The Story of Paris

Mediæval Towns Series

by Thomas Okey, Katharine Kimball (Illustrator)

Winged Victory of Samothrace. >I will not forget this, that I can never mutinie so much against France but I must needes looke on Paris with a favourable eye: it hath my hart from my infancy; whereof it hath befalne me, as of excellent things, the more other faire and stately cities I have seene since, the more hir beauty hath power and doth still usurpingly gaine upon my affections. I love that citie for hir own sake, and more in hir only subsisting and owne being, than when it is fall fraught and embellished with forraine pompe and borrowed garish ornaments. I love hir so tenderly that hir spottes, her blemishes and hir warts are deare unto me. I am no perfect French man but by this great citie, great in people, great in regard of the felicitie of hir situation, but above all great and incomparable in varietie and diversitie of commodities; the glory of France and one of the noblest and chiefe ornaments of the world. God of his mercy free hir and chase away all our divisions from hir. So long as she shall continue, so long shall I never want a home or a retreat to retire and shrowd myselfe at all times.>…Montaigne. >Quand Dieu eslut nonante et dix royaumes Tot le meillor torna en douce France.> Couronnement Loys

405 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 9, 1906

About the author

Thomas Okey (1852 – 1935) was a British expert on basket weaving, a translator of Italian, and a writer on art and the topography of architecture and art works in Italy and France.

In 1919, he became the first Serena Professor of Italian at the University of Cambridge. Okey was a hereditary basket maker from a poor East End of London family,

Reviews

[Jason Reeser · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just don't know where to begin with this review. Having recently been to Paris, I wish I had read this before I'd gone. It gives a great overview of the history of the city. What seems to help is that the view is from the perspective of a pre-20th century, so it does not dwell on the more recent events, and much of the detail seems deeper, since the events written about were closer in time to the writer. It also does not carry much of the more jaded, cynical views that we so often hear today.

AFter a very thorough chronological look at the city's history in book one, Okey takes time in book two to play tour guide and walk the reader through the various sections of the city, detailing anecdotes about the buildings and streets. A very detailed walk through the Louvre gives us an idea of how the major works of art were displayed one hundred years ago. Oddly enough, much of what he describes is unchanged. (My wife and I readily recognized the routes and items he mentions. It is pretty cool to realize that much of the tour is the same as it was for people at the start of the 1900s.

Though there were no illustrations in this Kindle edition, the book itself is filled with them, and I will look to see if I can find an old print edition with them. This book is a researcher's delight. I learned about many things (an in-depth analysis of the Western Facade of Notre Dame's imagery, for an example) that I could not find on the Internet.

I must have highlighted nearly two dozen passages in this book. It is full of excellent information. If you are interested in the history of this wonderful city, make sure you add this to your reading list.

[Elisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very comprehensive history of Paris (and some other cities and countries, naturally, as they came into conflict or contact with it), from the Romans to Napoleon Bonaparte.
It's not short but it's not burdensome either. The author does tell a story; a bunch of them, in fact, recounting legends and famous accounts of conquerors, barbarians, kings, and paupers.
This book is very helpful if you wish to learn about the Louvre's evolution throughout the centuries but the last 20% is a detailed guide of the museum that I'm sure was indispensable in 1915 but that you can skim through nowadays. You won't be missing much, unless you're actually in the Louvre, book in hand.