From the streets of Paris and other European capitals, Mavis Gallant, a Canadian literary master, wrote about the lives of people who lived on them. Although she lived her entire adult life in the City of Light, she wrote in English. She was a journalist, novelist, essayist, and playwright, but her commitment to the short story as an art form sets her apart. Despite publishing over 100 stores in The New Yorker during her career, Gallant is not widely known among American readers, and her work remains a hidden treasure. Her Paris stories are admired for their psychological depth and complex narrative structures, capturing the intricate lives and societal tensions of expatriates, outsiders, artists, and intellectuals navigating cultural and personal uncertainty. Her stories are renowned for nuanced characterizations, sharp dialogue, and themes of belonging, alienation, and isolation. We will read six selections from Paris Stories (New York Review Books, 2002) and two from The Uncollected Stories of Mavis Gallant (New York Review Books, 2025), all of which are also available in issues of The New Yorker. Set against the backdrop of post-war Europe, the stories illuminate Gallant's thematic richness, introducing participants to a unique and unconventional style.
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