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Chronicles of Old Paris: Exploring the Historic City of Light
Discover one of the world’s most fascinating and beautiful cities through 30 dramatic true stories spanning the rich history of <!--? prefix = st1 ns = "" /-->Paris. John Baxter takes readers through 2,000 years of French history with tales of the kings, queens, saints, and sinners who shaped the city. Essays explore the major historic events from the martyrdom of Saint Denis near today’s Abbesses Métro station to the epic romances of Heloise and Abelard, Josephine and Napoleon, and George Sand and Frédéric Chopin. Learn about the labyrinth of catacombs snaking under all of Paris and the artists who called the seedy Montmartre home in the 19th century. Then see it all for yourself with guided walking tours of each of Paris’s historic neighborhoods, illustrated with color photographs and period maps.
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
11 people are currently reading
165 people want to read
About the author
John Baxter
224 books122 followersJohn Baxter (born 1939 in Randwick, New South Wales) is an Australian-born writer, journalist, and film-maker.
Baxter has lived in Britain and the United States as well as in his native Sydney, but has made his home in Paris since 1989, where he is married to the film-maker Marie-Dominique Montel. They have one daughter, Louise.
He began writing science fiction in the early 1960s for New Worlds, Science Fantasy and other British magazines. His first novel, though serialised in New Worlds as THE GOD KILLERS, was published as a book in the US by Ace as The Off-Worlders. He was Visiting Professor at Hollins College in Virginia in 1975-1976. He has written a number of short stories and novels in that genre and a book about SF in the movies, as well as editing collections of Australian science fiction.
Baxter has also written a large number of other works dealing with the movies, including biographies of film personalities, including Federico Fellini, Luis Buñuel, Steven Spielberg, Stanley Kubrick, Woody Allen, George Lucas and Robert De Niro. He has written a number of documentaries, including a survey of the life and work of the painter Fernando Botero. He also co-produced, wrote and presented three television series for the Australian Broadcasting Commission, Filmstruck, First Take and The Cutting Room, and was co-editor of the ABC book programme Books And Writing.
In the 1960s, he was a member of the WEA Film Study Group with such notable people as Ian Klava, Frank Moorhouse, Michael Thornhill, John Flaus and Ken Quinnell. From July 1965 to December 1967 the WEA Film Study Group published the cinema journal FILM DIGEST. This journal was edited by John Baxter.
For a number of years in the sixties, he was active in the Sydney Film Festival, and during the 1980s served in a consulting capacity on a number of film-funding bodies, as well as writing film criticism for The Australian and other periodicals. Some of his books have been translated into various languages, including Japanese and Chinese.
Since moving to Paris, he has written four books of autobiography, A Pound of Paper: Confessions of a Book Addict, We'll Always Have Paris: Sex and Love in the City of Light, Immoveable feast : a Paris Christmas, and The Most Beautiful Walk in the World : a Pedestrian in Paris.
Since 2007 he has been co-director of the annual Paris Writers Workshop.
Baxter has lived in Britain and the United States as well as in his native Sydney, but has made his home in Paris since 1989, where he is married to the film-maker Marie-Dominique Montel. They have one daughter, Louise.
He began writing science fiction in the early 1960s for New Worlds, Science Fantasy and other British magazines. His first novel, though serialised in New Worlds as THE GOD KILLERS, was published as a book in the US by Ace as The Off-Worlders. He was Visiting Professor at Hollins College in Virginia in 1975-1976. He has written a number of short stories and novels in that genre and a book about SF in the movies, as well as editing collections of Australian science fiction.
Baxter has also written a large number of other works dealing with the movies, including biographies of film personalities, including Federico Fellini, Luis Buñuel, Steven Spielberg, Stanley Kubrick, Woody Allen, George Lucas and Robert De Niro. He has written a number of documentaries, including a survey of the life and work of the painter Fernando Botero. He also co-produced, wrote and presented three television series for the Australian Broadcasting Commission, Filmstruck, First Take and The Cutting Room, and was co-editor of the ABC book programme Books And Writing.
