The Greater Journey

Continuing on my Paris reading blitz, I finally finished this book this week after recovering from my two week long sinus/ flu sickness.

I loved this book, but it was one of those that I had to make myself open and read. It started slowly, but then I got sucked into the stories of all the young Americans trying to make their way into the world. There were mostly profiles of artists - painters and sculptors to be exact, but there was an interesting chapter detailing young doctors training at the best medical schools in the world at the time. It was fascinating. I really learned more about French history reading this book vs. a dedicated French history book. It was French history through the eyes of Americans that were living there and writing back home about their circumstances.
The most riveting story was that of Elihu Washburne, the American Ambassador to France during the 1860's and 70's. His story about living during the siege on Paris during in 1870-1 was eye opening. I had never heard the story from that angle. The Franco-Prussian war was illuminated during that chapter.
What I found so different about out lives today is our treatment of sickness. So many Americans went to Europe "for their health". They had a chest problem, were depressed, recovering from nerves, etc. and were prescribed to head to France to better their health. Why is that not a prescription now? Is travel just no longer accepted as a way to heal the mind? Is the air in Europe not healthy any more? And why did it used to take months if not years to recover from illness? When I have a cold, or flu or bronchitis I am expected to miss maybe 1-2 days of work, and still shuffle my children all to school, gymnastics, make dinner and do laundry. In the 1800's any illness seemed to merit at least a two week rest in bed without getting up. Surely Tylenol and Penicillin aren't that good at curing maladies.
Reading that book really made me miss the way we treat sickness. Is the European vacation a treatment only for the rich? At the very least those heading to Europe to rest were middle class. It was a mind opening read on that front.
I would highly recommend reading this book. It teaches not just French history, but also American history. I never would have heard of Elihu Washburne if not for this book. I will be doing a lot more research on that guy.