Paris: A Short History

by Jeremy Black

A concise history of Paris and the great events and personalities, from prehistory to the present, that have shaped its unique cultural legacy. Once described as "that metropolis of dress and debauchery" by the Scottish poet David Mallet, Paris has always had a reputation for a peculiar joie de vivre , from art to architecture, cookery to couture, captivating minds and imaginations across the Continent and beyond. In A Short History , historian Jeremy Black examines the unique cultural circumstances that made Paris the vibrant capital it is today. Black explores how Paris has been shaped throughout time, starting in the first century BCE, when the city was founded by the Parisii. From a small Gallic capital conquered by the Romans, Paris transformed into a flourishing medieval city full of spectacular palaces and cathedrals, including Sainte-Chapelle and Notre-Dame de Paris. During the illustrious reigns of Louis XIV and XV, Paris became one of the most beautiful and cosmopolitan capitals in the world, before the Revolution tore French society apart, changing the city forever. The Belle Époque brought new ideas and architecture to the city, including the iconic Eiffel Tower, before the destruction of World War I and II launched a massive regeneration project. Black completes his history by exploring present-day Paris and its role as the seat of a leading power on the world stage, and its future as the host of the 2024 Olympic Games. A Short History deftly demonstrates that the history of Paris is about more than just a it is the history of a culture, a society, and a state that has impacted the rest of the world through centuries of changing fortunes. 37 illustrations

Genres: History, France, Nonfiction, Paris, Travel

256 pages, Hardcover

Published May 14, 2024

About the author

Jeremy Black is an English historian, who was formerly a professor of history at the University of Exeter. He is a senior fellow at the Center for the Study of America and the West at the Foreign Policy Research Institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US.
Black is the author of over 180 books, principally but not exclusively on 18th-century British politics and international relations, and has been described by one commentator as "the most prolific historical scholar of our age". He has published on military and political history, including Warfare in the Western World, 1882–1975 (2001) and The World in the Twentieth Century (2002).

Reviews

[Helen Mears · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm visiting Paris in July and this was exactly what I wanted, a brief historical overview that would help me plan my visit.

[Rachel Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable read on the history of Paris. Great as a starting point if you’re visiting and want to know about the streets and monuments you’ll see.

[Roland Glotzer · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short book covering the history of Paris not only in terms of events but including topics like tourism, fashion, food, etc…throughout the ages. A good introduction to Paris before planning a visit to the city.

[Celia · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Black’s Paris, we are taken over the history of the city, one chapter at a time. The periods into which the book is divided don’t always make the most sense, brushing over important political figures but spending an entire episodes on quotes. I have a lot to say about these quotes - why are they so many? Why the extreme focus on tourism? What person interested in a brief history book like this is so invested in tourism? Another note: London is mentioned and compared to Paris so many times you would think that the city in itself doesn’t matter much except when compared to the apparently superior British alternative. These often annoying details are organised with other paragraphs of historical events and anecdotes at seemingly random order, which somehow you get increasingly used to towards the end of the book.


The goodness of this book sits in the points (historical events, figures, buildings) mentioned, if briefly, to guide a reader to do more of their own research. It is not possible to encapsulate the rich history of such an important and old city in so few pages, but my critique comes from spending too long in a niche the author is interested in (tourism, Paris vs London) while devoting hardly a paragraph to Richelieu. Next time it may be best to write a more focused book!

[Ira · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book does exactly what it promises - it squeezes a history of Paris and France in 200 pages and gives its short overview in a nicely designed form for the curious tourist. I learned a bit from it and definitely marked the historical events I want to read about more properly.

However I didn't like how it is put together and which facts the author chooses to present sometimes. Like yeah, it's a brief history, I get it, but I find it unfortunate that the author didn't find space for drafting the royal dynasties and their timelines, but found place to mention Emily in Paris (even though it was one sentence). Also his obsession with the topic of British tourists going to Paris and behaving rudely throughout centuries an belittling the French was a bit weird.

So yeah, definitely don't regret picking this up during Paris vacation, but I wish it was composed with a bit more depth and love.

