into the story. The very astute author includes color photos of...more
A gift.
This special book got me out of a reading funk I had a few months ago. It came to me wrapped in beautiful paper with a note from the editor, Reagan Arthur. I opened it, hoping to discover something new and exciting. What I didn't realize at the time was that I would spend the entire 270 pages unwrapping this precious gift.
Each page brought something new - a photograph, a letter, a piece of fabric from a life of a woman I would never meet, a woman that was not even real, but a woman whom...more
This special book got me out of a reading funk I had a few months ago. It came to me wrapped in beautiful paper with a note from the editor, Reagan Arthur. I opened it, hoping to discover something new and exciting. What I didn't realize at the time was that I would spend the entire 270 pages unwrapping this precious gift.
Each page brought something new - a photograph, a letter, a piece of fabric from a life of a woman I would never meet, a woman that was not even real, but a woman whom...more
Tout d’abord, je tiens à remercier, Les Editions Michel Lafon, ainsi que Livraddict, pour ma sélection pour ce partenariat, et pour l’envoi de ce livre.
13, rue Thérèse, est un roman dont l’intrigue se passe à Paris à notre époque, mais aussi au début du 20ème siècle, dans une période allant de la Grande guerre (1914 -1918), à l’entre-deux guerres (les années 20, début des années 30).
Il s’agit d’un roman épistolaire, et je dois dire que ça m’a grandement perturbé dans ma lecture, pourtant ce n’es...more
13, rue Thérèse, est un roman dont l’intrigue se passe à Paris à notre époque, mais aussi au début du 20ème siècle, dans une période allant de la Grande guerre (1914 -1918), à l’entre-deux guerres (les années 20, début des années 30).
Il s’agit d’un roman épistolaire, et je dois dire que ça m’a grandement perturbé dans ma lecture, pourtant ce n’es...more
The author inherited a memory box from her mother. However, this isn't a family heirloom. Apparently, when she was growing up in Paris, a neighbor in her apartment died with no living relatives so the landlord allowed neighbors to take any of the personal belongings. The author's mother took the memory box. Inside the box were photographs, letters, gloves, rosary, pencil made out of bullets, and a few other items. None of these items have any meaning to the author's family. What could these item...more
The first thing I noticed about 13, rue Thérèse was how absolutely beautiful the physical book is: I haven't seen such a colorful and visually stunning manuscript in...well, probably since I started reading adult fiction. It made me even more inclined to enjoy this book, and enjoy I did!
In present day Paris, Trevor Stratton, a young American scholar, arrives at his new office and finds a box filled with the letters, photos, and mementoes of a Frenchwoman named Louise Victor Brunet. We are catapu...more
In present day Paris, Trevor Stratton, a young American scholar, arrives at his new office and finds a box filled with the letters, photos, and mementoes of a Frenchwoman named Louise Victor Brunet. We are catapu...more
I was a little apprehensive when I picked up 13, rue Thérèse by Elena Mauli Shapiro, due to the unique presentation of the book itself. Images of scanned photos, letters, and other ephemera are interspersed with the text, and on the last pages, there were special barcodes for use with a smartphone, which made me a bit wary. However, I decided to let it go and just take the book for what it was, and I’m glad I did.
The book is strange and unique and yet, it’s also interesting and exciting. We brie...more
The book is strange and unique and yet, it’s also interesting and exciting. We brie...more
What an interesting concept for a book! In terms of form, 13, rue Thérèse is unlike anything I’ve read, with the possible exception of Mark Z. Danielewski’s 2000 bestseller House of Leaves (note to self: re-read that one for a review!). Though Shapiro isn’t easy on her readers—the novel is nonlinear, incorporates photographic images, fraught with footnotes and encourages online interaction—13, rue Thérèse is nonetheless a compulsively readable page-turner. Though not without its missteps, Elena...more
This was a strange and wonderful little novel. It was created around a box of artifacts that the author acquired from the apartment of an elderly woman who died without any relatives to claim her belongings. Out of the postcards, letters and various objects in the box, Shapiro weaves a story of the fictional Louise Brunet, who lost the love of her life in WWI. The box is passed on to Trevor Stratton, an American professor and translator, by his secretary, Josiane. Trevor sets about recreating th...more
This was indeed the strangest book I think I have ever read, but I do believe it would make an excellent book club selection as there would be a great deal to talk about from the strange premise of the book to the odd way in which it was written.
The backstory for this novel is important. A neighbor of the author who lived in Paris where the book is set died without any family. Everyone in the building basically looted her apartment. The author's mother took a box which contained nothing of value...more
The backstory for this novel is important. A neighbor of the author who lived in Paris where the book is set died without any family. Everyone in the building basically looted her apartment. The author's mother took a box which contained nothing of value...more
“She will give him the office with the tall useless empty file cabinet in the corner. He will probably not think to open all the drawers and look in them his first day on the premises. But he will, eventually, discover a box tucked all the way into the darkness at the back of the bottom drawer, innocent-looking yet unexpected. How could one see such a thing and then not take a little peek inside?” (~pg. 5)
So the plot begins…..a mysterious box of artifacts, strategically left for Trevor Stratton,...more
So the plot begins…..a mysterious box of artifacts, strategically left for Trevor Stratton,...more
I knew before I read 13 Rue Thérèse that it was going to be good. I have yet to be disappointed by anything from the same imprint. I wasn't sure exactly how the story would go, though, and I found it utterly fascinating.
