In this luminous portrait of Paris, the celebrated historian gives us
the history, culture, disasters, and triumphs of one of the world’s truly great cities.
While Paris may be many things, it is never boring.

From
the rise of Philippe Auguste through the reigns of Henry IV and Louis XIV (who abandoned
Paris for Versailles); Napoleon’s rise and fall; Baron Haussmann’s rebuilding of
Paris (at the cost of much of the medieval city); the Belle Epoque and the Great
War that brought it to an end; the Nazi Occupation, the Liberation, and the postwar
period dominated by de Gaulle–Horne brings the city’s highs and lows, savagery and
sophistication, and heroes and villains splendidly to life. With a keen eye for the
telling anecdote and pivotal moment, he portrays an array of vivid incidents to show
us how Paris endures through each age, is altered but always emerges more brilliant
and beautiful than ever. The Seven Ages of Paris is a great historian’s tribute to
a city he loves and has spent a lifetime learning to know.

Knowledgeable and colorful, written with gusto and love…. [An] ambitious and skillful narrative that covers the history of Paris with considerable brio and fervor.
-LOS ANGELES TIMES BOOK REVIEW