The FBC Paris

15/04/2026

May’s book will be Women Without Men, written by Shahrnush Parsipur and translated by Faridoun Farrokh

“Drawing on elements of Islamic mysticism and recent Iranian history, the novel depicts women escaping the narrow confines of family and society, and imagines their future living in a world without men.”

Originally published in Persian in 1989 and banned in Iran ever since, Women Without Men was longlisted for the International Booker Prize 2026.

June’s book will be The Witch, written by Marie NDiaye and translated by Jordan Stump

“Witty, dreamlike, unsettling and enchanting, The Witch brings the mysteries of womanhood and motherhood into sharp relief and leaves us teetering on the edge, unbalanced by questions as seemingly unbreakable relationships break down left and right. 

Who is to blame for family failures? And how can you build a nest that no one wants to fly?”

Originally published in French in 1996, The Witch was shortlisted for the International Booker Prize 2026.

07/01/2026

Thanks for voting ✨ Here are our first books for 2026 🤩 We will next meet on Feb 1st at Ici-Meme - reservation info coming this weekend!

05/01/2026

Happy New Year ✨ Let’s vote for our next book! Link in bio.

15/12/2025

29/11/2025

Hi friends! Some of us are meeting tomorrow at Ici Meme for a book club social, so I thought I’d show my face and (re) introduce myself ✨ I’m Lou, originally from the UK but settled in Paris / Montreuil since 2009. This book club started small back in 2018 when I actively chose to prioritise reading female writers. And I haven’t looked back since! Here are a couple of things to know about me in no particular order.

1. I can’t tell you my favourite book or author. I have so many favourites 😳
2. I like lifting weights, which I used to be scared of. I’m still learning about my body and love the journey.
3. My dog Maggie (swipe to see more of her) was inspired by Maggie Nelson
4. One book I enjoyed recently and didn’t expect to was Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead
5. I used to avoid reading in French because it was out of my comfort zone - it’s still a challenge for me but it’s enriched my reading experience
6. Female friendships have taught me a lot about intimacy, listening and love
7. I love running, it makes me appreciate my body. I ran my first half marathon this year with my cousin and then decided to do a second one, alone. YOLO
8. I enjoy discovering more of France in a camper van (with Maggie and my partner)
9. I’ve been in therapy for most of my adult life
10. I admire the book club community so much - everyone is doing at least one cool thing whether as their job or giving back to the community.

Feel free to say hi and introduce yourself below!

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08/10/2025

Friends, I can’t wait to see some of your faces at our new book club home on Sunday the 19th October ✨ Any questions, pop them below and I’ll get back to you, Lou

17/09/2025

Date, location and time TBA but just a little sign of life from book club 👻

26/05/2025

When your current read unintentionally matches the café’s window display 🍊

20/05/2025

Swipe for all the details on June’s book club 🥰 Tickets will be available this Friday (via Stories and Substack)!

02/02/2025

Tickets for February’s book club are available via Stories and the 🔗 in bio ✨ Unlike January’s book, I’m definitely going to read this one 🫣 Look forward to seeing you there!

30/12/2024

Thanks to everyone who voted! You can register via the link in bio.

A chef escapes her dying career in a dreary city to take a job at a decadent mountaintop colony seemingly free of the world’s troubles.

There, the sky is clear again. Rare ingredients abound. In this atmosphere of hidden wonders and cool, seductive violence, the chef’s boundaries undergo a thrilling erosion. Soon she is pushed to the center of a startling attempt to reshape the world far beyond the plate.

Land of Milk and Honey is a daringly imaginative exploration of desire and deception, privilege and faith, and the roles we play to survive. Most of all, it is a love letter to food, to wild delight, and to the transformative power of a woman embracing her own appetite.