John Kirby Abraham

Paris Made Me . . . John Kirby Abraham

Born in the shadow of Windsor Castle in Great Britain, the author left England for the Mediterranean in search of the sun. Adventures in several capitals allowed him to meet other expatriates who crossed deserts and mountains to observe conflicts, culture and decolonisation. His artwork, photography and theatrical presence left their mark in several cities, ending up as a radio-television journalist and presenter for French State media.

As an English expatriate, "Paris Made Me..." offers an objective view of European evolution as seen from France, souvenirs of helping Lawrence Durrell on Cyprus when the island was becoming a Republic, performing in a Roman temple in Lebanon and meeting Rudolf Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn, capturing the city of Beirut in photographs and filming in Copenhagen, before Paris beckoned him to become a journalist for Paris Radio France Internationale and Radio Australia, meeting such celebrities such as Orson Wells, Audrey Hepburn, Maurice Chevalier, Peter Ustinov and Jacques Brel.