[Robyn Bauer · Rating 3 out of 5]

What an odd book.
Firstly the quote on the front cover, - "An invitation to explore, to walk the city and discover hidden secrets" by Alan Forest couldn't be more inaccurate and inappropriate. Did you read this book Alan Forest? Even a little bit of it?
Ok the book is a combination of facts, subjectively chosen and unsubstantiated opinions that come from left field with no explanation. eg p.159 - "The cubist movement owed much to Montmartre." What? A vague and unhelpful claim.
Fitting thousands of years of history into 200 pages should not even be attempted unless there is a much clearer raison d'être.
I love Paris and have a large bookshelf devoted to books with the word Paris in the title so I snapped this one up with glee from the State Gallery bookstore, excited because it is so recent. The cynic in my is now thinking that it was a rush job in time for the Paris Olympics....

[Mme Forte · Rating 3 out of 5]

More like 2.5 stars.

This book doesn't know what it wants to be. It's full of facts, but they're often presented without follow-through. I know it's supposed to be a "short history" of Paris, but that shouldn't mean you drop stuff into the narrative that seems to have larger meaning or connotation and then just bounce off to the next thing.

There's also a lot of opinion for a book that's supposed to be history.

And some of the facts that are presented are really obscure. Like, why am I reading about troop movements in a short history? And yes, I understand that Paris is inextricably linked to French politics but WHY tell these stories without doing the work of showing why they're necessary?

Anyway, it wasn't awful, but it wasn't great. I'm glad I got this from the library and didn't purchase it for my professional library, because I'd be donating it rather than keeping it.

[Scott Paley · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I could give this 3.5 stars I would.. But it doesnt quite warrant a 4 star so unfortunately have to round it down go 3…

Jeremy Black had a challenge fitting so much history into 217 pages which for the first half of the book doesn’t work very well… It feels rushed, almost like the author is rushing to tell you about the French Revolution. Saying that, the book from the French Revolution onwards is fantastic; a cliche but a real page turner. I struggled with this book for a while but from the French Revolution and Napoleon to restoring the Monarchy, the First World War and the Second World War, it’s a real treat to read. A great example of a book of two halves. Worth the read if Paris intrigues you.

[Gill Hart · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a pacey journey through the history of Paris written in compelling style. I thought I knew the city pretty well but have made some great discoveries in this book.
There were several points where I did have to reread pages or sections because the date ranges seemed to jump about a bit within what are chronologically organised chapters. The concept of including maps of the city over time is a good one however the delivery of this - so small they are impossible to look at on the pages of a paperback - could do with a rethink by the publisher. It was also not always clear how text boxes set into some of the pages connected to the main text of the chapter. As with the map, perhaps a layout/publisher related matter that didn’t deliver coherently.

[Andrew Balog · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like many other reviews here, I echo the idea that I'm not sure what this book is supposed to be. I certainly wouldn't describe it as thorough (although, trying to write a condensed book about a city like Paris is always going to require leaving some things out).

I just can't make sense out of the author's choices on information to include. It felt like he was almost cherry-picking his favorite niche things within Paris and referencing them, instead of providing some kind of central narrative or theme. It's easy to read, but that comes at the expense of providing any lasting impact or information about the city that I can take away with me.

[Ann Otto · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book would be helpful to those interested in the current Olympic Paris (which is mentioned often) who know little of European history but for those of us readers of factual history the book is frustrating. It's a quick read and appears to be hastily written to take advantage of the world's attention on Paris in July and August 2024.

[Joe · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not a very good book. There was a lot of focus on tourism and the content was mostly listed facts. While ultimately interesting, the writing wasn't compelling.

It also seemed to focus more on France overall, not Paris which is what I was looking for.

[Liz Lefroy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book to read while on the way to, and in, Paris. Jeremy Black is concise and clear in his writing, and I felt I got to know Paris in a different and illuminating way as a result.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

nice overview, i suppose better if youre a tourist

[Amy · Rating 1 out of 5]

It’s like someone asked AI to write a 200 page book on the history of Paris. It’s superficial and devoid of any emotion.

[Dana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the driest book I have ever read, but very informative!

[Sterre · Rating 3 out of 5]

eigenlijk gewoon een geschiedenis boek maar niet geschreven met de duidelijkheid van een echt geschiedenis boek waardoor alles onduidelijk is 🫠

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very brief history of Paris, Cliff Notes perhaps for those seeking a quick overview.