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Impossible City

Paris in the Twenty-First Century

Simon Kuper author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Profile Books Ltd

Published:11th Apr '24

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Impossible City cover

This memoir explores the complexities of Paris through personal experiences and significant events, making Impossible City a captivating read for anyone interested in contemporary urban life.

In Impossible City, Simon Kuper offers an unflinching memoir that captures the essence of Paris in the 21st century. As a long-time resident, Kuper has not only observed the city as a journalist but has also experienced its complexities as a father and a member of the community. Through his eyes, readers are taken on a journey through the vibrant streets, from indulging in croissants to navigating the challenges of raising children amidst the backdrop of a city that has seen both beauty and turmoil.

The narrative unfolds against a backdrop of significant events that have shaped modern Paris. Kuper reflects on the gentrification and globalization that have transformed the city, often highlighting its dual nature as a multicultural haven and a place of conflict. He recounts the impact of terrorist attacks, environmental disasters, and social movements, painting a vivid picture of a city grappling with its identity and future.

As the Olympics approach and the ambitious 'Grand Paris' project aims to bridge the gap between the affluent city center and its neglected suburbs, Impossible City serves as a poignant reminder of the resilience and dynamism of Paris. Kuper's insightful observations and personal anecdotes create a compelling narrative that challenges clichés and invites readers to see the city through a fresh lens.

Highly readable and amusing ... Kuper is a charming guide * New Statesman *
Next time you travel to the former City of Light, take this book * Independent *
An absorbing, affectionate, acutely observed, cliché-free study of contemporary Paris * Irish Times *
A persuasive defence of the very idea of a city... a reminder of the countless ways in which urban life remains one of the few efficient vaccines against bigotry and toxic nationalism * Washington Post *
A portrait of Parisian society ... the style is elegant and flinty, the humour dry -- Andrew Martin * Literary Review *
One of the best books about Paris... deftly debunks the alarmist narratives [to] reveal a city of tolerance and nuance * Foreign Affairs *
Kuper has the journalist's touch of rendering clichés less clichéd and giving the personal a hint of universalism * Times Literary Supplement *
[A] revealing memoir ... Kuper is a clear-eyed observer of all the history that is happening all around him * Observer *
Informative and enlightening with a sarcastic touch... puts us on the streets themselves and lets us mingle * Los Angeles Review of Books *
With a dry wit and a journalist's eye, Kuper unravels the layered past and looks to the future * Kirkus Review *
A lively read that captures many of the capital's contradictions * Economist *
With the perspective of a foreigner, and two decades as a Paris resident behind him, Kuper chronicles the paradoxical complexities of Parisian life in his memoir -- 'Best summer books of 2024' * Financial Times *
Simon Kuper does a great job in conveying why Paris is a city that is impossible to embrace and impossible to resist ... very funny * Irish Examiner *
A must-read for admirers of the City of Light -- Mark Brocklesby * Jersey Evening Post *
Praise for Chums: 'A searing onslaught on the smirking Oxford insinuation that politics is all just a game. It isn't. It matters -- Matthew Parris
A gripping read ... exquisite and depressing in equal measure -- Matthew Syed * Sunday Times *
A sparkling firework of a book -- Lynn Barber * Spectator *
Incisive, insightful and timely -- Richard Beard * New Statesman *
Fascinating ... The picture Kuper draws is of a nation with a decadent and deeply unprofessional ruling class, a diagnosis with which it is impossible to disagree -- Hugo Rifkind * The Times *

ISBN: 9781800816480

Dimensions: 140mm x 216mm x 28mm

Weight: 380g

272 pages

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