Perestroika in Paris

One
 
Paras had won her race. She had jumped all the jumps with a great deal of pleasure, and, she thought, in excellent form. The number-two horse, a chest­nut gelding from down south somewhere, had been so far behind her that she hadn t been able to hear his hoofbeats on the turf (and of course the crowd was yelling, too). She had, she thought, almost danced across the finish line. Everyone was happy the jockey did a backflip off her, the groom gave her a kiss, and Delphine, her trainer, gave her a hug and three lumps of brown sugar, not to mention an excellent feed of carrots when she was all cool and calm after the race.
 
Since it was the last race of the day, and, indeed, the year it was early November the van, which already had its four horses, had left before her race began, so as to come back and get her, but now the van was late, the stable was empty, and Rania, her groom, had, she said, gone to the bathroom, and why not in the stall, thought Paras, but she could never get an answer to this question.
 
Twilight was descending over the vast green expanse of Auteuil Racecourse. The jumps had dimmed into dark shapes against the still vivid green grass. Admiring this, Paras did something that she often did she pressed against the door of the stall, and this time something happened that had never happened before it swung open. After a moment, Paras stepped carefully out onto the fine, crunchy gravel and snorted. Everything remained quiet. She could see now that every stall was empty and dark in fact, the green of the racecourse was the brightest color around, so bright that, for a moment, she didn t dare head out there. But Paras was a very curious filly.
 
At her feet were several items that Rania had left behind the grooming box, full of brushes, Paras s blue blanket, and something that Paras knew was called a purse. This was the only thing that interested Paras she had seen lots of purses, and heard even more about them she had,

JANE SMILEY is the author of numerous novels, including A Thousand Acres, which was awarded the Pulitzer Prize, and most recently, the Last Hundred Years Trilogy: Some Luck, Early Warning, and Golden Age. She is also the author of several works of nonfiction and books for young adults. A member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, she has received the PEN Center USA Lifetime Achievement Award for Literature. She lives in Northern California.

A sparkling screwball-comedy treat . . . If ever there were a year when we could use some light relief, 2020 is it. Perestroika in Paris couldn t have come at a better time . . . It s hard to imagine anyone not enjoying this wistful charmer of a book.   Seattle Times
 
Sprightly, fun . . . A lighthearted spree of a novel . . . Here Smiley stretches her talents even further. Washington Post

Wholesomely timeless, full of good intentions and happy endings that feel far removed from the problems of the moment.   Wall Street Journal
 
A cozy, fairy-tale trot through the City of Light . . . Delightful, heartwarming . . . An appealing balm for harsh times . . . It s such a joy when an author whose work you ve been reading for decades surprises you with something unexpected . . . An especially welcome reminder of the bright spots even in dark times.   NPR.org
 
In an era beset by polarization and even violent tribalism, it feels like a gift to find a novel in which characters of different species with different desires and instincts come together to build a community.   Los Angeles Times
 
After writing some of the most brilliant and ferocious fiction of the past 40 years, Jane Smiley takes a gentler approach in Perestroika in Paris . . . Her tone may be genial, but she s as tough-minded as ever . . . Underpinning the novel s abundant humor is a pervasive atmosphere of loneliness and longing for companionship felt by humans and animals alike.   Boston Globe
 
A beautifully done story . . . An absolutely extraordinary tribute to Paris. NPR s Weekend Edition
 
An immersive fable . . . Beguiling . . . A comforting read at the end of a difficult year a winter s tale full of wit, warmth, and charm.   The Economist
 
A remarkable novel that splits the difference between Charlotte s