My Blog Title Explanation

Hi, internet peeps! So I was talking with my friend Sally earlier this week (she writes an amazing blog called Sally Read That), and she asked me what a boquiniste is, so I figured I'd better explain the story behind my blog title.

A few years ago, I studied abroad at Cambridge University in the UK, and as part of my program, I spent a week in Paris. Paris was really interesting for me, one because I'm very introverted and I had to spend a lot of time with the same group of people who were all doing the program with me, and two because I don't feel really confident speaking French to actual French people. Yes, I could read maps, find out where I was, and have a brief conversation with the woman who ran the school cafe, but other than that, I was pretty terrified to encounter the French language.

So I turned to books. English books, that is. Turns out Paris is full of lovely little nooks for all your book reading needs, like this little place here--you may have heard of it:

In addition to the above-mentioned Mecca for bibliophiles, Paris is also home to les bouquinistes, vendors who sell a mishmash of used books from little hand carts down by the river.

When I'd walk through the city on my way to class in the morning, I'd stop by these little carts, looking for an eclectic title to take home. A bouquiniste to me is synonymous with a hidden gem, a happy accident that leads to finding your next story.

By titling myself "la belle bouquiniste," I hope to convey my love of books and all things beautiful, and that's what the name means.

See you next time!

xx Anna