Order from a Major Online Bookstore
Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine
Save Your Time And Money
| AnyBook4Less.com | Order from a Major Online Bookstore |
|
| Home | Store List | FAQ | Contact Us | | ||
| Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine Save Your Time And Money |
||
 |
Title: The Seven Ages of Paris by Alistair Horne ISBN: 0-679-45481-0 Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Pub. Date: 12 November, 2002 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $35.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.55 (11 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: A superb history of Paris and France!!
Comment: This is a superbly written history of Paris, as well as of France. It is at once well researched and scholarly, and highly readable and entertaining. While the history is focused on Paris, Horne skillfully weaves in the history of France as well. One thing that makes this such a good book is that Horne not only provides the reader with the political history, but weaves in descriptions of social issues, how the average Parisian lived, descriptions of the different social classes, information on the arts and culture, entertaining anecdotes, interesting portrayals of the important persons in the history of Paris and France, etc. In essence, he provides the reader with a full, comprehensive portrayal of Paris and France in a highly engaging writing style. My only very minor criticisms of the book are that a map of Paris should have been included, and not all of the very limited use of French was translated. Nevertheless, this is a must read for anyone interested in Paris and France. I would love to see Horne write a similar history of London.
Rating: 5
Summary: Ahhhh Paris!
Comment: One of the most beautiful cities in the world has finally found a worthy biographer in A. J. Horne. Paris has always held a fascination for most, being a center of not only political and commercial interest, but also home to the art and culture known throughout the world. Horne's book describes the history of the city, with particular interest on the architectural changes, by highlighting seven different time periods, beginning with an introduction of the early beginnings of the city culminating in the late 1960's riots which shook Paris. Wonderfully written, with snippets of information hard to find elsewhere. For example, I often wondered by St. Genevieve was the patron saint of the city. Horne supplies that information that very early during the history of the city an attack was feared from the invaders of the west and as the city prepared to flee, young Genevieve had a vision that the attack would not take place and halted the evacuation. It's little pieces of information such as this, which made the book an exceptionally fun as well as educating read.
Special attention is also paid to other significant historical events, especially those after the 1600's. What really strikes the read is one thing: the number of uprisings (the French Revolution of 1789 was only one in a series) that had struck the city, most of them organized on a grass roots level. This also helps explains why the cobblestones of the streets have been cemented into place...these make very good missiles for those fed up with the weak administration of the city. That is another point that the author stresses...sanitation and city planning came very late to Paris, and this led to unimaginable squalor in various quarters of the city.
The reader is also introduced to some of the great figures of French history, particularly Henri IV (famous for his "Paris is worth a mass") and Emperor Napoleon III (who fled the country immediately following the defeat of the French in the Franco-Prussian war). Other notables include Haussman who reinvented the look of the city we now see.
The writing is crisp and flows wonderfully from chapter to chapter. Not at all a technical march of statistics, but a story of one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Highly recommended for everyone who ever dreams of Paris.
Rating: 5
Summary: beautifully written, reads like a novel
Comment: A brief history of France as relates to Paris. The writing style is engaging, but not simplistic. Enjoyable. If you've been to Paris, this is a good way to add to your enjoyment and knowledge of that wonderful place. I especially enjoyed the epilogue that focused on Pere Lachaise Cemetery.
 |
Title: Walking Paris : Thirty Original Walks In and Around Paris by Gilles Desmons ISBN: 0844201413 Publisher: McGraw-Hill Pub. Date: 11 February, 1999 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
 |
Title: Sixty Million Frenchmen Can't Be Wrong: Why We Love France but Not the French by Jean-Benoit Nadeau, Julie Barlow ISBN: 1402200455 Publisher: Sourcebooks Pub. Date: 01 May, 2003 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
 |
Title: London: The Biography by PETER ACKROYD ISBN: 0385497717 Publisher: Anchor Pub. Date: 08 April, 2003 List Price(USD): $18.95 |
 |
Title: Paris in Mind: Three Centuries of Americans Writing About Paris (Vintage Departures) by Jennifer Lee ISBN: 1400031028 Publisher: Vintage Books USA Pub. Date: 08 July, 2003 List Price(USD): $13.00 |
 |
Title: Paris: Capital of the World by Patrice Higonnet, Arthur Goldhammer ISBN: 0674008871 Publisher: Belknap Press Pub. Date: 01 October, 2002 List Price(USD): $35.00 |
Thank you for visiting www.AnyBook4Less.com and enjoy your savings!
Copyright� 2001-2021 Send your comments
