Joie: A Parisian’s Guide to Celebrating the Good Life

I forget how I first learned of the existence of this gorgeous coffee table book, but enough time lapsed between when I put in my library request pre-release and when I picked it up last month that I was totally surprised: the book felt like a thoughtful gift from past Anne. It just so happens that I have unintentionally read a half dozen novels set in France over the past few months, and this illustrated guide is the perfect complement to those unillustrated novels, as it brings Paris (and surrounds) to life. With its thoughtful organization and beautiful photography, Joie invited me to vicariously stroll through the City of Light with Aki to eat, shop, dine, and most importantly, simply live (no work talk allowed). This would be lovely to flip through a few minutes at a time or read cover to cover.