Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #22352 in Books
• Published on: 2006-04-06
• Binding: Paperback
• 672 pages

Synopsis
"Paris is the World, the rest of the Earth is nothing but its suburbs" - Marivaux. In this intelligently-written and supremely entertaining new history, Colin Jones seeks to give a sense of the city of Paris as it was lived in and experienced over time. The focal point of generation upon generation of admirers and detractors, a source of attraction or repulsion even for those who have never been there, Paris has witnessed more extraordinary events than any other major city. No spot on earth has been more walked around, written about, discussed, painted and photographed. With an eye for the revealing, startling and (sometimes) horrible detail, Colin Jones takes the reader from Roman Paris to the present, recreating the ups and downs in the history of the city and its inhabitants. Attentive to both the urban environment and to the experience of those who lived within it, "Paris: Biography of a City" will be hugely enjoyed by habitual Paris obsessives, by first-time visitors, and by those who know the city only by repute.

Customer Reviews

A highly informative and very entertaining history of the city
Books about Paris are so numerous - ranging from the dryly academic to pap designed for a teleseries - that another needs to stand out to justify itself. Colin Jones' fascinating Biography of a City does just that. It begins with Paris under the Roman empire and ends with an optimistic view of the city in the 21st century. Throughout, Jones never lets great learning make for heavy reading. Jones clearly loves Paris but he avoids any temptation to clichéd sentimentality. This helps make his book on Paris probably the best for decades. It has some very original illustrations (but only in monochrome) and is handily portable. Lengthy boxes - on famous monuments such as the Café Procope, Victor Hugo and the Eiffel Tower, or oddities like the Arcades and the Catacombs - break the book entertainingly. Whether you are making a first visit to Paris or want to know much more about its history, it is the best book around on the subject.

Paris: Biography of a City
Like most people I love to visit Paris and have done so on more than one occasion. At times there is a distinct lack of English at the majority of 'sights' and 'tourist' destinations. I had a desire to learn more beyond the tourist leaflets and booklets I could find. This book is a very readable explanation of the times of Paris from early beginnings. It also contains many illustrations. A must read before you go...or on your return!