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A Village of Vagabonds
Frank Berkeley Smith (1869-1931) wrote The Lady of Big Shanty, The Real Latin Quarter, and A Village of Vagabonds.
372 pages, Paperback
First published September 22, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 4, 2018
American expatriate artist and writer welcomes you to his adopted home of Pont du Sable, a secluded old Norman fishing village not too far away from Paris.
As much as I can make out the place name is fictional, as are these urbane glimpses into the ways of its inhabitants. However, the author was himself an American expatriate and Francophile who narrates the stories under his own name. I think it's fair to assume that much here is taken from life.
So what kind of a life did he live tucked away in that Gallic corner of the world? By all regards it was a life of dinner and drinks with refined fellow artist friends, hobnobbing with the odd minor member of the aristocracy, and lots of duck shooting ("A northeast gale at last—a howler!")
A composer of operettas, an elegant actress, a baron, a marquis and marquise form Smith's exalted circle. A couple of lowly peasants did form the basis of the story in a chapter each, a fisherwoman with several children of different fathers who drinks like a man, and a miser with a criminal past who chose the wrong girl to be his helpmeet.
According to Smith the poor fisherfolk didn't seem to mind these rich sophisticates invading their village and snapping up all the best homes. Nobody appears to be in the least bit resentful, despite the local chaplain having to steal some charity money to buy them food while the wealthy vagabonds swig vintage champagne and shoot all the ducks.
I wonder if the real-life locals were quite so welcoming?
Cynicism aside, it was easy enough to spend some time with Smith, his cat, indulgently referred to as The Essence of Selfishness throughout, and his alluringly accomplished interlopers from bohemian Paris.
He wrote other books glorifying France. I guess he was bound to, his father built the platform under the Statue of Liberty, which afterall was a gift from the one republic to the other.
As much as I can make out the place name is fictional, as are these urbane glimpses into the ways of its inhabitants. However, the author was himself an American expatriate and Francophile who narrates the stories under his own name. I think it's fair to assume that much here is taken from life.
So what kind of a life did he live tucked away in that Gallic corner of the world? By all regards it was a life of dinner and drinks with refined fellow artist friends, hobnobbing with the odd minor member of the aristocracy, and lots of duck shooting ("A northeast gale at last—a howler!")
A composer of operettas, an elegant actress, a baron, a marquis and marquise form Smith's exalted circle. A couple of lowly peasants did form the basis of the story in a chapter each, a fisherwoman with several children of different fathers who drinks like a man, and a miser with a criminal past who chose the wrong girl to be his helpmeet.
According to Smith the poor fisherfolk didn't seem to mind these rich sophisticates invading their village and snapping up all the best homes. Nobody appears to be in the least bit resentful, despite the local chaplain having to steal some charity money to buy them food while the wealthy vagabonds swig vintage champagne and shoot all the ducks.
I wonder if the real-life locals were quite so welcoming?
Cynicism aside, it was easy enough to spend some time with Smith, his cat, indulgently referred to as The Essence of Selfishness throughout, and his alluringly accomplished interlopers from bohemian Paris.
He wrote other books glorifying France. I guess he was bound to, his father built the platform under the Statue of Liberty, which afterall was a gift from the one republic to the other.
July 31, 2013
The further I go in the story the more I can see a fantastic wonderful engaging PBS mini series based on this story. Vivid characters and hoity toity shananagans (sp?) worthy of a good comparison to anything happening at that famous "abbey" Oh the twisted plots continue seemingly headed for a social scandal until everyone lives happily ever after.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews