IMPOSSIBLE CITY

A look behind the myths and postcards of the City of Light.

Writing about Paris can easily become a parade of references to old movies and flowery evocations of the Belle Époque, but Kuper, an experienced journalist and author of Chums and The Happy Traitor, avoids the cliches in his account of the practical issues of living there. More than two decades ago, he moved there for a prosaic reason: It was more affordable than London. The central city of Paris, he notes, is surprisingly small, with about 2 million people crammed into mostly small apartments on narrow streets. A ring road called the Périphérique separates it, both literally and symbolically, from the sprawling suburbs, home to 10 million people. Though Kuper finds many positive things to say about the city, he is unafraid of pointing out the flaws, including the awful traffic and strangling bureaucracy. The city long thought of itself as the center of the world, but the author detects a recent retreat into nostalgia and insularity. Nevertheless, Paris still has wonderful food and drink, and the people, once you learn the social codes and rules, can be surprisingly agreeable. Ironically, the Covid-19 pandemic provided an opportunity for revival, with the local government creating more pedestrian-only spaces and upgrading the neglected parks. This has grown into “a gargantuan plan known as ‘Grand Paris,’” aiming to link the center with the suburbs. In 2024, the Paris Olympics will provide an opportunity to highlight the rejuvenation of the city. The author is glad to see it, but he hopes that Paris does not lose its unique character. His affection for Paris shines throughout the text, making it an enjoyable, balanced read.

With a dry wit and a journalist’s eye, Kuper unravels the layered past and looks to the complex future of Paris.