Paris in July 2022
#ParisinJuly
Co-hosted by Readerbuzz and Thyme For Tea
Day 9
Paris history
One of my French students loves history and he is planning to spend a month in Paris. so I found this series of 4 videos on Paris history.
They are very well done and full of great information.
Here is the first one, on the very beginning of Paris:
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE BOOK
ON THE HISTORY OF PARIS?
Words And Peace 
These look interesting – wish my French was better! I find the various Revolutions to be very interesting and have a stack of books about them on the TBR – you remind me I really should get to more of them!
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I am glad this post is a good incentive for you!
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It’s not a history book, and it certainly only spans a short period of Paris’s past, but the book that stays with me is Andrew Miller’s Pure, a sort of parable of the French Revolution. It’s probably one of my Top Reads ever, though it’s some years since I first read it. I’ll watch those videos later – thanks!
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Ah thanks for reminding it to me, I really want to try it. And your comment is very encouraging
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Thank you, I will have a look. I love history so should be something for me. I can’t remember reading any overall history of France. However, when you read about European history France is always there. At a time, when I was young, I was totally fascinated by Lois XIV and read a lot of books about him and his time. The history of France is fascinating to say the least.
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I would then recommend you read The Discovery of France: A Historical Geography, by Graham Robb
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Great, thank you. I will try to find it. It sounds interesting with the Geography at the end. I recently read Prisoners of Geography (Ten maps that tell you everything you need to know about global politics) by Tim Marshall. It is a different take on the history of various countries based on the geography. Very interesting.
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Thanks for the recommendation, just added Marshall’s book to my TBR!
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Pingback: Sunday Post #61 – 7/10/2022 | Words And Peace
Good to know. Thanks.
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You are welcome
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One of the things I love about Paris in July is the immersion we are doing with that lovely city and it’s surrounds. I am picking up so much history from posts, and also from my own reading. In particular, I am enjoying the historical fiction novel Paris by Edward Rutherford right now. While not masterfully plotted out, it is filled to the brim with fascinating facts.
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Believe it or not, I haven’t read this one yet. I keep postponing, your comment is very encouraging, thanks.
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I enjoy French history! I always wonder what French historical fiction authors love to write about!
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A bit of everything, a lot on WW1 et WW2, see here for instance: https://www.babelio.com/livres-/roman-historique/30 though some here are not French.
2 recent ones that come to mind right away that I enjoyed a lot:
The Great Swindle: https://wordsandpeace.com/2014/08/08/book-review-au-revoir-la-haut-i-love-france-106/
HHhH: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13166622-hhhh
In classics, there’s the fabulous series The Accursed Kings, by Maurice Druon, among so many others
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Some of the books I like about Paris history are:
Eiffel’s Tower by Jill Jonnes
750 Years in Paris by Vincent Mahé
At the Existentialist Café: Freedom, Being, and Apricot Cocktails by Sarah Bakewell
When Paris Sizzled: The 1920s Paris of Hemingway, Chanel, Cocteau, Cole Porter, Josephine Baker, and Their Friends by Mary McAuliffe
A Bite-Sized History of France: Delicious, Gastronomic Tales of Revolution, War, and Enlightenment by Stephane Henaut
Seven Ages of Paris by Alistair Horne
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Thanks for all these awesome titles. I requested Mahé’s through my library, and planning on buying Henaut’s for my husband. So far, Horne’s has intimidated me, but maybe one day
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