Every village in France has its war memorial, the lists of names a sad litany of those “morts pour la France”. The longest rollcall by far is that of World War I. Few families were spared the tragedy of deaths, sometimes multiple, injuries and enduring mental scars. More than a century later, the memory stillContinue reading “A Poignant Anniversary: the Armistice of World War I”
Tag Archives: French Collection: Twelve Short Stories
True Inspiration for Fiction #3: Plague!
The plague first made an appearance in 1347-48, when a catastrophic and unstoppable pandemic swept through Western Europe. In four years, the population of 14th-century Europe plunged by an estimated 33-50% and its civilisation changed forever. The figures are debated, but as many as 150 million people may have died worldwide. The disease spread acrossContinue reading “True Inspiration for Fiction #3: Plague!”
True Inspiration for Fiction #2: Edgar Degas’ Miss La La at the Cirque Fernando
Works of art can provide endless inspiration for fiction. The paintings alone, with everything they convey, would be muse enough. But sometimes the story behind the painting is just as enthralling. I have always loved Edgar Degas’ paintings and I was fascinated to learn the origins of ‘Miss La La at the Cirque Fernando’, whichContinue reading “True Inspiration for Fiction #2: Edgar Degas’ Miss La La at the Cirque Fernando”
Vanessa Couchman 