Notre-Dame: The Soul of France

by Agnès Poirier

The profound emotion felt around the world upon seeing images of Notre-Dame in flames opens up a series of Why was everyone so deeply moved? Why does Notre-Dame so clearly crystallise what our civilisation is about? What makes ‘Our Lady of Paris’ the soul of a nation and a symbol of human achievement? What is it that speaks so directly to us today?

In answer, Agnès Poirier turns to the defining moments in Notre-Dame’s history. Beginning with the laying of the corner stone in 1163, she recounts the conversion of Henri IV to Catholicism, the coronation of Napoleon, Victor Hugo’s nineteenth-century campaign to preserve the cathedral, Baron Haussmann’s clearing of the streets in front of it, the Liberation in 1944, the 1950s film of The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, starring Gina Lollobrigida and Anthony Quinn, and the state funeral of Charles de Gaulle, before returning to the present.

The conflict over Notre-Dame’s reconstruction promises to be fierce. Nothing short of a cultural war is already brewing between the wise and the daring, the sincere and the opportunist, historians and militants, the devout and secularists. It is here that Poirier reveals the deep malaise – gilet jaunes and all – at the heart of the France.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, France, Art, European History, Historical, 21st Century

213 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 2, 2020

Reviews

[Henk · Rating 3 out of 5]

A brief history on one of the most famous churches in the world, including the fire of 2019. Reads easily, the depiction of firefighting were thrilling, but the history parts could have used more depth

An ideal listen on the way by car to Paris and the Christo wrapped L'Arc de Triomphe. In Notre Dame: The Soul of France the history of the Notre Dame is detailed. However Agnès Poirier first focusses on the efforts to save the church in 2019 from fire. This part of the book in my view was the strongest, and even emotional, part of the book. One feels the stress of the firefighters (who are headed by an ex-military man) and Emmanuel Macron being present at the site to authorise actions to save the church.

Then the book goes on to detail how the church became such a cultural icon in the French conscience. The first four architect were unknown, but it didn't take long till politics and symbolism propelled the Notre Dame above her rivals. A keen eye for political power and choosing the winner party helped the accruement of relics in the church, cementing her importance in the national fabric.

Still in the late Middle Ages the church fell in disrepair. During the French Revolution the church was rebranded twice but still made it through relatively unscathed as a national symbol. After Napoleon his patronage after his self coronation at Notre Dame the famous Victor Hugo book Notre Dame de Paris helped a lot, leading to the signature renovation by Viollet-le-Duc. In 1905 all churches were nationalised, hence leading the 14 million visitors that frequented the church before the 2019 fire not paying for the necessary maintenance and repairs of the building. After the Second World War there was also an assassination attempt on Charles le Gaulle, visiting Notre Dame to celebrate the liberation of Paris from the Nazi occupation.

In the 21st century a fun fact was that a factory in Asten in The Netherlands supplied a bell. Also it's remarkable and uplifting how much artworks, stained glass, statues, the organ and even beehives survived the fire of 2019. All in all a comprehensive work on this monument which we can hopefully soon can visit once more in all her glory.

[happy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another brief history of Notre Dame that was written in the aftermath of the Fire in 2019. The author looks at both the history of the Cathedral and just what it means to the French People, both believers and non alike. The author calls it, "The heart of France."

As a history, the author looks at the construction period, its connection to the Bourbon dynasty (Henri IV and Louis XIII), the revolution/Napoleon period when it was desecrated by the Revolutionaries and then restored to the Church by Napoleon and where he held his coronation, and of course Victor Hugo and his influence on its restoration during the middle of the 19th century.

In addition to the history, the author looks at the fire fighting efforts, both the actual fire fighting and the efforts to save the art/religious treasures.

A couple of factoids I learned - technically the Catholic Church does not own it. It was ceded to the French Gov't in 1905 (along with all the rest of the Church's property). Another is that the chief of the Paris fire dept is/was a graduate St. Cyr and a Lt Gen in the French Military.

While fairly short, it liked it. 4 stars

[Brian Willis · Rating 4 out of 5]

As we all watched the live news coverage of the Notre Dame fire with horror, our hearts sank. Surely, this touchstone of Western culture could not be engulfed in flames and ashes? That it would disappear into the rubble of history and become a memory only? While not quite as traumatic as 9/11, honestly, it wasn't far off. Heartbreaking, searing, tear worthy, we all plaintively hoped it would be saved.

