Joie de vivre

     I mentioned Zola's The Ladies' Paradise a couple of days ago, but I have finished the book now and can mark it down as a simply super read. As I said before, it's about the rise of the great Parisian department stores and the consequent failure of the small specialist shops, but it's also a sharp portrait of the social and sexual mores of the time (late 19th. century) and above all, a Cinderella story  - all that and textiles by the thousands!

(Detail: Renoir - The Umbrellas)

     Our heroine, orphaned Denise Baudu, comes to Paris with her younger brothers and must find work to support them. She is taken on by The Ladies' Paradise, the opulent store owned by the seductive Octave Mouret which, through its size, revolutionary sales techniques and power to control prices, is threatening the livelihood of the small shopkeepers in the neighbourhood, one of whom is the girl's uncle.

     The self-possessed Denise, principled, hard-working, eventually proves her worth to the 'Paradise' which is expanding rapidly, but not before enduring harsh treatment and desperate times. Here's a typically melodramatic line: "She cried for a long time before finding a little courage with which to go on living" - oh woe!!

    The book is exuberant, sometimes frenzied, romantic, wonderfully detailed and all in all a bravura piece, hence the fun of it. Random Jottings felt about it as I do, and so did Dovegreyreader, so I'm in good company here.

(An illustration from the book, c.1895)

Quite apart from the story I found the information on the style and practices of the great shops utterly fascinating. They were "making luxury democratic", and in terms of their efficiency and level of service they would leave today's emporia standing. As to the descriptions of the building and its magnificent displays, our modern shops can't begin to compete.

(Printemps: the stained glass dome)

     Textile enthusiasts will find themselves in ... paradise amidst the 'Paradise's' stock :"cotton, dimity, pique, calico, madapollam, nainsook, muslin, tarlatan", never mind the "foulards as fine as a cloud, surahs lighter than the down blown from trees, satiny Peking fabrics as soft as the skin of a Chinese virgin....pongees from Japan, tussores and corahs from India....which conjured up visions of ladies in furbelows walking on May mornings beneath great trees in a park".

John Lewis has nothing on this!

Comments

[sherry]

Sounds delicious! I have ordered it. Will wrap myself in silk and cashmere while I read it. Or would a paisley shawl be more appropriate?

[Annemie]

I read the book 'Au bonheur des dames' as a young adult. That must be 35 years ago. Your enthusiastic comment tells me that I should read the book again... Thanks!

[elaine]

So glad you loved this Karen. It is a glorious luxurious wallow and, Sherry, in my opinion you should be wearing silk and cashmere while reading and, even better, have a box of Turkish Delight to hand. As you say, John Lewis had nothing on this

[Ros]

This one is definitely going on my 'To Read' list. It sounds delicious.

[Mark Thwaite]

Sold! I've read heaps of Zola, inlcuding most all of Les Rougon-Macquart series: this I have somehow contrived to miss. The omission will have to be remedied this weekend ... lets hope it snows!

[sherry]

Back from the dentist, and the book order has been executed. Elaine, the thought of turkish delight makes my poor teeth hurt. How about tea with rose petals instead? On a silver tray?
Really looking forward to this book! No thanks on the snow, Mark, just got a foot of it.
a sherry

[Margaret Powling]

I adore Turkish Delight, but it has to he Lings. I once had to return a box which wasn't in perfect condition and they replaced it with a brand new box, hot off the conveyor belt and it was the best Turkish Delight I have ever tasted, mouth-wateringly scrumptious. I don't like Creme de Menthe Tuckish Delight, though, only the pink and white stuff will do!

[Nicola]

I enjoyed all the details of textiles and fabrics, but I think Zola is making a point about capitalism, conspicuous consumption and the miseries of debting and overspending. They had shopaholics then, too!

[Barbara MacLeod]

I always associate Zola with grimness so this is one I must try! I recall reading Germinal thinking that the author definitely had his "thumb on the scales" when telling his story. For example, whenever describing a grim picture of starving coal miners, he would follow it with a description of a van delivering vol-au-vents to the mine manager's house! (And I never eat a vol-au-vent without this image passing through my mind!)

[Lesley]

Oh my goodness. Another book to read. What fun.

[Rebecca]

Oh, John Lewis eat your heart out indeed, isn't that just the most heavenly and enticing description?

[elaine]

Sherry - tea on a silver tray with rose petals sounds just about right to me. I do look forward to reading other posts on this book. I, too, associated Zola with grime and gloom and Germinal so this book knocked me sideways. I simply loved it