Think you know about Paris, about the cosmopolitan city that shines as a beacon of sophistication around the world? Full of romance and charm but scratch just beneath the surface and you'll find heathens in a city that has been the epicenter of vice, greed, and insurrection. A warrior city covered in gore and wounds that refuses to lie down quietly. Her armor is the generations of Parisians who have fought for their rights and sometimes taken them. Men and women of the lowest classes who lived their lives without apology or remorse, the quintessence of Parisian. Names that will never be known along with famous ones that helped to create a Paris where cultural bigotry ran side by side with revolutionary ideas that helped to change the world at large.
This book is not for the casual reader but for the enthusiast who wants to delve into the reality of Paris. The photographs of Brassai perfectly illustrate the attraction of Paris, the sensuality and the glint of danger under the surface. The music of Edith Piaf gives you a glimpse into the tormented soul of the working class. And Luc Sante's book lays bare her foundations built upon the bones of her people who refuse to relinguish their rights to be Parisians. Jean-Paul Clebert once wrote, " All cities are geological: you can't go three steps without meeting ghosts fortified with the aura of their legends. " In this book you will come to realize that Paris is a monolith of untold stories that you never imagined were waiting to be told.
A definite recommendation to anyone who thinks they know Paris or the Parisians. This is a bold cup of coffee wake up, first thing in the morning. Welcome but bracing.
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