Paris Nights

When he came to the French capital on assignment for the Frankfurter Zeitung newspaper, it felt like a revelation to him. He wrote, “Whoever has not been here is only half a human, and no European.” In Paris, Roth felt suddenly freed from his crisis of meaning and the city challenged him in its modernity and overwhelming diversity. The immediate result was a series of letters and essays that established Roth as a radical chronicler of the City of Light and one of the most innovative and insightful journalists of his generation. Nevertheless, in 1926, the Frankfurter Zeitung refused him the post of permanent correspondent in France. So, Roth, who wrote his articles and essays with the same level of sophistication as his novels, redirected his talents once again. Only one thing would stay the same: from then on, Paris remained the most important city of his itinerate life in hotels, bars, and bistros. This collection contains some previously unpublished letters and a richly detailed epilogue that retraces Roth’s footsteps through the city and provides context for his works during this period.