Poirier's book recounts that day of April 15, 2019 in all of its detail, including the nearly miraculous saving of the cathedral. We literally came to within 30 minutes of losing the whole structure, and the we were probably fortunate. Here we are 18 months later, and it may still be a loss if not handled properly.

Poirier bookends her brief account of the historical significance of Notre Dame between the accounts of its saving as well as its probable resurrection. It is tightly focused and doesn't cover much beyond the historical incidents that surrounded the Cathedral, but it is the better for it. Ultimately, the best parts are indeed the full accounting of: what now? So much has been saved and so much needs to replaced of its historical roof and spire. Her book justifies its nickname of "the heart of Paris", and reminds us so urgently of why we care for her so much.

[Thijs Werkman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Een interessant historisch boek over het verleden en het nu van de Notre Dame de Paris. 3 sterren omdat ik vind dat de informatie duidelijk en goed is maar dat het boek vooral geschreven is vanuit het perspectief dat de Notre Dame het hart van de stad Parijs is.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: ARC via Netgalley

Early in her book about Notre-Dame de Paris, Poirer writes, “We need certainties: they are the framework of our existence, the signposts without which we can’t navigate life, let alone endure its many tests and trials; for 850 years Notre-Dame was one such “ (location 36).

Poirer is right. Many people over the world were affected by the fire that ravaged Notre-Dame. I was surprised by how much a sense of loss I felt when I saw the news. Poirier’s book is a history of the cathedral, a general one but an engrossing and extremely readable one. Her love for the book is on every single page.

Poirer starts with an account of the fire, bringing into the light, some details that might not be known to the causal reader of the event. Her details of not only the rescue of the Cathedral itself but also of the art works. She then moves into a history of the Cathedral showing that the fire was not the only near destruction that the building faced.

While the book is general, something that is easily discerned from its length, there are interesting tidbits and facts – like the first royal buried there, what happened to the lead coffins, how the art survived the revolution and so on.

In many ways, it is like reading the monolog of an excellent tour guide.

[Jennifer Flanagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was everything I wanted and needed to know. 😍 Notre Dame is so much more than building. I loved diving into how it’s shaped France history again and again. Ordering a hard copy to have forever!

[Newsticker · Rating 4 out of 5]

An sich ganz gut, viele historische Details werden erwähnt, grundlegende Fragen zur Notre-Dame (Was machte sie aus, wie ist sie entstanden) werden geklärt & die Entwicklung im Verlauf der Geschichte ist sehr spannend und simpel erklärt. Jedoch werden Personen Straßen & Ereignisse […] genannt, von denen man nie etwas gehört hat, sofern man nicht mit Frankreich in Berührung kam. Dementsprechend ist es schwer, alles zu verstehen.

[Stephen Heiner · Rating 4 out of 5]

A timely and useful "little history" of Notre Dame and its importance to France. Poirier doesn't pretend to be writing something definitive, just something helpful for those who might have become more interested in Notre Dame due to the 2019 fire. It's a short read, and worth it, whether you are someone who, like myself, considers him/herself fairly well-informed about Notre Dame or if you mostly associate it with a college football team in the United States. There's something for everyone in this just under 200-page, accessibly written volume.

"...Notre Dame was the people's cathedral, making one feel that 'architecture's greatest productions are not so much the works of individuals as of societies; the fruit of whole peoples in labour rather than the inspiration of men of genius; the deposit left by a nation; the accumulation of centuries.'" (p. 99)

"'The problem is that 'big finance has proved both irrational and inefficient, unable to give any meaning to our lives. When Notre-Dame is in flames, it is our social fabric that is burning.'" (p. 165)

(regarding the fire) "This felt like a shock to many French citizens, whose Catholic upbringing or loose notions had been securely buried under a thick layer of secularism and agnosticism." (p. 180)

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

With the fire at Notre Dame back in 2019, it boosted sales of Victor Hugo's Notre Dame de Paris when Parisians took to panic, believing they would lose a prized icon of France. Author Agnes Poirier takes a look into the history behind Notre Dame, from its origins to the French Revolution to Napoleon's regime and up to the 2019 fire. Indeed, a building erected back in the Middle Ages would have a rich history! And through the centuries, the cathedral underwent restorations and usage changes: upon the French Revolution, it became a less of Catholic ground and more of a symbolism for the reasoning when the ancient regime was thrown out; Napoleon used it as the grounds of where he would be crowned Emperor, and even now, it is place for both believers and atheists alike.

