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The Greater Journey
The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris | David McCullough
23 posts | 28 read | 23 to read
The #1 bestseller that tells the remarkable story of the generations of American artists, writers, and doctors who traveled to Paris, the intellectual, scientific, and artistic capital of the western world, fell in love with the city and its people, and changed America through what they learned, told by Americas master historian, David McCullough.Not all pioneers went west. In The Greater Journey, David McCullough tells the enthralling, inspiringand until now, untoldstory of the adventurous American artists, writers, doctors, politicians, and others who set off for Paris in the years between 1830 and 1900, hungry to learn and to excel in their work. What they achieved would profoundly alter American history. Elizabeth Blackwell, the first female doctor in America, was one of this intrepid band. Another was Charles Sumner, whose encounters with black students at the Sorbonne inspired him to become the most powerful voice for abolition in the US Senate. Friends James Fenimore Cooper and Samuel F. B. Morse worked unrelentingly every day in Paris, Morse not only painting what would be his masterpiece, but also bringing home his momentous idea for the telegraph. Harriet Beecher Stowe traveled to Paris to escape the controversy generated by her book, Uncle Toms Cabin. Three of the greatest American artists eversculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens, painters Mary Cassatt and John Singer Sargentflourished in Paris, inspired by French masters. Almost forgotten today, the heroic American ambassador Elihu Washburne bravely remained at his post through the Franco-Prussian War, the long Siege of Paris, and the nightmare of the Commune. His vivid diary account of the starvation and suffering endured by the people of Paris is published here for the first time. Telling their stories with power and intimacy, McCullough brings us into the lives of remarkable men and women who, in Saint-Gaudens phrase, longed to soar into the blue.
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Eggs
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#greatness #jumpintojanuary @Eggs The #illuminating , inspiring—and until now, untold—story of the adventurous American artists, writers, doctors, politicians, and others who set off for Paris in the years between 1830 and 1900, hungry to learn and to excel in their work. What they achieved would profoundly alter American history.
#inspirednewyear @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @TheKidUpstairs

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Sounds good!! 4y
Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Doesn‘t it?! 4y
60 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Tkgbjenn1
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Pickpick

Americans in love and loved by Paris, the story of the generations of American artists, writers, and doctors in Paris, the intellectual, scientific, and artistic capital of the western world, fell in love with the city and its people. The French were intrigued by Americans. It would have been a remarkable time to be an American in Paris. Rated 4/5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ on Goodreads.com

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Bigcountry15
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Pickpick

This was a great, educational book. Who knew that Samuel Morse was a painter before inventing the telegraph and Morse Code? Who knew that so many of the great sculptures of American heroes were actually done in Paris? This book was a biography of Paris as much as it was several mini-biographries of the Americans that studied and learned there. I recommend it to anyone interested in Paris or American art history.

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Bigcountry15
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"They spoke of it then as the dream of a lifetime, and for many, for all the difficulties and setbacks encountered, it was to be one of the best times ever."

#FirstLineFridays
@ShyBookOwl

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Lexeegee
Pickpick

Not my favorite McCullough, but an interesting read. #popsugarreadingchallenge2019 Book I was going to read in 2018

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Lexeegee
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The view outside my door today. Perfect day to stay inside a read.

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Lexeegee
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I think it‘s time for a little history. Love David McCullough!

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TheSpineView
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#quotsydec18 @TK-421
Promot: Mountain

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ValerieAndBooks
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Pickpick

Today is my birthday. Hubby got up to take son to school so that I could sleep in. But I couldn‘t! So, instead, finished this— my dad sent it to me a while back. McCullough is very readable; and this narrative is about better-known Americans living in Paris from about 1830-1900 (so no Fitzgerald, Hemingway, etc as I originally thought).

