Paris in the 1920's Timeline

Paris in the 1920’s Timeline 1920: American authors started moving into Paris as a result of the unstable America they were living in. They referred to their country of origin at the time as, judgmental in any type of delicate expression towards, sexuality amongst other things. Whereas in Paris, it was the total opposite. The Parisians went out often; they went to Music-hall shows especially the reviews, like Josephine Baker’s, operettas, theatre, and circus, but also to the cinema which was becoming more and more popular. John Dos Passos: “One Man's Initiation: 1917” “Three Soldiers” 1921: “France and Sherwood Anderson: Paris Notebook, 1921” by Sherwood Anderson 1922: The novel of Victor Margueritte, which was called “La Garçonne” was published in 1922. This book was a good illustration of the debauchery and the extravagance of this decade. 1923: “A Night Among the Horses,” by Djuna Barnes 1925: “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald 1927: “Transition” by poet Eugene Jolas, and his wife Maria McDonald In 1929, Beckett published his first work, a critical essay entitled "Dante... Bruno. Vico.. Joyce".

Project Proposal

I would love to take on this honors challenge of researching and committing myself to read books based upon Paris during the 1920s. This project has many challenges that I would love to come across and confront, to later on look back and know how much knowledge I have gained overall. I had never really thought about the idea of going back in time and focusing on one specific era that I would really want to consider living in. As a result I came down to one country which was France, at first I was a little hectic about choosing this particular country but I researched it thoroughly and got immediately convinced when I came across stories based in Paris about the music, the style, the people etc. It just seemed crazy and I had made my decision. I think this would be a fabulous decade to research because of its exciting diverse phenomenon in which people came together. I find it fascinating that this glamorous and enthusiastic era was right after a cruel Cold War in which pretty much everyone was traumatized by, not only economically but also emotionally. The first book that I found interesting relating to Paris in the 1920s, was, “The Crazy Years: Paris in the Twenties” by William Wiser. I picked this book because of its overall interest in the depth of the life style in which people in Paris lived. From the little that I’ve read about it, it recreates important events in Paris which were considered the mark of history, and where great authors and artists came together to be recognized all throughout Paris. This novel really grabbed my attention because it seemed to show authenticity and I love to have found this in a book. It conveys a more surprisingly real and detailed style with true facts that occurred during this era, which I think is what I need in order to imagine myself living in that time to understand it more thoroughly. People that recommend this book also happen to recognize the author’s way of “keeping it real” where he talks about topics that were common back in the twenties such as music in Paris, Russian immigration, lesbianism, the effect of rich Americans on Paris, and many others they discussed that made me find the book even more interesting and eager to read. The next book that I find helpful for me to understand how it was like living in Paris, is, “Expatriate Paris: A Cultural and Literary Guide to Paris of the 1920's” by Arlen J. Hansen. I found this book throughout many others that were based only upon the 1920s, and the reason why I chose it out of the bunch to read, was because it seemed like a great dramatic book that spilled every little detail based on how the American authors in Paris lived. It’s a tell all book and I think that’s what makes it fascinating to me. In addition to this, it was published a little more recently than the other books that I found, so I might understand the author and his writing style more clearly. For this reason I know I am going to get lots of important information that is accurate and valuable. The next book that I stumbled upon was, “Hemingway's France: Images of the Lost Generation” by Winston S. Conrad. This book appealed to me in a sense that gave me the answer to what my perception of Paris in the 1920s was really seen as. In this book from what I’ve read, I happened to have created this sort of theme that I think will be seen throughout the book. It’s mainly based on a well-known author whom I’m really curious to read about, as well as find out how he is known to have defined France in the 1920s, and people just can’t seem to describe France alone without mentioning his name. According to the reviews that I’ve read recommending this book, they find it filled with history and culture that cultivates the sense of that era and gets in on details about Hemingway being involved in WW2 as a soldier as well as being a writer. His story just seems so amazing. I’m already getting anxious to read what Hemingway has to showcase as “The biggest star of the 20th century literature.” The final book I selected was, “Plaisir D'Amour: An Erotic Memoir of Paris in the 1920s” by Anne-Marie Villefranche. Going through various books about the history and Paris as an overall city that grew more spectators every day, I felt the need to change the style in the type of book that I wanted to read next. I wanted to engage more in a personal lifestyle that maybe a person had during their time in Paris, or even events that happened during Paris that affected someone’s life dramatically. So, in conclusion I chose this book in particular because it fit my expectations on what I was looking for in a book regarding the 1920s as well as a more personal connection and experience they had with Paris. This book gave a personal insight on different stories that get up close and personal with different individuals on how they lived around the 1920s in Paris, and reading the review was surprising because the twist of it all was that it all the individuals are related. In addition to this book, which is filled with surprises of certain customs in Paris, there are several different versions of this book that I’m quite intrigued to sample and choose one that describes a more dramatic scene in Paris. I am so thrilled to get started on this project and get a sense or even a little taste of what Paris was like back in the 1920s. For this purpose I have been researching some historical resources that will come in handy, getting a head start on imagining the scenery and the vibe of the era. These are some examples of reliable resources that will help me along the way. List of books/resources that will help: Expatriate writers in Paris during the 1920s - You are a lost generation http://uninvitedwriter.hubpages.com/hub/Expatriate-writers-in-Paris-lost-generation A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway The Parisian Life In The 1920’s By Anne Rohan http://www.parissweethome.com/parisrentals/art_uk.php?id=109 http://www.ed.umuc.edu/undergrad/field_study/paris_expat_1920s.html http://history.state.gov/milestones/1914-1920/ParisPeace http://www.besthistorysites.net/index.php/american-history/1900/roaring-20s