Having previously enjoyed Andrew
Hussey’s Fracture France (see my review Here), I decided to have a look
at some of his other books. To my
surprise, I found Paris: the secret history.
I took this to read whilst I was on my last trip to France. What a fascinating book it is.
At 433 pages, it is an extensive
look at the world-renowned city. However,
the content is divided into 9 sections, each covering a specific time frame. If, as a reader, you need to ration your time,
the book will easily accommodate that. The first section takes you from prehistory
up to AD 987. The following parts covering
various time frames right up to 2005, which at the time of publication in 2006,
was the present day at that point.
There are some very useful illustrations included along with notes
and references at the back. There is a selected
bibliography and an extensive index.
All of which means there is an opportunity for further reading if you
choose, and an excellent aid to finding specific bits of history, places, or
people, if you need to.
I read the book in
its entirety across the month I spent in France. It travelled with me as I explored the Les
Alpes Mancelles and meandered along the route of the river Sarthe. The narrative voice is clear and encouraging, and I never once had to think twice about picking up the book to continue my
journey through the history of my favourite city. Yes, this book is a vast history book, but in
telling the story of Paris, Hussey is also telling the story of France, its
culture, people, and psyche. I can
honestly say that it is quite a while since I have read such an informative
narrative. I'll be adding this book to my collection as it has duly earned its place on my bookshelf. I’m also sure that I will be going back to it
time after time, looking for answers as I continue my own wanderings throughout France.
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