David Benjamin’s new Paris book explores the city beyond the tourist view

Author David Benjamin is drawing attention with An Apartment in Paris, a personal account of finding a foothold in the French capital with his wife, artist Junko Yoshida. The book and his Paris talks focus on real estate, food, culture, and the daily life that visitors rarely see.

Why it matters: - Paris drew more than 36 million tourists in 2024, underscoring the city’s global pull and the market for stories that go beyond standard travel coverage. - Benjamin’s book targets readers who want a more lived-in view of Paris, including the practical and emotional reality of building a life there. - The book also speaks to would-be residents, repeat visitors, and readers interested in the city’s food, history, and neighborhoods.

What happened: - David Benjamin’s latest book, An Apartment in Paris, centers on his and artist Junko Yoshida’s effort to establish a pied-à-terre in the French capital. - Benjamin has been promoting the book through Paris-centered talks that have become among his best attended and liveliest appearances. - The talks and book present Paris as a place of hidden corners, characters, culture, food, and romance rather than a set of postcard landmarks.

The details: - An Apartment in Paris covers the realities of finding and acquiring real estate in Paris. - Benjamin and Yoshida also write about bistro dining and an interview with the “mad maestro” behind the Crazy Horse de Paris. - The book introduces lifelong Parisians and the friendships that shaped the couple’s time in the city. - Benjamin describes the work as an intimate portrait of Paris’s byways, alleys, people, customs, history, contradictions, spectacle, and grandeur. - Benjamin’s other Paris-centered books are Three’s a Crowd, Skulduggery in the Latin Quarter, and Bistro Nights. - Benjamin argues that food and wine are central to understanding Paris, and he encourages visitors to seek out cosy, affordable bistros where meals are prepared with care. - Benjamin writes, “In Paris, food should be everyone’s foremost objective” and adds, “Drink wine at lunch ... dinner, sunset, bedtime! This is Paris, and tomorrow you die.” - Readers can buy the books here: An Apartment in Paris, Three's a Crowd, Skulduggery in the Latin Quarter, and Bistro Nights. - More information is available here.

Between the lines: - Benjamin is positioning Paris as a place to be understood through daily life, not only through famous sights. - The focus on real estate, meals, local characters, and neighborhood details gives the book a practical angle that sets it apart from conventional travel writing. - The strong turnout for Benjamin’s talks suggests sustained audience interest in first-person, experience-driven Paris stories.

What's next: - Benjamin is available for interviews. - His ongoing book events and Paris writing are likely to keep leaning into the city’s mix of romance, history, and lived reality. - The broader audience for Paris-focused books may remain strong as travel and culture readers look for more personal, less scripted narratives.