Truly there is much more to Notre Dame than what it seemed. It is a part of French culture and is one of the notable places in the country aside from the Eiffel Tower. Just like how Victor Hugo impressed readers and helped restored Notre Dame back to glory in the 19th century, it seems now, more than ever, people are willing to do whatever it takes to revive Notre Dame into a new form, for it is a part of everyone.

[Holly]

The Notre Dame fire was an omen to the world and we did not even consider it at the time. Parisians falling to their knees in the streets, praying and singing hymns while Notre Dame burned in the background was perhaps one of the more important moments of 2019, but it has been eclipsed by the events of 2020 -- at least to an American like me, an ocean away. I'm sure to a Parisian, it is quite noticeable...everyday since April 2019. In August 2019, I visited the Cathédrale Notre Dame de Strasbourg, which does try to imitate. The Rhine city of Strasbourg is either German or French depending on the decade though, so it can't compare to the quintessential Frenchness of the actual Notre Dame.

Poirier breathes the passion that France has felt for its Cathedral into every sentence of this book. It starts with the fire and Chapter 2 quickly backtracks to 1163, with subsequent chapters taking place at seminal points in Paris' history: the Revolution, the Terrors, the publication of The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo, the Coronation of Napoleon Bonaparte, the Nazi occupation, etc. This book also nods its head to France's everlasting relationship with the United States, which flares up every so often ever since they helped us win the American Revolution. I love you, France, and I hope you'll be able to fix Our Lady soon. When you do, I will be sure to visit Paris.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short book is a collection of important moments in the history of France that happened in and around Notre-Dame. It is gracefully written by sometime who knows and loves the cathedral and the city.
The first chapter is about the fire, based on interviews with those who fought it as well as those who were responsible for the art and relics kept inside - gripping and terrifying. The last chapter circles back to talk about the efforts to stabilize the building and begin the massive work of restoration. Clearly the destruction could have been so much worse.
The chapter I found most compelling was the one about the insurrection of the French Resistance in 1944 that ended with the liberation of the city and the celebration inside the cathedral, led by DeGaulle despite the fact that the towers were filled with German snipers who had to be cleared out even as the choir was singing. Poirier tosses off a sentence about how even as French troops were heading to Paris to support the insurrection, American leadership was not sure they should allow the French division to go, and were still in touch with the Vichy leaders, because they thought there were too many communists in the resistance. Really? Even then? Sigh.
Given the complexity of France today, it wasn't possible to read this without thinking occasionally, "which France? Who is France?", and at the end Poirier does gesture to the fact that people of all faiths make up France, and that there were people who thought the money being spent on Notre-Dame should be spent on feeding the poor instead. But there is never any doubt where her heart is. I want to go back to Paris and see the place again - will the work be finished in my lifetime??

[Robert Lambregts · Rating 3 out of 5]

The images of the Notre Dame on fire still haunt me. I was devastated, as so many people, that this extremely important building was going up in flames. So when I discovered this book I added it to my TBR right away and now I finally got to reading it. The first (and also bits of the last part) were most impressive. the firefighters fighting the fire, the impact the fire had on so many people, it was really moving to read all this. After this a brief history follows and that was amazing to read. I loved every bit of it. Even so much, that it was way too short. And that's where the book lost some of it's shine for me. It's just a handful of facts, and lacked a lot of depth. Yes, it offers a lot, but for a history this big, it was not enough. So 3.5 stars, but rounding it down, because of the fact that it's a) surfing on a tragedy, even though it feels the intentions were right b) not deep enough. It felt like there wasn't enough research done, not enough time (publishers choice?) and therefor only 3 stars. Still a good book (3.5) but not enough for more.

