Book cover of Paris Noir: African Americans in the City of Light

Book description

A history of black Americans who settled in Paris, France, from 1900 to the present.

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

1 author picked Paris Noir as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

When Tyler Stovall published Paris Noir three decades ago, he was primarily looking at the experience of postwar (WWI and WWII) African-Americans who chose to emigrate to France to escape the racial bias and oppression of mid-20th century America.

To read his account today is to measure the distance traveled, both by France and by the United States, and the depth of their social transformation. In any case, Stovall recounts the adventures (and misadventures) of Black Americans in Paris in succinct, strong, and active prose, the stories are based on thorough research and the characters are endlessly fascinating.

If you love Paris Noir...

Ad

Book cover of December on 5C4

December on 5C4 by Adam Strassberg,

Magical realism meets the magic of Christmas in this mix of Jewish, New Testament, and Santa stories–all reenacted in an urban psychiatric hospital!

On locked ward 5C4, Josh, a patient with many similarities to Jesus, is hospitalized concurrently with Nick, a patient with many similarities to Santa. The two argue…

Want books like Paris Noir?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like Paris Noir.

Browse books like Paris Noir

Book cover of Agent Josephine
Book cover of Venus Noire: Black Women and Colonial Fantasies in Nineteenth-Century France
Book cover of Kiki's Memoirs

Share your top 3 reads of 2025!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,277

readers submitted
so far, will you?

Ad

📚 If you like Paris Noir, you might also like...

Book cover of The Bridge: Connecting The Powers of Linear and Circular Thinking

The Bridge by Kim Hudson,

The Bridge provides a compassionate and well researched window into the worlds of linear and circular thinking. A core pattern to the inner workings of these two thinking styles is revealed, and most importantly, insight into how to cross the distance between them. Some fascinating features emerged such as, circular…

Book cover of And Then They Were Gone: Teenagers of Peoples Temple from High School to Jonestown

And Then They Were Gone by Ron Cabral,

Of the 918 Americans who died in the shocking murder-suicides of November 18, 1978, in the tiny South American country of Guyana, a third were under eighteen. More than half were in their twenties or younger.

The authors taught in a small high school in San Francisco where Reverend Jim…

5 book lists we think you will like!