Paris Times Eight

For Deirdre Kelly, Paris is not only a dream city but also the place where she attains a deeper understanding of herself. Having always defined herself in opposition to her mother, Kelly finds in the city itself her “other mother,” the mother of her imagination. In her mind, Paris represents freedom – liberation for the mind and body – and a chance to reinvent herself as the confident Parisienne woman she longs to be.

In Paris Times Eight, Kelly provides a poignant and often amusing reminiscence of growing to womanhood through her eight visits to Paris. During all these visits, Paris is the constant, but Kelly’s shifting emotional world creates varying perspectives on both the city and her evolving self.