[Ina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Opening with the fire that nearly destroyed Notre Dame Cathedral in April 2019, and the effect it had on people all over the world, the author traces its 850 year history trying to answer the question why this particular church was important to so many. While the tracing of the history is a bit uneven, the writing is engaging and filled with passion. I leaned a great deal about the church and the history of Paris and how the two are so closely entwined.

[Johannes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Victor Hugo has a great little commentary in his novel about Notre-Dame Cathedral wherein he argues that Cathedrals were the last great novels written in stone. Poirier helps 21st century readers understand how Notre-Dame has played the great protagonist through French history.

[Loren · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Prologue, about the fire at Notre-Dame and how historians and politicians across France heard the news, brought me to tears several times. The same is true for the chapter about the cathedral's bells, which were replaced in 2013. Unfortunately, the rest of the book only sketches in the cathedral's nine centuries of history. Interesting things are mentioned in passing, while things going on outside of the cathedral get explored in depth. Clearly the author can write with passion but for some reason chose not to. Was her deadline too tight?

I clearly need another book on Notre-Dame. After reading this one, I have a lot of unanswered questions.

[Lee Hagens · Rating 5 out of 5]

I visited Notre Dame the Fall of 2018, a few months before the fire, and, again, Fall 2019, from a distance. I cried, both times. This book is very meaningful to me and helped put so many things in context. I hope to visit her again in the near future.

[Jonathon Hagger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable but not great. The book walks between the historic and the modern but doesn’t do either overly well. A nice intro to the subject.

[Eyejaybee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was fortunate enough to have my copy of this book signed by Agnès Poirier herself at an event at l’Institut Français in London, just a few days before the lockdown took real effect. Her inscription reads, ‘Petit libre, grand sujet’. Well, it unquestionably addresses a ‘grand sujet’ but while it may only run to just over two hundred pages, it is also very far from being ‘un petit libre’.

Essentially a history of Nôtre Dame de Paris, the glorious cathedral at the heart of the city, so dramatically ravaged by fire in April 2019, this ‘petit libre’ also offers concise histories of the French Revolution, the rise, coronation and ultimate decline of Napoleon, the various constitutional upheavals of the nineteenth century, the rescue of Nôtre Dame by Victor Hugo, the reconstruction of Paris and birth of the City of Light under the direction of Georges-Eugène Haussmann, and the Liberation after the German Occupation in the Second World War. Nôtre Dame was there throughout, a constant and magisterial presence throughout the turning tides of Parisian history.

On the night of the fire, my French niece, Isobel, had come round for dinner, a meal that was interrupted by a tearful phone call from her sister, Hélène, who was back home in Montmartre. Hélène had called to say that Nôtre Dame was in flames. We watched the coverage on France24, transfixed and appalled as the flames ravaged the building. Even hundreds of miles away in suburban London the impact was dreadful, although obviously nothing compared to that felt by the thousands of onlookers who gathered to watch the devastation.

The first chapter of this book captures the sense of grief, and the rapidly unfolding story, almost like a thriller. Several of the principal characters, responsible either for the cathedral itself, the emergency services or local and national government sped to the scene, sharing their despair and incredulity.
But this is also a story of hope. While the damage was considerable, with the final cost of repair and reconstruction likely to run to several billion Euros, there were some remarkable escapes. Somehow the glorious stained glass window had survived, although how the lead mouldings failed to melt remains a mystery. The Crown of Thorns, one of the great relics of the Catholic Church also survived. For centuries, sceptics have questioned the authenticity of the Crown, but even for a hard-bitten cynic such as myself, that rather misses the point. It is the concept that the Crown represents that matters, and even if it isn’t the actual Crown of Thorns placed on Christ’s head while he suffered on the Cross, it is now itself a respected artefact tied up with the centuries long history of Nôtre Dame.

There is a postscript. Yesterday was Good Friday, and a small mass was held in the still-devastated body of the cathedral, although, both because of the damage rendered nearly a year previously, and also as a consequence of the ravages of COVID-19, there were just seven people there. The service was broadcast around the world, and despite my own general tepidity of faith (and because of my upbringing, I could not be further from being a Roman Catholic), was one of the most inspiring occasions I have ever experienced. Time itself seemed to stop for a little while during the solo rendition of Ave Maria at the close of the proceedings, and it was abundantly clear that Nôtre Dame may have been bloodied but remains defiantly unbowed.

