Overview

What was the personality of 19th-century Paris? To answer that question, this book eschews the conventional narrative and chronological route taken by most histories of Paris. Instead, it thematically analyses the complex personality traits of Paris from the onset of the Revolution of 1789 to the beginning of the Great War. Starting with the topographical and cultural legacies that late 18th-century Paris inherited from its foundation in pre-Roman and Roman times and from its medieval infancy and early-modern adolescence, The Personality of Paris unpacks the social and material complexity of the 19th-century city. It considers the role of immigration in the making of Parisians and in the city's growth from half a million in 1801 to almost three million in 1911. It examines the making of its distinctive landscape through the construction of monuments and architectural icons, through its massive re-modelling by Napoléon III and Baron Haussmann, through its five world exhibitions, through its emphasis on food, fashion and leisure, and through the ways in which Parisians sought rural release from urban pressure. Finally, the book considers the self-harm done to the person of 19th-century Paris by revolutions and wars and the damage inflicted on it by 20th-century hubristic politicians and architects.

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9781350252639

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Reviews

Using his skill and experience as a historical geographer, Alan Baker provides an illuminating exposition of how the varied townscape of Paris came into being during the long nineteenth century. Enriched with an array of maps and illustrations, his depiction of the complex and always split personality of Paris is a most welcome contribution to our understanding of the appearance of the city. * Hugh Clout, Emeritus Professor, Department of Geography, University College London, UK * Alan Baker offers us an unprecedented look at the personality of Paris in the 19th century. Its historical geography takes on a new meaning thanks to a sensitive analysis of the Parisian space and Parisians. A remarkable work to discover to learn another Parisian geography. * Philippe Boulanger, Geographer and Professor, Sorbonne University, France * A work of great scholarship, erudition, and imagination, with an innovative structure and enormous range of data. [A] big success. * Robin Butlin, Emeritus Professor of Geography, University of Leeds, UK *

Using his skill and experience as a historical geographer, Alan Baker provides an illuminating exposition of how the varied townscape of Paris came into being during the long nineteenth century. Enriched with an array of maps and illustrations, his depiction of the complex and always split personality of Paris is a most welcome contribution to our understanding of the appearance of the city. --Hugh Clout, Emeritus Professor, Department of Geography, University College London, UK Alan Baker offers us an unprecedented look at the personality of Paris in the 19th century. Its historical geography takes on a new meaning thanks to a sensitive analysis of the Parisian space and Parisians. A remarkable work to discover to learn another Parisian geography. --Philippe Boulanger, Geographer and Professor, Sorbonne University, France A work of great scholarship, erudition, and imagination, with an innovative structure and enormous range of data. [A] big success. --Robin Butlin, Emeritus Professor of Geography, University of Leeds, UK

Author Information

Alan R. H. Baker is Life Fellow of Emmanuel College, University of Cambridge, UK. He is the author of three books, including Geography and History: Bridging the Divide (2003) and Amateur Musical Societies and Sports Clubs in Provincial France, 1848-1914 (2017), and the editor or co-editor of a further seven books. He is a Fellow of the British Academy and Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Palmes Académiques.

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