Le DivorceRead about another book on the list.
by Diane Johnson
Alive with echoes of Henry James, this modern comedy of manners revolves around Isabel Walker, a film-school dropout newly arrived in Paris from California, there to help her pregnant step-sister Roxy cope with family matters after the infidelity and departure of her French husband. She experiences the gossipy currents of the American expatriate community, the charm -- but fundamental difference -- of her French semi-relations, and the beguiling reality of the city itself. As the families square off (with a valuable painting at the center), Isabel crosses a threshold into emotional maturity: an old story, but one that becomes completely fresh through Johnson's scintillating prose and keen eye for absurdity.
--Marshal Zeringue