Ms Poirier captures all this and more in her book, which, despite the sombre nature of much of her story, is never gloomy. Nôtre Dame is clearly important to her, and her affection for the site shines through.

I don’t like disagreeing with her, especially as she was so charming when we briefly met at l’Institut Français, but I would say that this is quite definitely a ‘grand’ libre, in every French or English sense of that word.

[James Baird · Rating 3 out of 5]

It feels like there was so much more to be said. While the book was good - and I am a fan of Poirier's other work - I can't help but think that this was rushed out to take advantage of the post-fire interest and was a sadly abbreviated form of what could, and should, have been a much more comprehensive and compelling history of a monument that is, in many ways, the historic soul of the people of Paris. Disappointing.

[Michael Travis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Paris and am struck phsyically and spiritually when I am in the presence of Notre Dame. This book was a great read, coming from a Parisian, walking us through the history of Notre Dame. The descriptions of the fire and the efforts of the firemen were deeply moving.

[al · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this authors writing style

[Tim Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well-written overview of Notre-Dame de Paris (meaning “Our Lady of Paris”), most often called Notre-Dame. It is an 860-year-old French Gothic cathedral on Île de la Cité (an island in the Seine River) in Paris, France and is famous the world over and has been at the center of French history again and again. The book opens with a very dramatic and effective retelling of the April 15, 2019 fire with a minute-by-minute recount of events that terrible day, a day that very nearly saw the loss of the famed cathedral and its numerous art treasures. After that the author recounts the history of the cathedral, beginning with, well, its beginning in 1163 and continuing through discussions of rebuilding the cathedral after the 2019 fire. The book at times is a history of the structure itself, its construction, its use, various times modifications were made to the building, various renovation projects, the history of things within such as various art pieces and its organ and even its beehives. At other times the book is as much history of France, as to tell the history of the cathedral is to the tell the history of the country, from medieval Paris as it became a financial, governmental, religious, and cultural center of France through the French Revolution when the cathedral for a time became dedicated first to the Cult of Reason, and then to the Cult of the Supreme Being, a time when Revolutionary zeal saw such things as the beheading of the statues of twenty-eight Biblical kings in the cathedral, the Kings of Judea (mistakenly though to be French kings) to the coronation of Napoleon at Notre-Dame to the massive urban renewal programs in Paris under Georges-Eugène Haussmann under the direction of Emperor Napoleon III which had a huge effect on how the cathedral’s urban environment looked to World War II when the liberation of Paris was celebrated in Notre-Dame with a singing of the Magnificat on August 26, 1944, attended by General Charles De Gaulle.

A prominent part of the book as might be expected is the role played by Victor Hugo, whose 1831 novel _Notre-Dame de Paris_ (published in English as _The Hunchback of Notre-Dame_) was written to save the crumbling cathedral, doing not only that but sparking a larger campaign to save the French medieval art and architectural heritage of France.

Lots of great coverage of Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, the famed French architect whose 1844-1864 restoration of Notre-Dame was an important part of the cathedral’s history. Also, lots of coverage of debate after the 2019 fire over what directions the restoration should take (should it have some sort of modern stamp for instance) and even over how much money should be spent on the cathedral versus if money that was raised should be spent at least in part elsewhere.

I think the strongest writing by far was the opening of the book, effectively both setting the mood and events of Paris and France at that time and then the drama of saving the cathedral and its art treasures. I was surprised how medieval Paris still was until Haussmann’s urban renewal program and how very different Paris was before and after. Overall, a good read.

[Alexane Desbiens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Immersing myself in the pages of Agnès Poirier's "Notre-Dame: The Soul of France" was an impassioned journey through the heart and soul of one of the most iconic symbols of France, which I thouroughly enjoyed.