Jess7 Happy birthday! 🎉🎉🎉 7y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa Happy Birthday! Great morning so far! 7y
DivineDiana Wishing you a year filled with lots of reading, new books and literary journeys! 🎉🎂🎉 (edited) 7y
See All 51 Comments
sisilia Happy birthday! 🎊🎊🎊I love McCullough, too ☺️ 7y
BarbaraTheBibliophage Happy Birthday!!🎁🎉🎈🎊 7y
Reviewsbylola Sounds fascinating. Happy birthday!! 7y
TrishB Happy birthday 🎉🎉 7y
AlaMich Happy birthday!! 🎉🎂 7y
mrozzz HAPPY BIRTHDAY 🎈🎂 🎁🎉 7y
batsy Happy birthday!! 🎉🎈🎂 This sounds fascinating. 7y
BookBabe Happy Birthday!!🎁🎉🎈🎂🎊❤️😊 7y
Jas16 Happy Birthday!!🎂🎁🎈❤️ 7y
erista Happy birthday! 7y
AceOnRoam Happy Birthday 🍨🍨🍨 7y
JessClark78 Happy Birthday! 🎊🎂🎉🎈 7y
Ms_T Happy birthday! 🎉🎉🎉 7y
JaclynW Happy birthday! 7y
emily_m_tubb Have a very happy birthday!! 🎉🎉🎉 7y
ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled Happy birthday to one of my favorite Littens!! ❤️🎈🎈🎉 7y
Leftcoastzen Wow Happy Birthday, he's such a good writer. 7y
Reggie Happy Birthday!!!! 7y
rubyslippersreads Happy 🎂🎂🎂! 7y
LeahBergen Happy Birthday!! 😘😘 7y
AmyG Have a wonderful Birthday! 🎂🎂🎂 7y
LibrarianToujours Hope it was a wonderful day! 7y
ValerieAndBooks @Jess7 thank you!! 7y
ValerieAndBooks @Leftcoastzen thank you! I found it very engrossing! ETA to correct tense (momentarily confused which book I was talking about 😊) (edited) 7y
ValerieAndBooks @Riveted_Reader_Melissa thank you! It was a good day! 7y
ValerieAndBooks @DivineDiana thank you for the birthday wishes! 7y
ValerieAndBooks @sisilia thank you! Yes he‘s very good— I think the first I read by him was 7y
ValerieAndBooks @BarbaraTheBibliophage thank you! Hope you‘re feeling a bit better after this morning. 7y
ValerieAndBooks @Reviewsbylola thank you! A lot of this focused on artists, which I liked! 7y
ValerieAndBooks @TrishB thank you!! 7y
ValerieAndBooks @AlaMich thank you 😊 7y
ValerieAndBooks @batsy thank you! Yes, it was very interesting especially about the artists. 7y
ValerieAndBooks @BookBabe thanks Jen! Your turn soon 😊 7y
ValerieAndBooks @Jas16 thank you!! 7y
ValerieAndBooks @erista thanks 😊 7y
ValerieAndBooks @JessClark78 thank you 👍! 7y
ValerieAndBooks @Ms_T thank you!! 7y
ValerieAndBooks @JaclynW thanks so much! 7y
ValerieAndBooks @emily_m_tubb thank you 😊! 7y
ValerieAndBooks @Reggie thanks Reggie!! 7y
ValerieAndBooks @LeahBergen thank you Leah!! 7y
ValerieAndBooks @AmyG thanks, it was good!! 7y
ValerieAndBooks @NHLibrarian thank you! It was! 7y
BarbaraTheBibliophage I am - thank you. Had a nice mellow day. 7y
84 likes2 stack adds51 comments
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MamaGina
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MamaGina
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Love the end papers on this beautiful volume 🤓

ValerieAndBooks Nice!! I'm currently reading this in PB. No endpapers 😭! 7y
33 likes1 comment
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MamaGina
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Starting this again tonight after a couple previous attempts, not because I wasn't enjoying the first two times but because RL interfered with my first attempts. Here's hoping the third time is the charm!🤓 Oh, yes, and using a museum postcard as my bookmark featuring A French Music Hall (1906) by artist Everett Shinn ... seems appropriate!🎨