Trevor Stratton's discovery, the box of artifacts, the gift given by Josianne, is no ordinary collection of keepsakes. As Trevor goes through the objects, reads the letters, and learns more about the life of the long-dead Louise Brunet, it becomes difficult to tell whether he pos...more
Trevor Stratton's discovery, the box of artifacts, the gift given by Josianne, is no ordinary collection of keepsakes. As Trevor goes through the objects, reads the letters, and learns more about the life of the long-dead Louise Brunet, it becomes difficult to tell whether he pos...more
Opening the covers of 13, rue Therese is an enchanting experience. Remember the books you loved so well as a child, filled with captivating illustrations? I've always wondered why most books for adults have none at all. Now along comes a historical novel, set in Paris, which contains page after page of pictures of small antique mementos: letters, photos, gloves, coins, and more. The memorabilia belonged to a real person, Louise Brunet. No one collected her personal belongings when Louise died,...more
What a nice little diversion. In the beginning, I faithfully filed away each fact so I would be able to solve the puzzle that was promised. It turned out to be, not so much a puzzle, but an artful weaving of a mysterious past and present. I liked the scanned objects, postcards, and, letters. These are real items that the author was left with after the death of an elderly neighbor. Don't let the fact that it's illustrated fool you; this is an adult novel with a lusty protagonist. A great read for...more
2.5 stars. I'm not as taken with this book as the handful of other reviewers so far. I was led to believe I'd find a puzzle here, but it's really a collection of scanned objects that give hints to a life in which our author fills in the lost details. Interesting, to a degree, but failed to keep me devoted throughout. How do these damn epistolary novels keep landing in my hands?! This was definitely better than The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, as the writing was not quite as con...more
Jun 16, 2011
Dree
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2011-reads,
continental-europe
OK, so you grow up downstairs from an old widow. At her death, the landlord lets other tenants go through her things, as he can't find any relatives. Your mom takes her box of memories--photos, letters, mementos. You grow up and decide to write a novel that is the story of this storyless-since-her-death box of objects. That's what happened to the author. Supposedly anyway.
Interesting, yes? Clever and unusual, yes?
It started out so promising. But then Shapiro turns this old woman (who is young as...more
Interesting, yes? Clever and unusual, yes?
It started out so promising. But then Shapiro turns this old woman (who is young as...more
Nothing brilliant in the story, but this was a fun and unique book to read.
When The author was a little girl growing up in Paris, an old woman named Louise Brunet lived alone in an apartment above her family. When she died, no one came to collect her things, so the landlord allowed the other tenants to take whatever they liked. The author's mother chose a box of mementos, which she has carried with her every since.
This novel is based on the contents of that box. It is a lovely book, full of facs...more
When The author was a little girl growing up in Paris, an old woman named Louise Brunet lived alone in an apartment above her family. When she died, no one came to collect her things, so the landlord allowed the other tenants to take whatever they liked. The author's mother chose a box of mementos, which she has carried with her every since.
This novel is based on the contents of that box. It is a lovely book, full of facs...more
This was a very clever book. It was a bit confusing to read however, where I found myself not knowing who is narrating or what time it is - present or jumping back in time. The concept is really well thought out though. The main character Louise Brunet was a real person living at 13, Rue Therese where the Author grew up. She passed away alone with no family to retrieve her belongings, so the landlord let anyone in the building help themselves to her things. The Author's Mom took a box of memento...more
This book eluded me. Maybe I was offput by the cover image and multiple items able to be smartphone scanned. I am too old to feel that sort of thing is "cool" and only found it gimmicky. Perhaps had her novel delivered on its buildup, I might have been swayed to it's coolness, but it was too hollow and undeveloped. She writes well and her idea was interesting but it needed more of everything, except sex. The sexual drama seemed more fitting for present day and yet drawing multiple parallels b/t...more
I enjoyed the author's approach to writing this book. She had been given a box of treasures from a woman who lived in her building. Shapiro turned them into a story. Instead of only giving us the story as a set piece, though, she wove together a present-action narrative line with the narrative line exploring why each of the treasures was in the box that the present-action narrator "found" in his filing cabinet. As a fan of D.H. Lawrence and his novels about the Lost Generation and the women who...more
Josianne, the departmental secretary of an unnamed university in Paris, is in charge of allocating office space to new professors. She gives Trevor Stratton, a visiting American, "the office with the tall useless empty file cabinet in the corner." But in that useless filing cabinet, she also leaves a small box of mundane artefacts for him to discover at his leisure; a box which proves to tell a remarkable story.
Stratton becomes obsessed with the artefacts, and what he is able to learn about the...more
Stratton becomes obsessed with the artefacts, and what he is able to learn about the...more
A small box filled with the keepsakes of a past life is the premise for this beautifully narrated book which is based on the author’s own interpretation of a discovered box of treasured mementos. This quirky story has been weaved around a lost world of love letters, photographs and keepsakes, and collectively offers a whole new story perspective.
When American academic Trevor Stratton is given the box of relics by his colleague, Josianne Noireau, we are introduced to the life of Louise Brunet, a...more
When American academic Trevor Stratton is given the box of relics by his colleague, Josianne Noireau, we are introduced to the life of Louise Brunet, a...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
“A translator, caught in the space between two tongues. Such people tend to come a little bit unglued from the task of trying to convey meaning from one code to the other. The transfer is never safe, the meaning changes in the channel — becomes tinted, adulterated, absurd, stronger.”
—
4 people liked it
“...all the men in the photograph wear puttees. All the men in the picture are bound, trying to keep themselves together. That is how considerate they are, for the love of God and country and women and the other men--for the love of all that is good and true--they keep themselves together because they have to. They are afraid but they are not cowards.”
—
2 people liked it
More quotes…
Oct 10, 2012 05:53am