In the 1960s, he was a member of the WEA Film Study Group with such notable people as Ian Klava, Frank Moorhouse, Michael Thornhill, John Flaus and Ken Quinnell. From July 1965 to December 1967 the WEA Film Study Group published the cinema journal FILM DIGEST. This journal was edited by John Baxter.
For a number of years in the sixties, he was active in the Sydney Film Festival, and during the 1980s served in a consulting capacity on a number of film-funding bodies, as well as writing film criticism for The Australian and other periodicals. Some of his books have been translated into various languages, including Japanese and Chinese.
Since moving to Paris, he has written four books of autobiography, A Pound of Paper: Confessions of a Book Addict, We'll Always Have Paris: Sex and Love in the City of Light, Immoveable feast : a Paris Christmas, and The Most Beautiful Walk in the World : a Pedestrian in Paris.
Since 2007 he has been co-director of the annual Paris Writers Workshop.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
January 19, 2013
I'll be traveling to France later this year, so for Christmas my mother bought me a travel guide to Paris. Yes, that was very nice of her... but I found myself wanting something a bit more than a tourist guide. I wanted to know why I should visit the various sites listed in Fodor's, Fromm's, or Lonely Planet. Why did Rick Steves go where he went?
Well, here it is: the book that tells you why to go where you go. This book recounts the fascinating characters and locales of Paris's rich, centuries-old history. Starting before the fall of the Roman empire and working his way forward in history to decades within my own lifetime, John Baxter provides a poignant (and pointed!) history of Paris, old and new. With light wit and accessible language, Baxter guides you through the city, pointing out all the best sites and explaining why they're worth visiting. And with carefully mapped walking tours included at the end of the book, any traveler can arrive in Paris better armed with direction and historical knowledge.
What endeared me most to this book and to Baxter's writing is the simple and direct style with which he provides historical information for each of the sites listed. One need not be an expert on any one of Paris's many historical eras or their characters to get a full understanding from this book of the significance of each of the sites Baxter lists. And for those with some to much historical knowledge, this book does not condescend or demean, but rather humorously reinforces tired historical adages.
I am certain that my 11-year-old daughter could read this book and understand most of its content; likewise, I am certain that my 40-year-old husband with little interest in history can engage with the vivacious characters and historical anecdotes. Even if you're not on your way to Paris, this book colorfully recounts Parisian history, and gives insight into the magic of the city that brings tourists back year after year.
Well, here it is: the book that tells you why to go where you go. This book recounts the fascinating characters and locales of Paris's rich, centuries-old history. Starting before the fall of the Roman empire and working his way forward in history to decades within my own lifetime, John Baxter provides a poignant (and pointed!) history of Paris, old and new. With light wit and accessible language, Baxter guides you through the city, pointing out all the best sites and explaining why they're worth visiting. And with carefully mapped walking tours included at the end of the book, any traveler can arrive in Paris better armed with direction and historical knowledge.
What endeared me most to this book and to Baxter's writing is the simple and direct style with which he provides historical information for each of the sites listed. One need not be an expert on any one of Paris's many historical eras or their characters to get a full understanding from this book of the significance of each of the sites Baxter lists. And for those with some to much historical knowledge, this book does not condescend or demean, but rather humorously reinforces tired historical adages.
I am certain that my 11-year-old daughter could read this book and understand most of its content; likewise, I am certain that my 40-year-old husband with little interest in history can engage with the vivacious characters and historical anecdotes. Even if you're not on your way to Paris, this book colorfully recounts Parisian history, and gives insight into the magic of the city that brings tourists back year after year.
February 11, 2013
Better than the London version, this Chronicles has not only a walking guide at the end of the book, but also infromation at the end of each chapter, so the reader can follow the route of St. Denis for instance.
