The Crazy Years, Paris in the Twenties by William Wiser

Hemingway once wrote: "The memory of each person who has lived in Paris differs from that of any other."

The Crazy Years, Paris in the Twenties by William Wiser is a stunning book that will introduce you in an atmosphere pretty magical: the one of the 1920s in the french capital. And, it will be a frenetic book, plenty of people, situations, characters, different creative environments.

Most Americans, but also Russians and people of other countries decided to live in Paris, sometimes experimenting what it meant to live in a place where a war was going on, fearless. It was reason of personal growth. Sylvia Beach, Ernest Hemingway two of these people; who worked helping others during the war; or fighting as soldiers discovering what it means war.

Although, after the war, Paris had increased the cost of bread and other items so badly, writers, creatives in general decided that that city, that place, considered the most romantic one in the world would have been their home.

Why this?

Why searching for a potential starvation when there were many other places where to go in the world?

For many reasons. A different life-style; french one was more lazy and peaceful if compared to the American one.

America was experiencing a straining moment; the prohibitionism kept away a lot of creatives in search of inspiration, and a good or bad glass of wine in Paris made the difference for sure.

It wasn't important to eat a proper lunch or a proper dinner; it wasn't important to being poor in Paris, because all these artists, all these writers, all these creatives knew something: that they would have sorted out in a way or in another their problems. That they would have found their way. 

Homosexuals discovered in Paris a place where to live without being judged by anyone for their choices; another attraction became sexual freedom. A chapter is dedicated at lesbians.

The biggest representative of this group?  Gertrude Stein with her companion Toklas, together 'till the departure of Stein.

There was, let's put things like that, a different freedom impossible to find in any other place in the world during the 1920s and creatives searched for that. An oppressive place can't permit all of it.

The book opens with the death of Modigliani in the 1920. A moment of change, a break; no one thought that they would have known anymore someone like him. Another Modigliani.

Soon the arrival of a young Picasso supported by Gertrude Stein and brother, his talent and then, Mirò. Mirò in particular experienced very dark moments, if compared to Picasso. The first wife of Picasso was very rich and they at first entered triumphantly in the creme of Paris. Mirò suffered a lot with art exhibits where he didn't sell any paintings and he didn't know what to do.

Someone created in Montparnasse.  It was a refugee for artists, painters, homeless in that moment in search of a roof and something to eat in a daily base. They were mainly  from Eastern Europe. Their names? Chagall, Soutine and many more.

There were several American newsmagazines that had decided to open a bureau to Paris. The Chicago Tribune was one of these ones.

Ernest Hemingway gravitated in the universe of journalism, although someone at some point, suggested him that maybe it was time of ending his profession as a reporter if he wanted to be a writer, because "too distracted" by mere words.

Personally I think that, if the writing-style of Hemingway is so incisive frank and free it is thanks to his journalistic-mind, vivid, ready and attracted by reality and...life.

The arrival in the city of the Fitzgeralds was not triumphant at all writes mr.Wiser. No one of the parisiennes cared a lot for this rich couple with the desire of appearance, and they soon returned to New York City where Francis Scott Fitzgerald was adored and Zelda Fitzgerald could receive the attentions she loved to receive.

Hemingway recovered after the sufferance experienced for his powerful love for the nurse who took care of him once injured during the first world war, Agnes von Kurowsky and married someone else.

He decided to live to Paris with his wife.

At the same time Ezra Pound, largely well connected couldn't resist: he had to bring together T.S. Eliot and James Joyce.

Joyce decided to start his own experience to Paris. At first he found a little apartment, later a big house where he could live with a lot of commodities.

Great his friendship with Sylvia Beach, creator of Shakespeare and Company the first American bookshop located in Paris and center of culture for whoever wanted to, potentially, become a writer, or differently, was a writer.

A lady in love for literature she understood that she needed to help whoever would have visited her shop, lending books to them, helping them finding great connections so that people at the end could find their way for working; at the same time if the Ulysses was published it was just thanks to Sylvia Beach.

Paris after the war tried to search for new inspiration, in fashion as well with Coco Chanel, who experienced a turbulent love-life, affecting  also her works and creations.

Russians afforded to Paris as also their aristocrats but...They were very poor and they could be found to do the most diversified works; taxi drivers as well.

At the same time wrote once Prokofiev: "To settle in Paris does not mean that one immediately becomes Parisian." After all as specifies the author, he didn't mind to become who he was not.

Differently did Stravinsky; he found not just good humus in the city of Paris, inspiration, friendship but he also became a french citizen.

One day Apollinaire said returning home: "I want to go to bed. I am not feeling too well."The day after he was dead, because of the Spanish Flu, the pandemic influenza that killed more than 100 million people in the world. All the creatives world of Paris was shocked by this unexpected departure.

At the same time Hemingway started to become always more important and discussed heavily with Gertrude Stein for various reasons; he could not tolerate Ford Madox Ford. He was a pasionario and lived of strong emotions.

A new entrance in Paris, mr. MacAlmon at first a poet, who, in the intentions of people had to become an editor. And it was what mr. McAlmon did during his life.

I leave alone some chapters like ballet and other important voices, for not telling too much.

This book is a discovery and a real full-immersion in many creative world.

Be prepared! If you are curious to discover love-stories and affairs of the various protagonists you will be satisfied, this book is plenty of gossip.

But mainly, what it is important to remakr is that the reader will enter in the existences of the most prominent characters who rotated, creating, loving, living, suffering, existing, in Paris.

You will discover their beginnings, how they became who later they would have become for the world.

The latest chapter, memories and places of the past and the present. Suggestive and movingm pictures are incredible: this one is a book accompanied by a lot of pictures. Some of these pictures are alive, fluids and you can feel as still alive the protagonists of that enchanting age. They still whisper to us. 

The Manhattan Public Library must be happy and cheerful. The copy of their old book is in my hands, found a great home and I will treat it very well!

Anna Maria Polidori