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One Time in Paris: A Memoir of the 1960s

Wade Stevenson
iUniverse, Inc. (2008)
ISBN 9780595486588
Reviewed by Kam Aures for RebeccasReads (8/08)

“One Time in Paris: A Memoir of the 1960s” begins with a description of Wade Stevenson’s life in New York.  His mother’s legs were paralyzed from polio and her arms were almost unusable as well from a fall down the stairs.  His father owned an inherited cutting machine factory in Buffalo.  Wade was pretty much raised by nannies.  When he thinks of Buffalo his first memory is the feeling that he had to get out of there.  At a young age, Wade had developed a strong desire for women and that intense feeling stuck with him.  On many occasions, while growing up, he came close to having sexual encounters, but was always turned away.

During a stint in a psychiatric hospital, drugged up and physically restrained, Wade hears the sound of a flute being played.  “The notes were piped with a soft, plaintive intensity.  In my altered state, I could feel the suffering the melody expressed and I could identify with it.  I felt one with it.  The playing went on for a long time in a wistful, penetrating way.  The flute music stirred my spirit, and I took it as a secret sign that someone wanted to save me.  I determined to do everything I could to get out of that place as quickly as possible.” (p. 12) He learns that the flautist is a “troubled girl” named Cynthia.

When Wade was nineteen, he leaves for Paris while working on an oil tanker.  In France he begins a new life full of discovery and love.  Coincidentally, he runs into the flautist, Cynthia, and they embark on a path of exploration together.  “One Time in Paris: A Memoir of the 1960s” chronicles Wade’s journey through this time period.

The writing in this intimate memoir is very polished, sensual, and poetic.  Stevenson is also very skilled at writing descriptive passages.  Although I have never been to Paris, his writing made me feel familiar with the area, and I had a clear picture of the settings being discussed.  His story during this period in the 60s is a very interesting and engaging one and I found myself completely immersed in the book, curious as to what was going to happen next. Stevenson’s memoir is very well written and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys memoirs or books on love and exploration.    

  

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