City of Light, City of Shadows: Paris in the Belle Epoque

The Belle Époque was a time of cultural flourishing and political progress in Paris, but it was also an era of social and religious unrest, arguments over women's emancipation, and violent clashes over what it meant to be French. This book weaves together stories of splendor and suffering, delight and agony, offering a brilliant account of the shadows cast across the City of Light.

Format: Hardback
Length: 448 pages
Publication date: 14 May 2024
Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group

Paris in the Belle Époque, a period of immense cultural and political prosperity, is cherished as a golden era. Spanning from the revolutionary 1870s to the outbreak of war in 1914, the modern French capital emerged, adorned with iconic landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower and Sacré-Coeur Basilica. During the day, Parisians marveled at these architectural wonders, while the night brought them to the vibrant world of the Moulin Rouge. However, as Mike Rapport reveals in his captivating new history, City of Light, City of Shadows, a deeper truth lies beneath the elegant facade of Paris. This era was characterized by social and religious unrest, debates over women's emancipation, and violent clashes over what it meant to be French.

Paris pulsated with a mix of pleasure, anxiety, and tension fueled by the rapid pace of modernity. Blazing electric lights illuminated the night, the first cars zoomed down the boulevards, and the first Métro trains and aeroplane flights took off, leaving the city in awe. At the same time, reactionary forces reemerged, most notably through the infamous Dreyfus affair, which exposed the dark underbelly of French antisemitism.

The book unfolds through the perspectives of remarkable figures of the era, including novelist Émile Zola, feminist activist Marguerite Durand, Vietnamese diplomat Nguyễn Trọng Hợp, and socialist politician Jean Jaurès. These individuals' lives and experiences intertwine, weaving together a tapestry of splendor and suffering, delight and agony. Through their eyes, the book offers a brilliant account of the shadows that cast a dark spell over the City of Light.

The Belle Époque was a time of immense cultural and social transformation, marked by the rise of new artistic movements, the expansion of education, and the emergence of a more progressive and inclusive society. It was also a period of great scientific advancements, with the discovery of new technologies and the unraveling of the mysteries of the universe. However, beneath the surface of this glamorous era, tensions and conflicts were brewing.

The Belle Époque was a time of immense cultural and social transformation, marked by the rise of new artistic movements, the expansion of education, and the emergence of a more progressive and inclusive society. It was also a period of great scientific advancements, with the discovery of new technologies and the unraveling of the mysteries of the universe. However, beneath the surface of this glamorous era, tensions and conflicts were brewing.

The Belle Époque was a time of immense cultural and social transformation, marked by the rise of new artistic movements, the expansion of education, and the emergence of a more progressive and inclusive society. It was also a period of great scientific advancements, with the discovery of new technologies and the unraveling of the mysteries of the universe. However, beneath the surface of this glamorous era, tensions and conflicts were brewing.

The Belle Époque was a time of immense cultural and social transformation, marked by the rise of new artistic movements, the expansion of education, and the emergence of a more progressive and inclusive society. It was also a period of great scientific advancements, with the discovery of new technologies and the unraveling of the mysteries of the universe. However, beneath the surface of this glamorous era, tensions and conflicts were brewing.

The Belle Époque was a time of immense cultural and social transformation, marked by the rise of new artistic movements, the expansion of education, and the emergence of a more progressive and inclusive society. It was also a period of great scientific advancements, with the discovery of new technologies and the unraveling of the mysteries of the universe. However, beneath the surface of this glamorous era, tensions and conflicts were brewing.

Weight: 716g
Dimension: 164 x 243 x 40 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780349128160