Still, not really Old considering it goes up to the 1960s. Yet an interesting read. Do have to wonder about the phrasing in one instance where discussing de Sade drugging women. No one was hurt? I can understand how the people at the time would see it that way, but surely the author could have phrased it better.
Still, not really Old considering it goes up to the 1960s. Yet an interesting read. Do have to wonder about the phrasing in one instance where discussing de Sade drugging women. No one was hurt? I can understand how the people at the time would see it that way, but surely the author could have phrased it better.
August 31, 2016
Oh, wow, this is just pure candy. My favorite Paris story however is from the biography of Leibniz by Maria Antognazza. Leibniz is in a bookshop and asks the owners for a title, but he doesn't know if it is shelved in logic or metaphysics. The owners not knowing who he is say: "what, do you not know the difference between logic and metaphysics?" and start jeering at him, "do you think our store is for just anyone off the street?" At this moment, the author of said book enters the store and begins to praise Leibniz's intellect in the most glowingly superlative terms. Immediately the store owners change their tune, falling all over themselves praising and fawning over Leibniz. It's like something that could happen in Paris today.
March 3, 2013
Well chosen highlights of Parisian cultural history and marvelously illustrated. However, it's riddled with historical inaccuracies.
September 17, 2018
John Baxter is a biographer of film directors and movie actors, and also a travel writer focusing on Paris and France. On my current trip to Paris, I brought this book with me for the obvious reason that I want to read about the city while living in the city. The way the book is set up is that there are 29 separate narratives dealing with the history of the great city, with recommended addresses to check out after each chapter. At the end of the book, there are walking tours focusing on Paris's history both political and cultural. All the usual suspects are here from Napolean to Hemingway but written in a lively and straightforward manner.
March 9, 2025
A fun read, I really enjoyed the short vignettes about some of the interesting people who lived in Paris and the things that gave the neighborhoods their character. For example, it was a nice introduction to someone like Coco Chanel. If I want to learn more, I can go find a book about her. The maps and directions are kind of tedious and the smaller photos were hard to see and often just a waste of space.
June 14, 2017
An interesting book, filled with fascinating stories of famous events and people involved in the history , politics, and art of Paris. At the end of each chapter there is an interactive map and descriptions of how you can visit the sites associated with the stories. Highly recommend the Kindle version for those who plan on visiting the 'City of Lights'.
April 7, 2019
I loved learning about the in depth history and then the walking tour guides in the back. Definitely bringing this with me to Paris when I get the chance to visit the city!
June 16, 2019
I like this author, his style, his sometimes irreverence with the subject matter.
July 13, 2020
Fabulous as always.... this was my 2nd read of this book... a brush up on old Paris
August 14, 2023
Very interesting historical stories! Will make my trip to Paris that much more fabulous!
February 18, 2016
A fairly engaging read, each chapter a snapshot of a defining event, scene or personality in the history of Paris, starting with the martyrdom of St.Denis in Roman times and ending with the May 1968 uprising. While generally well-written and lucid, there are a few significant errors in the dating and chronology of events that any decent fact-checker should have picked up, marring this otherwise solid entry in the "Chronicles Of Old..." Series. This is definitely 'history lite', and many of this book's readers are likely to overlook those mistakes, as it's the kind of thing one might pick up for a bit of background before traveling to Paris, rather than a work for someone seriously interested in history. Still, even for the latter, there are some unusual facts and new angles drawn out of well-worn episodes. For the traveler, as a bonus there are quite a few walking tours of the neighborhoods discussed in the histories here, which look enticing. The whole volume -- histories and itineraries -- is copiously illustrated with color images.
July 15, 2014
Vignettes of Paris that reveal answers to unasked questions, such as: What was Marie Antoinette really like? And what was her head shaped like before it rolled off the guillotine? Were Django Rheinhart and Stephane Grapelli offstage friends? Why not? Did it have something to do with Django's prediliction for unplucked chickens and low-rent floozies in the dressing room of the Hot Club?