From the gripping portrayal of the 2019 fire that engulfed the Parisian cathedral to the valiant efforts of firefighters and the custodians of its treasures, every word pulsated with the intensity of a nation grappling with its heritage in the face of tragedy.
Poirier masterfully weaves a tapestry of Notre-Dame's history, taking us on a captivating voyage from its origins to the tumultuous era of the French Revolution. The meticulous detailing of Viollet-Le Duc's 19th-century renovations adds an extra layer of historical richness, underscoring the unyielding spirit of preservation that has defined the cathedral over centuries.
Yet, it is the author's exploration of Notre-Dame's profound significance to the French people that elevates this work beyond a simple historical account. The intricate interplay between the cathedral, the city of Paris, and the intertwined threads of religion and secularism is expertly unraveled. Poirier's thought-provoking questions about the reconstruction process and the funding sources delve deep into the very soul of Notre-Dame, compelling readers to reflect on the values that underpin the resurrection of such cultural treasures.

A striking element that resonated with me was Poirier's artful personification of Notre-Dame, transforming the cathedral into a dynamic and influential entity. This literary device not only mirrors the evocative style of Victor Hugo but also infuses the narrative with a profound sense of connection, making Notre-Dame not merely a structure but a living, breathing symbol of resilience.

In the broader context of cathedral literature, Poirier's work finds a harmonious companion in Ken Follett's "Notre-Dame: A Short History of the Meaning of Cathedrals." Together, they enrich the reader's understanding of the cultural and historical tapestry woven by Notre-Dame and the French nation.

In conclusion, "Notre-Dame: The Soul of France" is a heartfelt tribute to resilience, heritage, and the enduring spirit of a nation. A highly enjoyable and informative read, it leaves an indelible mark on the soul, echoing the timeless beauty and significance of Notre-Dame itself.

[Review crossposted on The StoryGraph]

[Sandra || Tabibito no hon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Czy Wy też przeżywaliście pożar katedry? Do dziś pamiętam ten szok i napięcie, oczekiwanie przed wiadomości w telewizji i rozmowy z rówieśnikami o przerażeniu. Coś tak niezwykłego, nieśmiertelnego, a jednak wbrew wszystkiemu przyziemnego.

Nie wiedziałam czego spodziewać się po tej książce, dlatego nieco Wam ją przybliżę.

Autorka przenosi nas w czasie do tego pamiętnego dnia pożaru, przybliża sytuację i wydarzenia w mieście. Robi to na tyle naturalnie, że czułam się jakbym znalazła się na chodnikach Paryża i była obserwatorem zdarzeń. Podrzuca nam też trochę paryskich smaczków.

Pisarka krok po kroku, osoba po osobie, przeprowadzana nas przez wydarzenia tamtego wieczoru. Ze szczegółami możemy dostrzec jak ignorancja doprowadziła do tych wydarzeń. Dopiero dokładnie 30 minut po pierwszym alarmie przeciwpożarowym straż pożarna odebrała zgłoszenie.

Agnes odtwarza czytelnikom reakcje ludzi odpowiedzialnych za Notre Dame - uczucia i emocje, które im towarzyszyły, ale nie tylko im. Opowiada jak wszyscy porzucili swoje czynności, w końcu działa się rzecz niezwykła.

Dowiemy się jakie zabytki, skarby, relikwie znajdowały się w Notre Dame, wszystko trzeba było szybko ratować. Zawalenie się iglicy było punktem kulminacyjnym, czas się zatrzymał, a strażacy zrobili wszystko co w ich mocy.

Jednak poza tymi wydarzeniami ta książka jest kapsułą czasu, przenosimy się do najważniejszych wydarzeń we Francji, w których Notre Dame uczestniczyła. W tej dalszej części dużo więcej dowiemy się o samej historii, katedra jest tylko dodatkiem, jednak istotnym.

Dowiemy się też trochę o początkach Notre Dame - kto zaprojektował, kto sfinansował, kto był pomysłodawcą.

Mnie najbardziej podobała się część dotycząca dnia pożaru, bo to głównie to mnie interesowało, a także rozdział o powstaniu katedry, resztę przeczytałam, ale bez większego zainteresowania.

Jeżeli też czujecie powiązanie z katedrą albo lubicie historie, to warto sięgnąć po tę książkę. Jest naprawdę w porządku, nie przytłacza wiedzą.

