Strapless

This book is my favorite so far this year. It has all the elements: history, biography, and, well -- Paris at the turn of the last century, during La Belle Époque. I confused it with another Madame X book I saw at the bookstore recently, but I'm glad I saw this one at my library and read it first.

There were so many delicious moments of history and intrigue in this book, I don't know where to begin. Oh! And New Orleans, too -- my other favorite city (and one I've actually visited, a number of times). I especially enjoyed the early history of department stores and the description of French womens' behavior in Bon Marche. Fascinating.