Chi knows me he knows about mine incurable passion for Paris. Of this city I loved history, culture, all arrondissement none excluded, the writers and writers who made it live in our imagination …
In short, Mine is a real obsession that I also transformed into a book just not to let me miss anything. But when you are so in love you never have enough, as Honoré de Balzac, another adore of the Ville Lumière says: «Paris is like an ocean. Throw us a probe and you will never know the depth ».
Yes, because the city is like a surprising pandora vase that will never cease to show off new stories. Therefore it could not escape me The barman of Ritz, The novel by Philippe Collin Just translated by Luigi Maria Sponzilli for Rizzoli.
Serena Dandini (photo by Gianmarco Chieregato).
For the youngest who perhaps know the Ritz only as the super luxury hotel of Place Vendôme, also famous because there has spent the last hours Lady Diana Before his last tragic journey, we will have to add that Since the inauguration at the end of the 19th century it has been a mythical place that hosted all kinds of celebrities.
A refined living room of the last century
From Marcel Proustassiduous visitor, a Coco Chanel who had made his Parisian home, not to mention the counter of his famous bar that saw the whole world pass together with the inevitable Ernest Hemingwaya fixed guest who declared convinced: “When the dream of the afterlife, of Paradise, the action always takes place at Ritz Paris”.
“The barman of Ritz”, by Philippe Collin just translated by Luigi Maria Sponzilli for Rizzoli
But there was a dark and tormented period which has filled its bright tradition of disturbing shadows. In June 1940, exactly when Collins’ novel begins, Hitler’s troops enter Paris and Ritz becomes the Luftwaffe headquarters: From that moment on the fabulous bar counter, Hermann Göring and all the high German command sit.
The narrative follows the dramatic history of Nazi employment, through the eyes and personal events of Frank Meier, the renowned barista of the hotel, a Jew of humble origins really existedsample of savoir-faire and cocktails that have become legend.
The author transforms him into a literary character full of nuances And, following his torments, we relive with him the most dramatic years of the Parisians, divided between the desire to rebel and the fear of being deported. There is no shortage of suspense and twists that make this story that was missing from ours even more enjoyable flânerie literary in honor of Paris.
All articles by Serena Dandini.
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