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Parisians: An Adventure History Of Paris (2010)

by Graham Robb(Favorite Author)

3.65 of 5 Votes: 1

ISBN

0393067246 (ISBN13: 9780393067248)

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

W. W. Norton & Company

review 1: It began really well, and the tales of medieval and Renaissance Paris before the Revolution were definitely the most well written. When it gets to more modern stuff, especially after WWII, the author takes on a weird, choppy, 'artistic' style, and I have no idea what he's talking about. The 'Black Prince?' But in between those parts, there are some good parts in the second half of the book- the piece about Vidocq, the bit about the banlieu riots, the story of the Jews escaping... my favorite slice of Paris history would have to be the Rue D'Enfer however.
review 2: Really interesting for the first 3/4 of the book, with some fascinating stories and history. But once he gets to the mid-twentieth century, Robb seems to have got bored and serves up some interesting... more episodes in a most mannered and occasionally pretentious form (e.g. the May '68 student revolt as a mock academic treatise). That's a shame because where he tells the stories straight they are interesting enough without the over-writing. Theres a great deal in here for lovers of Paris and an interest in its history to make it worth reading, though. less

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