A deck chair in the sun, the sound of the sea and birds, the sweet smell of flowers... and of course, a lovely selection of books. Long live the holidays! The Do It Team has crafted a selection of this year's true favorites to slip into your suitcase without hesitation. Our recommendation: a novel about the best-kept secret of the Ritz, the behind-the-scenes of the Paris Opera seen by a star, and even a remake of Thelma and Louise... Follow the guide!
The Beautiful Fate of a Star of the Paris Opera
The Good Book: Don't Forget Why You Dance by Aurélie Dupont
For Whom? Ballet enthusiasts and fans of the star Aurélie Dupont.
The Synopsis. "I dance and I will dance again because dance is a vital necessity for me: I can't be content with just one life. I need to live a hundred others, and it's on stage that I can. There, I am others than myself." Aurélie Dupont was born to dance. From a young ballet student at just 10 years old to becoming a star, she goes through all the stages, succeeding in internal competitions to advance her rank, winning the gold medal in Varna, and meeting Pina Bausch, who chose her to be the Chosen One in The Rite of Spring, the role of her life.
She recounts her knee injury, just two years after becoming a star, and the day doctors made her understand she might never dance again. She finds hope, recovers, and trains in a new way of dancing. Finally, she speaks kindly of her relationship with her husband, Jérémie Bélingard, and her challenging return to the stage after her pregnancies. When Aurélie Dupont says goodbye to the stage, she is 42, the retirement age for all stars.
Why You Will Love It? Aurélie Dupont delivers an inspiring account. We (re)discover her strength of character, determination, and unyielding will. The dancer shares an astonishing testimony: with tenderness, she evokes the world of classical dance, its demands, and its satisfactions. Without a filter, she discusses the depreciation, humiliations, and sufferings inflicted at the prestigious Opéra school, an elite training where mediocrity is not tolerated. A touching tribute to her 32 extraordinary years of career, which reads in one go.
The Novel About the Best-Kept Secret of the Ritz
The Good Book: The Bartender of the Ritz by Philippe Collin
For Whom? The curious eager to know about the life of the Ritz during the occupation.
The Synopsis. June 1940. War rages outside, the Germans enter Paris, and terror seems the only possible emotion. Yet, once past the doors of the grand Ritz hotel, calm returns. Its occupants, eager to discover the French art of living, crowd into the high rooms. At the hotel bar, where Frank Meyer reigns supreme, guests flock to taste the cocktails of the world's greatest bartender. He quickly gains the sympathy of the German officers, buying himself peace.
A grand scene unfolds where collaborators and resistants, heroes and war profiteers, Gestapo men, Arletty, Cocteau, Sacha Guitry, Coco Chanel, and Marshal Göring mingle... While Paris sinks into cold and hunger, others party with the German occupiers. What no one knows in this vast place of celebration is that Frank Meyer, an Austrian emigrant and former 1914 fighter, is Jewish.
Why You Will Love It? With great talent and meticulously documented details, Philippe Collin (Léon Blum, a Heroic Life) recreates the atmosphere of this troubled period. Around this bar, the author makes us relive, with extraordinary historical precision, the Jewish camp of Compiègne, the Vel' d'Hiv roundup, the assassination attempt on Hitler, and the people's uprising. The author gives a voice to this man with a fabulous and yet too little-known destiny.
A Road Trip Around the United States
The Good Book: To Life and Death: On the Trail of Thelma and Louise by Catherine Faye and Marine Sanclemente
For Whom? Fans of Ridley Scott's masterpiece.
The Synopsis. "Better not look back, or you might end up crying. Better not look down if you want to keep flying." It was 30 years ago... In front of Ridley Scott's cameras, two friends with monotonous lives left their husband and boyfriend for a weekend to travel the beautiful roads of Arkansas. To pay homage to this wonderful film, and because it touched the hearts of so many women, Catherine Faye and Marine Sanclemente set out on the trail of Thelma and Louise. Ten thousand kilometers across Arkansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona... The two friends follow the same route as the mythical duo.
"It was 30 years ago. And we still do not live in the 'kind of world' where we listen to victims." From encounters to conversations, debates to discoveries, they constantly question our contemporary society through their journey. Some topics are still terribly relevant: racism, sexism, and injustice are still deeply rooted issues in the United States. Their hope? That escape will never be the only solution again.
Why You Will Love It? The two adventurers are not new to this. Catherine Faye and Marine Sanclemente had already collaborated and written The Year of Two Ladies, recounting a journey undertaken in Mauritania in the footsteps of two 1930s explorers. With To Life and Death, they deliver a travel narrative so accurate it almost makes us nostalgic. The plus? The playlist suggestions that accompany their narrative and our reading.
The Louisiana of Julia Malye
The Good Book: Louisiana by Julia Malye
For Whom? Fans of fabulous women's destinies.
The Synopsis. "We don't tell women everything." Paris, 1720. When a hundred women are selected from the patients of the Salpêtrière and sent on the Baleine to Louisiana, they have no idea what awaits them. There, they will be forcibly married to French colonists. On board are three most improbable friends: Charlotte, an orphan with a sharp tongue, Petronille, a young aristocrat without money rejected by her family for being too eccentric, and Geneviève, a rebellious woman from the people condemned for being an abortionist.
What remains of a woman after a life marked by disease, war, and patriarchy? Together, they will endure a life of sorrows, bereavements, cruelty, and adversity. Their friendship will emerge stronger than ever. Even as their living conditions prove atrocious, the young women lose none of their zest for life and come out stronger from these traumatic experiences.
Why You Will Love It? Julia Malye, known for The Fiancée of Tocqueville, The Ghosts of Christopher D, and many others, has the art and manner of addressing history without ever becoming boring. With Louisiana, she delivers a narrative of rare depth. Borrowing many contemporary issues related to patriarchy, the author becomes the spokesperson for three friends, suffering from men and the injustices inflicted upon them. The author's historical documentation is impeccable, the narrative is delightfully romantic, and the true interest lies in the era depicted, without embellishment. A very beautiful story!
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