Letters from Lulu
A YOUNG AMERICAN WOMAN IN FRANCE, 1927-1928 AND THE LIFE THAT FOLLOWED
Travel alongside an adventurous young Smith College student as she studies in France, explores Europe and North Africa, and records a remarkable year abroad in letters home to her family.
About the Book
In 1927, Lucelia “Lulu” Taussig, a student at Smith College, left the United States to spend her junior year studying in France. Through the lively letters she sent home, Lulu described her studies in Grenoble and Paris, her friendships, her encounters with French culture, and her travels throughout Europe and North Africa.Nearly a century later, Lulu’s granddaughters, Janet Hockman and Susan Barton, brought these letters together in Letters from Lulu. Enhanced by family photographs, historical context, and reflections on Lulu’s life, the book offers an intimate portrait of an adventurous young woman coming of age during the years between the world wars.Lulu’s experiences abroad helped shape a lifetime of engagement with the wider world. She later devoted more than fifty years to peace activism through the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom. Her story provides a vivid look at early study abroad, women’s education, family life, travel, and one remarkable woman’s enduring commitment to peace.
Lulu’s Journey
In August 1927, nineteen-year-old Lucelia “Lulu” Taussig left New York to spend her junior year abroad in France through Smith College’s pioneering Junior Year Abroad program. Over the next ten months, she studied, traveled, formed new friendships, and recorded her experiences in letters home.
Journey Highlights
New York to France — August 1927
Lulu sailed from New York aboard the Rochambeau on August 20, 1927, arriving in Le Havre six days later.Geneva, Switzerland — August 1927
Before beginning her studies, Lulu visited Geneva and the League of Nations, an experience that foreshadowed her lifelong interest in international cooperation and peace.Grenoble, France — August to October 1927
Lulu began her year in Grenoble, where she studied French, lived with a local family, explored the surrounding Alps, and adjusted to daily life in France.Paris, France — October 1927 to June 1928
She then moved to Paris, studied at the Sorbonne, lived in Montmartre, visited museums and theaters, and immersed herself in the city’s cultural life.Algeria — Christmas 1927
During the winter holiday, Lulu traveled to Algiers, experiencing North Africa’s architecture, markets, landscapes, and culture.Belgium and the Netherlands — Spring 1928
Her Easter travels included Brussels, Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp, and Amsterdam. She returned to Paris by airplane—an adventurous and unusual experience in 1928.Homeward Bound — Summer 1928
After completing her studies, Lulu continued traveling with her father and sister before returning to the United States, bringing home memories and perspectives that influenced the rest of her life.
Meet Lulu and the Editors
Lucelia “Lulu” Taussig Daldy
Lucelia “Lulu” Taussig Daldy was a member of the Smith College Class of 1929. During the 1927–1928 academic year, she studied in Grenoble and Paris through Smith College’s pioneering Junior Year Abroad program. In lively letters home, Lulu recorded her studies, friendships, travels, and experiences adapting to life in France.Her year abroad helped nurture an enduring interest in international affairs and social justice. Lulu later devoted more than fifty years to peace activism through the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, serving in numerous leadership and public-action roles.
Janet Hockman and Susan Barton, Lulu’s granddaughters and the editors of Letters from Lulu
Janet Hockman discovered and transcribed the letters that became Letters from Lulu. A graduate of the University of Delaware, Janet spent nearly forty years in banking before turning her attention to researching Lulu’s travels, organizing the family archives, and bringing her grandmother’s story to a wider audience.Susan Barton, Janet’s sister, is also a graduate of the University of Delaware, where she spent more than forty years as a faculty member. She led numerous University of Delaware study-abroad programs in Brazil, bringing valuable academic and international experience to the project and helping place Lulu’s journey within the broader history of study abroad.Together, Janet and Susan combined Lulu’s letters with family photographs, historical research, translations, and personal reflections to preserve and share the story of her remarkable year abroad—and the life of service that followed.
Book Clubs (see below for a Reader and Book Club Companion Guide)
Purchase
Contact
For book club discussions or questions, please reach out to the below contacts.
Janet Hockman and/or Susan Barton
Enhance your reading experience with our complimentary Reader and Book Club Companion Guide, featuring historical context, discussion questions, a map of Lulu's journey and additional background about Lulu's journey.