A literary tour guide of Paris and its role as a popular setting in literature. Famed for its cafe culture, Paris has long been regarded as a city of love, light, and literature. Visitors to this dynamic city can choose from any number of cafes, museums, and cathedrals to get a feel for the city's rich literary history. Bloom's Literary Guide to Paris provides everything a literature lover needs to know to enjoy the city. Its features include: an introduction by esteemed literary critic Harold Bloom; a detailed literary and cultural history of the city, describing its development from the 12th century, when the foundation stone of Notre-Dame Cathedral was first laid, to the American Beatnik movement; a Paris Today section, discussing the city's layout and its major sights, literary and otherwise; color illustrations of literary landmarks, historic and contemporary; a color map providing a general overview of the city; a Places of Interest section that lists the city's major literary sights - including museums, bookstores, theaters, and more - along with their locations and hours of operation; and, a list of books to read and Web sites to consult before the trip.