Paris: A Short History

A compact history of Paris, chronicling key events and figures from its inception to the present, which have molded its distinctive cultural heritage. Known for its elegance, wit, and sensuality, Paris's story, as told by Jeremy Black, transcends a city's boundaries, encapsulating a civilization, society, and nation that has globally impacted through centuries of shifting tides. Black delves into the transformation of a modest Gallic capital into a thriving medieval metropolis adorned with magnificent palaces and cathedrals. He portrays the lavish courts of Louis XIV and XV, the societal upheaval of the Revolution, the Belle poque, and the devastation of World Wars I and II, culminating in today's iconic Paris.