Tales of the New Babylon

by Rupert Christiansen
This book looks at Paris in the years 1869 to 1875.
This is a fascinating time covering the fall of the second empire, the franco-prussian war, the four month seige of Paris and the time of the Commune followed by the birth of the Third Republic.
I bought the book as a reference book to dip into now and then but once I had read the first chapter-a fascinating mix of contemorary travel guides-I was hooked and found it hard to put down until I had finished. The style is very easy and draws heavily on first hand accounts including many foreign observers who were caught up in events of the seige and the commune. There is a very good bibliography and two picture sections. This is most definitely a book I would revisit. 8/10