Without him, most Parisians wouldn’t get anywhere. He’s the third from the last stop on line 3 of my Chairfather tours.
Coming soon…
I’ll guide you to his final resting place on my VoiceMap tours of the Père Lachaise cemetery, and recite stories from his life. See funny pictures and text from our picnic together in The Chairfather book.
The passed have never been more alive!
Book a lunch date with the fallen famous NOW!
Or later…
Really, it doesn’t matter. Their agendas are quite open.
I’m so excited to tell you all about one of my favorite dudes ever! It’s something to be a great musician, but it’s amazing to use your instrument like nobody before you! Unexpected and delightful. I was enchanted the first time I heard him, and I still am. Want some music to cheer you up? Look no further!
I’ll let you know more about his life in a bit. Meanwhile, he’d like to share this with you…
Coming soon…
I’ll guide you to his final resting place on my VoiceMap tours of the Père Lachaise cemetery, and recite stories from his life. See funny pictures and text from our picnic together in The Chairfather book.
The passed have never been more alive!
Book a lunch date with the fallen famous NOW!
Or later…
Really, it doesn’t matter. Their agendas are quite open.
Happy B-day Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, better known as Molière. Molière turns 396 this month.
If you don’t know about his life, you gotta go on my tour. If you don’t know about his death, you gotta read my book.
Here’s a little preview: Molière pulled a Dick Shawn way before Dick Shawn.
Who was Dick Shawn? Are you kidding me? Stop what you’re doing immediately and watch this clip from It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.
Groovy, baby!
Anyway, good ol’ DS put that much energy into everything he did, and had them laughing all the way to the end, and beyond! During a comical performance at UCSD (that’s right, Trevor!) he had a heart attack on stage and died. For several minutes everyone thought it was part of the act. Dick Shawn was always pulling pranks like that of dubious taste (hey, sounds a lot like me). But not this time, bucko, it was for realsies.
Now, I bet you can’t wait to read about Molière’s final act, can you?
Coming soon…
I’ll guide you to his final resting place on my VoiceMap tours of the Père Lachaise cemetery, and recite stories from his life. See funny pictures and text from our picnic together in The Chairfather book.
The passed have never been more alive!
Book a lunch date with the fallen famous NOW!
Or later…
Really, it doesn’t matter. Their agendas are quite open.
Happy B-day Pierre-Augustin Caron, aka de Beaumarchais! Thanks to this slick gun-runner, the Americans had more weapons to fight the British and win our independence.
He’d be 286 today, which is also the name of my first computer! (Joke for us oldies). Although he didn’t have a computer, he still found a way to write stuff, like this:
« Sans la liberté de blâmer, il n’est point d’éloge flatteur. Il n’y a que les petits hommes qui redoutent les petits écrits. »
Which means, ‘Hey, dude, if I can’t criticize you, my flattering comments are worth diddley. Only little men worry about little words.’
I’ve been researching de B, along with about 50 other folks as part of four cool projects I’m working on. Watch this space for more info about the residents of the world’s most visited resting place.
Coming soon…
I’ll guide you to his final demeure on my VoiceMap tours of the Père Lachaise cemetery, and recite stories from his life. See funny pictures and text from our picnic together in The Chairfather book.
The passed have never been more alive!
Book a lunch date with the fallen famous NOW!
Or later…
Really, it doesn’t matter. Their agendas are quite open.
A couple years ago, I’m in Stockholm for a business meeting. I think my presentation’s going pretty well when someone opens the door, says something in Swedish, and my audience gets up and leaves.
My befuddled look meets the smile of my colleague Urban, who explains it’s Saint Lucy’s day. “What’s that?” I ask, and he just says to come and see. This is what I saw:
Here’s wishing you a serendipitous moment of unexpected pleasure this holiday season!
Wonderful reading event last night with drinks and conversation at the Librairie Ulysse! I counted about 20 folks at one point. It settled down to a solid dozen for both readings. I read chapter 32, and my actress wife read chapter 5, both en français for the very first time. Thanks to Aurore for the ‘theatralisation’ of the readings, making them more akin to a performance. This must have influenced the public, which bought a couple copies of French License!
We brought mulled wine, expecting a chilly evening. Rain showers were even predicted at one point. Never fear, it was mild and dry outside, with clear skies exposing a near-full moon. A wonderful night to be out, walking the bridges between the Ile Saint-Louis and the Ile de la Cité, and the bright moon floating above Notre-Dame.
Huge thanks to Catherine and Dominique for welcoming us to the Librairie Ulysse! People were enjoying themselves so much, the duo delayed closing time for two hours past the schedule! We finally pulled ourselves away from good conversation at 11 p.m.
Like Troy McClure, you may remember me from such films as Richard Linklater’s Before Sunset, Nora Ephron’s Julie & Julia, and Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris. Now a comedy joins the ranks: French License can be seen at Shakespeare and Company.
Shakespeare and Co. writes a history with many chapters, several locations, and a cast of thousands over nearly 100 years. The great English-language writers of the past and present have visited, and at least one is actually living upstairs at any given time. You’ll find today’s version of the bookstore welcoming, with nooks strewn about to get intimate with a title. When you can’t put a book back on the shelf, simply throw some crumpled euros down on the counter and continue nose-down, feeling your way by braille to their café bench awaiting you. The litterature dream state here is strong. A warm beverage and an hour later you’ll finally look up, suddenly conscious that the real world is around you once again.
Shakespeare and Company
37 Rue de la Bûcherie, 75005 Paris, France
“I say!” “Indeed.” “I’m all astonishment.” These very British phrases were overheard when it was discovered that French License is now at WHSmith!
There you can also find a cuppa, or a shortbread if you’re feeling peckish. But don’t ask your saleslady for a bit of crumpet, unless you fancy a red cheek, you cheeky monkey!
WHSmith is an institution of English-language literature, with two floors of books and magazines. It’s a few doors down from the American Embassy, so my compatriots likely pop in to peruse a periodical, then pose their posterior across the street at the Tuileries park. It’s quite lovely.
“My word,” I said. Words, actually. Sixty thousand of my words, to be clear. And they can all be yours for only €13,99 Good show!
