Summer
A Getaway and a Giveaway
Bonjour from Paris! In this month’s newsletter, I’ll share recommendations from a recent getaway; photos of Lucile Atcherson, a Card and the first woman in the Foreign Service; and a Paris-themed giveaway.
To beat the heat, Eddy and I spent a few days in Marcq-en-Barœul, a charming suburb of Lille. The North of France understand reinvention. I was happy to return to the Corderie, a cord factory transformed into a library, and to run into Hélène, who was instrumental in having me speak there in March. We then went to La Forge, the town’s bookstore. It used to be a blacksmith’s workshop, and in one corner, you can see the the space as it was in the 1800s. Eddy and I then went to nearby Roubaix to La Piscine, or The Swimming Pool. This municipal pool was converted into a museum of art and industry. It kept the basin and Art Deco architectural features. My favorite element is the laughter and splashes that you hear from time to time, like the quiet chime of a clock. For meals, we chose Good Mood Coffee. We liked it so much that we went twice in one day. On an afternoon that was so hot that the museum did not charge for tickets, in order to give people respite from the heat, we appreciated the air-conditioning in the museum and cafe.
Roubaix has great street art. I especially like this mural of one of my favorite artists, Camille Claudel (1864-1943). You can see her sculptures at La Piscine, the Musée d’Orsay, and the Rodin Museum. Eddy and I also visited Le Grand Bassin, a concept store with unique art and clothing from local artists.
My novel Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade highlights the work of the American Committee for Devastated France (CARD), an aid organization made up of 350 women from the US, France, and Great Britain. These volunteers rebuilt France during and after World War I. In 1917, Ohioan Lucile Atcherson Curtis (1894-1986) joined CARD. Photos show the scope of her work. From helping French families flee during the German offensive, to bearing witness for families who returned to find their homes ransacked by the enemy, to entertaining French and American troops.
Lucile Atcherson was driven. At the age of fourteen, she graduated from the Columbus School for Girls then studied at Smith College. Upon returning home in 1913, she worked at the Franklin County Suffrage Society in order to fight for women’s right to vote. During her years with CARD, the French government recognized her efforts with a medal—the Medaille de la Reconnaissance Française. In 1921, Atcherson returned to the States to prepare for her next goal - to pass the Foreign Service exam in hopes of becoming the first American woman to enter the Diplomatic Service. She took classes on statistics, history, and political science classes before moving to Washington, D.C., where she enrolled at George Washington University and studied world history, foreign trade and international law. She spoke French, Italian, Spanish, and German. She wanted to enroll in a “cram course” specifically for Foreign Service hopefuls, but the professor felt that a woman’s presence would distract the other men. Atcherson convinced him to tutor her. He allowed her to attend the final class in person.
In July 1922, she and 12 men took the test. She placed third. Despite her hard work and international experience, it was not easy to be the first woman in the Foreign Service. She described the men that she worked with as “suave, courtly, courteous, pleasant and agreeable, but absolutely devastated this woman had turned up so fast.” Her new boss, Hugh Gibson, an American diplomat in Switzerland, launched an extensive campaign against her appointment. Gibson insisted that she would not be able to participate in the “club life” where “friendships are made over wine and cigars.” Despite his misgivings, for several years, Atcherson received excellent evaluations - that is, until she pointed out that the officers who’d started with her had all been promoted, but she had not. Suddenly, her official evaluation read, “Egotistical; has harmed prestige of Legation with her actions.... Her sex a handicap to useful official friendships.”
Several newspaper articles at the time noted that “Lucile resigned from her position to marry George Morris Curtis in 1928.” This is tidy but not entirely true. She made the difficult choice to move where her work would be appreciated. Back home in Ohio, Lucile founded the Columbus Council on World Affairs as well as a visiting nurse service. She served on the boards of many health and cultural organizations. In 1978, she returned to the State Department for a day honoring her work. From 1922 to 1927, Atcherson served as the first American woman in the U.S. Foreign Service. She opened the door for the women who came after her. Many of us have frustrating experiences at work and face painful rejections. Like Lucile Atcherson, we find ways to pivot and continue the work that we are meant to do.
The Ultimate Paris Giveaway! Escape to Paris with three captivating novels. This book trio will transport you to the City of Light.
Meet Me in Paris by @kristinharmel is a tale of love, loss, and finding your way home, all set over the course of one life-changing week in Paris. It will leave you breathless!
The Parisian Heist by @jopiazzaauthor features a daring heist and brims with family secrets, betrayal, and the intoxicating lure of power. Written way before the real, recent heist in Paris!
The Parisian Chapter @jskesliencharles is for anyone who’s chased a dream, lost a friend, or found themselves in a place that feels like home—even if it’s across the world. A companion book to The Paris Library.
To enter, follow all three authors on Instagram and leave a comment telling me your favorite book set in Paris. Happy reading and bon voyage!
Thank you for reading my newsletter! I appreciate your support.
My best,
Janet
I felt revulsion for the discrimination faced by the remarkable and admirable Lucile Atcherson. What is more revolting is what Pete Hegseth is doing to women in today's military. Change for women is maddeningly slow. Two steps forward and twenty steps backward.
Your book is a highlighted staff recommendation right now at a local library.🥰