In "East of Paris: Sketches in the G√¢tinais, Bourbonnais, and Champagne," Matilda Betham-Edwards offers a rich tapestry of prose that immerses readers in the pastoral beauty and cultural vibrancy of rural France. Through a series of evocative sketches, the author deftly combines travel writing with keen social observation, capturing the nuances of local life, landscape, and tradition in regions o...