Ode mnie 6/10

[Mariana · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://www.instagram.com/p/CO3x2B3Dhvq/

“Notre-Dame a alma da França” de Agnès Poirier foi publicado no Brasil recentemente pela @dbaeditora com tradução da Ana Guadalupe.⁣
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Recebi um exemplar de cortesia e fiquei encantada pela premissa do livro que abarca cerca de 850 anos dessa catedral que é um marco não apenas religioso, mas um monumento que faz parte de uma nação, sobreviveu a guerras e invasões e em 2019 foi ameaçada pelo fogo. O projeto conta ainda com mapas, notas, caderno de imagens.⁣
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Notre-Dame de Paris sempre exerceu um fascínio sobre mim que apenas cresceu quando a visitei pela primeira vez, passar por seus corredores seculares, observar a luz entrar pelas rosáceas, apreciar as esculturas, murais… Confesso que fiquei sentida com a notícia do incêndio, ver as chamas consumir algo que achava ser sólido e que - ingenuamente talvez - tinha como certeza que estaria para sempre ali, é algo que me fez refletir sobre outras constantes da vida. ⁣
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Esse é um livro de não-ficção com uma narrativa fluida que não pesa mesmo com a grande quantidade de informações históricas, que vão desde a pedra fundamental, anos de construção, decadência, revolução francesa, a coroação de Napoleão, como a literatura salvou a catedral, a restauração, a reformulação dos bairros vizinhos, a segunda guerra mundial, seus sinos majestosos até o controle do incêndio de 2019.⁣
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Eu tinha conhecimento que algumas das esculturas que vi não eram originais e sim restaurações/reconstruções, já que houve um período em que muita coisa foi destruída para produção bélica ou por divergência político religiosa, saber um pouco mais sobre essas circunstâncias foi enriquecedor.⁣
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Ah os sinos... foi inevitável não correr para internet procurar o soar de Emmanuel e seus “irmãos”.⁣
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Leitura mais que recomendada, ainda que você não seja um fã da Notre-Dame de Paris, o livro vai além da construção e entra na história da França e aborda alguns temas que são comuns a todas as nações.⁣

[Leila Mota · Rating 5 out of 5]

Há livros bem escritos, que ecoam na parte racional do cérebro, e há livros que vão além, que repercutem na parte emocional. Na alma ou no coração, costumamos dizer. É o caso. Talvez apenas para quem já se encantou com a Notre-Dame, pessoal ou virtualmente. Mas é minha visão. A autora está correta, Notre-Dame é a representação da França e de Paris. Tragédias costumam sensibilizar pessoas, sejam com pessoas ou com edifícios. Quando nosso Museu Nacional ardeu, pareceu que com ele se foi um pedaço da nossa história coletiva, e para alguns de nós, pessoal. Muitos que nasceram e viveram no Rio de Janeiro tiveram oportunidade de passar por lá. Então compreendemos o que significa um incêndio, ou um terremoto (como o recém-ocorrido na Turquia e Síria) ou qualquer outro evento (guerra também) destroi pessoas e locais históricos. Muita gente se lembra das estátuas milenares destruídas pelo Talibã. Ou da destruição generalizada no Iraque, após a invasão pelos EUA. Ainda assistimos às destruições diárias na Ucrânia, e o saque de suas obras de arte. A mim dói. A Notre-Dame sempre me encantou. A autora menciona que Victor Hugo garantiu sua sobrevivência, ao publicar "O corcunda de Notre-Dame". Não li o livro, mas conheço a história, vi o filme e o desenho da Disney (alias, achei sombrio demais para o público infantil). E minha primeira visita foi carregada de significado pessoal. Quem não? Que incrível foi, por exemplo, assistir a um concerto lá, ou testemunhar as portas sendo abertos de par em par, com vários religiosos saindo do interior, e a multidão em volta. Ver o incêndio pela TV foi ruim, imagino quem estava acompanhando ao vivo.
Sigo torcendo pela recuperação e renascimento da catedral. O livro é emocionante em seu relato da história e fatos diretamente relacionados ao incêndio. Um detalhe: me fez rever minha opinião do Viollet-le-Duc, sobre o qual sempre ouvi/li opiniões negativas com relação à restauração da catedral no século 19.

