Seven Ages Of Paris

I both read and listened to this book over a time period of several weeks, and, to me, a person who is unfamiliar with a great deal of European history, I found it to be a great look at Paris through time. I expected it might be a stodgy read, but it was surprisingly opinionated and gossipy, with lots of little stories that make the people and the movements and the city feel three-dimensional. Reading this book with its huge backdrop of centuries, with the strong leaders and the ridiculously ineffective leaders, with its wars, with its dramatic governmental changes—it was oddly calming to read this history during a time of a pandemic, with horrific challenges to democracy here in America, reminding me to persevere, just as Paris has done.

I have always been fascinated with Paris and in fact it is one of the cities I wish to call home in the future (London being the other), so when I spotted this book I knew I had to pick it up! Often times books like this can be bogged down with names, dates etc. and quickly become dry reading and although this book was certainly filled with those things I never found it boring or hard to get into, just the opposite in fact! If you are interested in the history of Paris and want to read a wonderfully written account then this is the one to pick up!!