I have been to Europe a handful of times, exploring Paris, Italy, Malta, Spain, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, and Amsterdam. Europe lends itself perfectly to be immortalised in literature. The continent is steeped in thousands of years of charming history, oozing out of the cobblestoned streets and painted in layers on the buildings. Scratch the surface and a new, richer layer comes to the fore, exciting and amazing anew. Europe inevitably turns into one of the important characters in any book set there and many a writer have managed to capture its essence in their work. Alongside Peter Sarstedt, Europe inspired my work, taking the reader along on a wondrous journey.
Join in her beautiful journey as the adopted daughter of a French diplomat explores life and discovers talents for dance and art. Her travels are described in beautiful prose, sharing her trials and tribulations through the glorious vista that is mid-century Europe. As she rubs shoulders with the rich and famous in Rome, St. Moritz, Moscow, and France, the burning question of her unknown roots remains unsolved—Who is she?
Will the mystery of her origins remain unsolved, or will the truth behind her morning tears finally be revealed? Inspired by the famous Peter Sarstedt song, this is a classic tale, 50 years in the making.
Shepherd is readers supported. When you buy through links on our website, we may earn an affiliate commission. This is how we fund this project for readers and authors (learn more).
Frances Mayes narrates life in Tuscany with a clear, refreshing voice, adding in some cooking recipes, scenic Tuscan landscapes, and adventures around Italy, along with the recipe to find happiness in the simple things in life, in a wonderful foreign setting. Italy like you’ve never experienced it before, through the eyes of an almost-local.
Tom Ripley is a con artiste. He is smooth, intelligent, and deadly. Tom goes on a journey to Italy to find the wayward son of a shipping magnate, Dickie Greenleaf. Along the way, Tom finds a way to become Dickie Greenleaf himself. The adventure plays out in some of the most scenic parts of Italy, following Tom on his misadventures in Positano, Rome, and Venice. Patricia Highsmith writes in a formal style that ages well and keeps the reader hooked with the wonderfully narrated prose.
Dick and Angel set off on a life-changing adventure. They purchase a Chateau in France and start the involved process of restoring it to its former glory. The chateau becomes a central character in their story, alongside the glorious Loire Valley. You may have seen the TV show based on their exploits, but the book is so much better!
To be honest, this one is close to being a travel book. Rick Steves is a well-known traveler, with a large number of guide books and television shows sharing his exploits with the world. But, this book describes Europe in a way that no travel guide can. Rick is a master of sharing anecdotes of his travels through Europe, never failing to describe the flavours, sights, and sounds of the continent and the wonderful cities we all yearn to see. This was a wonderful escape during the 2020 lockdowns, a true lifesaver!
John Baxter is a master at his craft. He describes his life in Paris in a vivid, easy-to-read style, never failing to delve into the history of the streets he is roaming. He has published a number of books on Paris and its historic neighbourhoods, all immersing the reader in the sights, sounds, and culture of Paris. This is probably the next best thing to living in Paris yourself.
5,309 authors have recommended their favorite books and what they love about them. Browse their picks for the best books about France, criminals, and Europe.
We think you will like Brave Men, The Italian Wars 1494-1559: War, State and Society in Early Modern Europe, and The Josephine B. Trilogy if you like this list.
From Steven's list on the best books to understand WW2 from eyewitnesses and historians.
I came close to picking James Tobin’s brilliant biography, Ernie’s Pyle’s War, but decided that it was impossible to overlook Pyle’s own prose. This anthology contains the articles he wrote in Sicily, Italy, and France in 1943-44. It shows, more movingly than any other eyewitness account, just how terrible the fighting could be in what is too often glibly remembered as America’s “good war.”
From Sean's list on the best books on mercenaries from a former military contractor.
What would a world awash in mercenaries look like? Like medieval northern Italy, which was the Afghanistan of its day. Back then, mercenaries were how you fought wars, and anyone who could swipe a check could wage war no matter how absurd or petty. Aristocrats, city-states, and popes routinely hired mercenaries. When I wrote The New Rules of War, I spent three months digging through the archives in Florence, Bologna, and other city-states to understand how the dynamics of private warfare worked. For those who want a feel of the times, try this rare book by famed historian Mallett. It was his last book, finished by Shaw after he died.
From Marcia's list on the best books about women in France.
It can be difficult to recall that, while laying waste to the armies of Europe, proving himself to be one of the finest military commanders in history, Napoleon was writing salty love letters home to his wife. Narrated in first-person diary-style by Josephine, Sandra Gulland’s sensational trio of books is a credit to the sometimes-overlooked genre of historical autobiographical fiction. The events around her life with the self-anointed Emperor of the French are defined with both intimacy and sweep. Josephine emerges as a most intriguing woman, charming and clever, and a full participant aside from her husband as he rises and falls.
The three books cover the many phases of her exceptional life. From her childhood in the French colony of Martinique, through her first marriage and imprisonment during the revolution, to her fateful introduction to the “strange little man,” and through their marriage and demise, the woman who became Empress died penniless at her château outside Paris. Throughout the three books, Josephine remains a deft storyteller and somehow reminds us that those who make history—or have a front row to it—are only too humans.
