Let Them Eat Pancakes: One Man’s Personal Revolution in the City of Light

Writer and restaurateur Carlson returns with more stories from the City of Light in this short and sweet follow-up to his debut memoir Pancakes in Paris. Carlson, a former screenwriter with no prior restaurant experience, moved to Paris in 2002 with plans to open a classic American diner, Breakfast in America. A likable writer with a clear appreciation of the language and culture, Carlson reflects upon his successes, the challenges of owning and operating a business in France, and the cultural differences that continue to surprise, delight, and, at times, irritate him. One of Carlson’s best stories is about the man who would invite an onslaught of pigeons to the outside of Carlson’s apartment building by routinely feeding them on the street, thus becoming his nemesis. This leads Carlson to reflect on an injured pigeon he once nursed back to health during an often-challenging childhood.