French Cathedral Towns Are a Stage for Human Comedy, According to Author Julia Langbein
Author Julia Langbein visited French cathedral towns like Amiens and Bourges to research her novel *Dear Monica Lewinsky*, which explores themes of public shaming and personal revelation through a fictional study-abroad affair. She found that the everyday life surrounding these grand religious spaces offered unexpected comedic and narrative insights. Her visits helped her capture the contrast between divine architecture and human mundanity in her writing.
- ▪Julia Langbein traveled to Amiens and Bourges, France, to research scenes for her novel *Dear Monica Lewinsky*.
- ▪The novel features a character who has an affair with her professor during a 1998 study-abroad program, paralleling the Monica Lewinsky scandal.
- ▪Langbein observed that cathedral towns possess a humorous normalcy, with everyday businesses existing alongside monumental religious architecture.
- ▪She found it difficult to focus on her novel’s research while traveling with her parents, leading her to make a solo trip to Bourges.
- ▪Langbein incorporated specific observations from her visit into the novel, including details about tourists and the atmosphere inside cathedrals.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Style & CultureFrench Cathedral Towns Are a Stage for Human Comedy, According to Author Julia LangbeinAuthors and literary luminaries tell us about the travels they took to find inspiration and create their latest books.By Matt OrtileMay 1, 2026GettySave StorySave this storySave StorySave this storyThis is Write Here, a new column where authors and literary luminaries tell us about the travels they took to find inspiration and create their latest books.In this installment, the author Julia Langbein shares her experience visiting Amiens and Bourges, France, to write her new novel Dear Monica Lewinsky.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Condé Nast Traveler.
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