LeahBergen A matching bookmark is always the right choice. 😉 7y
MamaGina I started using my collection of museum cards as bookmarks because I can't bear to actually send them to anyone @LeahBergen🙃 (edited) 7y
SaraFair What???? Did not know about this book. Sounds great 7y
MamaGina @SaraFair Yes, I'm excited to get back to this one.🤓 7y
27 likes1 stack add4 comments
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ValerieAndBooks
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After being rejected for an important commission, Samuel Morse was so devastated that he gave up art completely, but then developed Morse code and how to deliver it.

RaimeyGallant Wow. I hadn't realized. 7y
ValerieAndBooks @RaimeyGallant I hadn't known either-- that the artist and inventor were the one and same 😮! 7y
58 likes2 comments
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ValerieAndBooks
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Book mail from my dad, who enjoyed this very much and thought I would too, especially about the artists 😊

Lmstraubie I love that your family shares books 💖💖💖 7y
Hollie Oooh, definitely stacking this one! 7y
LeahBergen How nice!! 💕 7y
MamaGina This one I must get back to. I bought the hardcover when it first came out and read about a third before RL, aka my move from TX to NC/emotional upheaval, intervened.🤓 (edited) 7y
Lynnsoprano Love everything by this author! 7y
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LeslieO
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Darn these daily prompts for reminding me of all the great books on my shelf that I haven't read yet! #journey #jubilantjuly

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howjessicareads
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I'm learning a lot during the section about the siege of Paris in 1870. I'm rusty on my Franco-Prussian details! But I'm cracking up that although they ran out of bread and meat and started eating rats, "there was an apparently limitless supply of chocolate, mustard, and wine". Les priorités, mes enfants, les priorités. ???

LeslieO I started this one but put it aside. Will have to dive in again soon. 7y
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howjessicareads
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Doing nonfiction today while I listen. Soooo many books to process. 😰 #behindthescenesatbookmans

monkeygirlsmama Oooh a Jack the Ripper title. 🔪😏 7y
45 likes1 comment
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howjessicareads
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Listening to some history is making my mopping & vacuuming more fun! #audiocleaning

JessicaPHoffman My FIL bought me this book as a gift when Xavier was born. I thought that was so sweet. It took me years to read it though. I liked the audio version more than reading the book. However, if you back to my hard copy and look photos and make notes in the margins. 7y
howjessicareads I'm really enjoying it! @JessicaPHoffman 7y
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ontheBL
Pickpick

Such a good book. I love David McCullough!

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MamaGina
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I have owned this beautiful volume since its release in 2011 and have started it not once but twice. Sometimes RL just intervenes and interrupts well laid plans. I need to get to it again!🤓
#FunPhotoFriday

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Floresj
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Mehso-so

Listened to this on audiobook and some parts I really liked and other parts were meh. It covers 70 years and is 8 hours on audio. I may be more of a podcast listener than an audiobook girl, and that could definitely influence my rating.

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Floresj
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Halfway through this audiobook....I'm struggling with this. I can't tell if it wanders too much for me or of I'm over hearing history through the affluent, white males' eyes🤔. Hate to give up on highly reviewed books, though...

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tkingsanchez
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Pickpick

I love reading McCullough's work, it's like taking a trip through time. While it is true a majority of those who set sail for France were privileged, McCullough also highlights those for whom Paris was the only door to a road towards success ( Blackwell, Tanner, Wasburne, to name a few). ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Caryl Have you read Alice Kaplan's Dreaming in French? 8y
tkingsanchez @Caryl will add it to my TBR list. Thanks. 8y
Sydsavvy I've been really wanting to read this! Must do. 8y
Nebklvr He writes nonfiction like fiction 8y
Jessthebookdragon My favorite book of his! I felt like I was there experiencing it all! 8y
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