[Stephen Morrissey · Rating 4 out of 5]

In one of the more poignant passages from Agnes Poirier's "Notre Dame: The Soul of France," Paris is noted as becoming mere stone at the outset of its invasion by the Nazis. Yes, the buildings still stood; some of the people remained; the boulevards still hurled traffic through the city. But the city's soul had been extinguished, and the city of light became a darkened heap of stone, brick and metal.

The fire that consumed the Notre Dame Cathedral in 2019 reminds us of the precise opposite of that brief phenomenon: that buildings can possess soul. The emotional outpouring that followed the fire showed that Notre Dame was more than stone; it had a beating heart, felt by Parisians and others across the globe.

Poirier's book beautifully captures the history of Notre Dame. Opening with the day of the fire and the fight to save the church, Poirier then dives into its eight centuries of history, which saw the rise, decay and resurrection of the cathedral. Particularly interesting are the passages on Notre Dame's 19th Century, which saw a remarkable re-building effort of not only the cathedral itself, but historical buildings across France.

However Notre Dame rises in the future, one thing is certain: its place at the heart of Paris and Parisians will not be replaced. If anything, it will be strengthened by a modern re-building effort that has the potential to bind the Middle Ages to the 21st Century.

[Katerina Ermeidou · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone remembers where they were the night Notre Dame burnt...

This book absolutely broke my heart in the best way possible. Beginning on that fateful night of the 15th of April 2019 it had me crying in the very first chapter with Poirier's exceptional descriptions and recollections of those present, while at the same time not being purposely overly dramatic and stating events just as they went down. I was truly able to feel the pain of watching something so sacred and adored for centuries break down in front of our very eyes.

Poirier manages to rekindle any reader's love for the famous monument by diligently providing us with its exceptional 850-year history. The organization of the chapters is extremely helpful to the reader and makes it very easy to follow which would normally be a challenge when recounting centuries-long histroy.

Starting with its foundation in 1163 and following every major event that took place with the majestic gothic cathedral as a background, this book perfectly explains why Notre Dame truly is the heart and soul of France. Following 850 years of France's glory and misery, its victories and disasters, it will give goosebumps to any reader. The prose of this book is probably one of the most magical ones I have ever read.

After taking us with her through every glorious and painful moment of the cathedral it brings us back to the present, the efforts for the restoration to her former glory and finally, the much awaited placement of the surviving rooster back on the new spire of Notre Dame.

Paris awaits...

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the opening chapter of Poirier’s book, we are drawn into that fateful day where Notre Dame Cathedral burned while the entire world seemed to watch breathless and in utter shock. She describes the feeling of the French, of the Parisians who gazed upon the grand dame daily who now stood by and watched her burn. Poirier stirred emotions and prepared me to be overwhelmed by what she had in store for us in the following chapters...

.....which turned into a history lesson. I love history, and read it for fun, but for some reason, French history has never been one of those areas that have held my interest. While the history of the church in France was interesting enough, the reader must also get through Napoleon and the Revolution, because no story of France could be told without them. Finally, we are brought to the present and future, to the mass amounts of donations that have been made to repair Norte Dame. To the design competition for the spire, and how the cathedral, like the French people, cannot be kept down.

Overall it was an enjoyable read, and I would recommend this for anyone visiting the cathedral once it’s open again.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers, and the author for an ARC in exchange for a fair review.

[Pimm Cullen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this on a whim from the audible sale. It was the colours at the top of the cover that caught my eye & drew me in. It's not my usual type of book.
The author provides an engaging history of Our Lady of Paris. Published in 2020, it includes the fire of 2019 and the start in the restoration works. I remember watching on tv and social media totally aghast at what was happening. I was surprised at how emotional I got listening to those chapters. The descriptions of what was happening in front of the world. The accounts from those involved initially as the structure burned. Rescuing treasures, helping firemen, and Parisians watching as the iconic symbol of their city was engulfed in flames.

The historic information was enlightening on major stages of Notre Dame's life, from the laying of the first stone in 1163. Each time the structure was added to or adapted, Napoleon, Victor Hugo, De Gaulle, replacing the bells 2013. Linked in every way to the story of Paris and its people. This is by no means an exhaustive history, but it is interesting & informative and a great starting point for a deeper dive. The author's style draws you in, telling you a story.

I'm glad I followed that whim.