Where did the Germans hang out in occupied Paris, WWII? Were Arletty and Piaf really collaborators?
Why did the US program to distribute food in France after WWI lead to widespread disgruntlement and despised Americans?
Baxter is an original, probing researcher who provides amusing answers in an entertaining style. The book is a quick bedside read and borders on breezy, but substantial and satisfying nonetheless. A nutritious, filling parfait?
Where did the Germans hang out in occupied Paris, WWII? Were Arletty and Piaf really collaborators?
Why did the US program to distribute food in France after WWI lead to widespread disgruntlement and despised Americans?
Baxter is an original, probing researcher who provides amusing answers in an entertaining style. The book is a quick bedside read and borders on breezy, but substantial and satisfying nonetheless. A nutritious, filling parfait?
May 20, 2012
This is exactly the kind of travel book I was looking for. Rather than read about all the must-see landmarks (most of which I have already seen), I wanted to learn more about the history of Paris, but in a tourist-friendly format. Each chapter covers a specific event, era, or historical figure. Aside from a little history lesson, the chapters provide a list of places you can visit in Paris that are connected with that chapter's subject. The last 80 pages of the book contains detailed information about 8 different walking tours with maps and photos. Don't judge this book by its cheesy looking cover; it won't disappoint.
September 5, 2013
I’ve always liked looking behind the scenes of history, because you can find more layers than are immediately visible. This guidebook brings you closer to these layers when you travel to Paris. The great part of this book is even if you don’t plan to go to Paris; it is simply a good read and makes you feel like traveling to the charming city.
The book has 29 short moments in Parisian history ranging from the heartwarming to tragic. My favorites are the tale of Chef Escoffier (Chapter 13) and the theft of Mona Lisa (Chapter 18). Just knowing these stories will make my next visit a much more interesting one.
The book has 29 short moments in Parisian history ranging from the heartwarming to tragic. My favorites are the tale of Chef Escoffier (Chapter 13) and the theft of Mona Lisa (Chapter 18). Just knowing these stories will make my next visit a much more interesting one.
September 21, 2012
A piecemeal history of Paris, Chronicles of Old Paris showcases the highlights of Parisian history as well as locations related to historic events that can be visited by modern-day travelers. Lesser known events in the city's long and storied past mix chronologically with lesser known happenings to create a wonderful view of the city. Included are a range of visuals representing people and places of each story and numerous walking tours of the city.
June 25, 2013
Fun look at the city of Paris through the many colorful characters who have lived there over the years. Hemingway, Marie Antoinette, Chopin, Josephine Baker, St Denis, Gustave Eiffel, the gargoyles of Notre Dame and more. A quick chapter on each person's life, and a map and walking tour of where to see "their" Paris. Fun read for anyone who is visiting Paris.
May 6, 2015
Interesting but nothing too deep
The book was occasionally interesting and had some helpful maps and photographs. However I couldn't help feeling that it was cobbled together, as if Baxter assigned different topics to students and combined their efforts into a book. The writing style seems to change from chapter to chapter, and some information overlaps and is repeated.
The book was occasionally interesting and had some helpful maps and photographs. However I couldn't help feeling that it was cobbled together, as if Baxter assigned different topics to students and combined their efforts into a book. The writing style seems to change from chapter to chapter, and some information overlaps and is repeated.
October 28, 2012
The book is informative, though dry in places. Some of the places listed seem interesting to visit, but many are "go look at this building where Ernest Hemingway once lived. Oh no, you can't go IN, but just look!". Not my style of tourism.
October 11, 2013
I enjoyed most of the stories in this book. However, I just didn't like how it managed to Americanize Paris. Still, I went back and gave it one more star because I did most of the walking tours on this book when I was in Paris, and it was an amazing experience.
August 6, 2014
Very fun and interesting book.
April 26, 2013
Entertaining travel book.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews