Notre-Dame: A History

by Richard Winston

The "aged queen of French cathedrals," Victor Hugo called Notre-Dame. And ancient it was - nearly 700 years had passed since the Bishop Maurice de Sully decided that Paris needed a cathedral worthy of France's capital. "Every face, every stone of the venerable monument," Hugo continued, "is a page not only of the history of the country but also of the history of science and art." Here, National Book Award Winner Richard Winston tells the dramatic story of the building of the great cathedral and the history that was made there - from the marriage of Mary Queen of Scots to the crowning of Napoleon to Charles de Gaulle's celebration of the liberation of Paris from the Nazis.

Genres: History, Travel, Nonfiction, France, Architecture

122 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1971

About the author

Richard Winston was a celebrated American translator of German literature. He collaborated throughout his career with his wife, Clara.

Reviews

[wren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting

Although this books contains a lot of historical detail that I quickly skimmed through, it gave a good flavor of what the cathedral has gone through. The topic is interesting enough to me that I didn't mind wading through that detail. stuff. She is a tough old bird who several times avoided being the star of a savory coq au vin. It is fun to discover bits of interesting details about her I had never heard. For example, SPOILER ALERT, upon direct orders from Hitler's headquarters, 3 tons of TNT were placed in the crypt of Notre Dame. They had planned to level her. That I never knew. It's too bad the author finished this book too early to include the recent fire at the cathedral. It is that fire that put questions about her in my head and sent me out to discover who she is. I do recommend this book.

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book includes much more than just the history of the building. It gives you a good overview of the history of France as well. Unfortunately, reading it left me with a number of questions that I felt should have been answered. There were also some statements that I found hard to believe. One appeared to be incorrect based on internet research and two others were supported by similar research but I could not corroborate or disprove the remaining ones. I would still recommend this book to anyone who loves Architecture, history or France.

[P. A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Notre Dame, a Cathedral for the Ages

Purchased this book on 16 April 2019, right after the fire. Along w millions around the world, I mourn the trauma this wonderful church endured and hope it can b recreated in time. My visit was 50 yrs ago, and it is a lovely, cherished memory, the highlight of the trip to Paris, when my husband & I were young.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A HISTORY OF NOTRE-DAME, Richard Winston. FRANCE, Paris. The Crusades to modern day.
Exploring the architectural features of the great cathedral were of great interest to me.....evolving from the Romanesque, French Gothic was the style of this period.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting info including French history along with the history of Notre Dame. A bittersweet look at the cathedral, given that it was so damaged in 2019. I’m grateful to have seen it the year before. Such a magnificent structure. The book was informative without being too deep. Worth the time!

[Candy Mayer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, very well written! I read it before I visited Paris and it was a good preview of Notre Dame.

[Lisa Shower · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating!

The history detailed in this book was intriguing. Realizing that this book was published well before the tragic fire made this book somewhat tragic.

[Nancy]

Concise, easy reading history of this famous cathedral.

[Talpa Betta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Il vero gobbo è Claude Frollo!