Skip to content
Back to The Rest Is History
The Rest Is History artwork
The Rest Is HistoryMay 27, 2021

57. Paris

Summary, books mentioned, transcript quotes, and timestamps for 57. Paris on The Rest Is History.

Notable books mentioned: Left Bank, Art, Passion and the Rebirth of Paris, 1940 to 1950 by Agnès Poirier, Notre Dame, the Soul of France by Agnès Poirier, Fouché by Stephen Schwartz, Rouges en Macquart by Émile Zola

Shop This Episode

Buy the books listeners heard in this conversation.

Left Bank, Art, Passion and the Rebirth of Paris, 1940 to 1950 cover
Mentioned at 2:13
Left Bank, Art, Passion and the Rebirth of Paris, 1940 to 1950
Agnès Poirier

The host mentions Agnès Poirier's book as a significant exploration of Paris during a transformative period, particularly focusing on the aftermath…

Notre Dame, the Soul of France cover
Mentioned at 2:25
Notre Dame, the Soul of France
Agnès Poirier

The host mentions Agnès Poirier's book to highlight the profound emotional impact the Notre Dame fire had not only on the French but also on people…

Fouché cover
Mentioned at 29:31
Fouché
Stephen Schwartz

The host mentions 'Fouché' by Stephen Schwartz as a remarkable portrayal of the first French policeman, highlighting the complexities of power dyna…

Listen
The Rest Is History artwork
Episode audio
57. Paris
The Rest Is History • Tap any mention timestamp to jump straight into playback.
Ready to play
0:00--:--
Episode summary, books & quotes

57. Paris mentions Left Bank, Art, Passion and the Rebirth of Paris, 1940 to 1950 by Agnès Poirier, Notre Dame, the Soul of France by Agnès Poirier, Fouché by Stephen Schwartz, and Rouges en Macquart by Émile Zola with timestamps, quotes, and episode context.

Episode summary
It may just be the most popular city on earth. Throughout history Paris has maintained a grip on the public imagination, thanks to its culture, architecture and its people. French journalist and historian Agnès Poirier joins Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook to discuss La Ville Lumièr.
Book mentions5
Media mentions2
Search intent answers

Quick FAQ

Direct answers for the summary, books, and takeaways queries sending search traffic to this episode.

What is 57. Paris about?

Summary, books mentioned, transcript quotes, and timestamps for 57. Paris on The Rest Is History.

What are the main takeaways from 57. Paris?

These are the strongest takeaways surfaced by the transcript, summary copy, and linked mentions for 57. Paris.

  • The conversation centers on history of Paris.
  • A second recurring theme is impact of Notre Dame fire.
  • Referenced books include Left Bank, Art, Passion and the Rebirth of Paris, 1940 to 1950 by Agnès Poirier and Notre Dame, the Soul of France by Agnès Poirier.
  • The strongest audience signal points to Anyone interested in Parisian history and culture and Readers interested in cultural history and architecture.

Which books are mentioned in 57. Paris?

Left Bank, Art, Passion and the Rebirth of Paris, 1940 to 1950 by Agnès Poirier, Notre Dame, the Soul of France by Agnès Poirier, and Fouché by Stephen Schwartz are the clearest linked books in this episode, each tied back to transcript timestamps and quote cards.

Why are listeners searching for 57. Paris?

57. Paris keeps attracting summary-style searches because this page combines episode context, transcript quotes, book references, and direct jump links back into the audio.

Topic and sentiment signals

Aggregated from transcript-derived mention metadata for better topical navigation and citation.

Mention sentiment
Deep Dive(2)Highly Recommended(2)Passing Reference(1)
Audience signals
Anyone interested in Parisian history and cultureReaders interested in cultural history and architectureHistory enthusiasts and those interested in French politicsLiterature enthusiasts and students of French history.Readers interested in 19th century literature and Parisian history.

Books Mentioned

Left Bank, Art, Passion and the Rebirth of Paris, 1940 to 1950 cover
Best for Anyone interested in Parisian history and cultureOften cited around history of Paris

Agnès Poirier has written two fantastic books on the history of Paris, including 'Left Bank, Art, Passion and the Rebirth of Paris, 1940 to 1950', which covers the Second World War and the recovery from it.

View mention details
Sentiment: Highly Recommended
For: Anyone interested in Parisian history and culture
Key quote: And that's a really fabulous book because that 1940 to 1950, you get the Second World War and then you get the recovery from the Second World War.
The host mentions Agnès Poirier's book as a significant exploration of Paris during a transformative period, particularly focusing on the aftermath of World War II. This book is highlighted for its unique perspective on the cultural and artistic revival of the city during those years.
ASIN: B073Z75R1J
Buy on Amazon
Notre Dame, the Soul of France cover
Best for Readers interested in cultural history and architectureOften cited around impact of Notre Dame fire

Agnès Poirier wrote 'Notre Dame, the Soul of France' in the aftermath of the fire that swept the Great Barrier, beginning the book with a moving account of witnessing the fire.

View mention details
Sentiment: Deep Dive
For: Readers interested in cultural history and architecture
Key quote: And that was something, the thought that Notre Dame might be lost was something that people in Paris, people in France obviously found incredibly upsetting, but also people around the world.
The host mentions Agnès Poirier's book to highlight the profound emotional impact the Notre Dame fire had not only on the French but also on people worldwide. Poirier's personal experience and reflections in her book provide insight into the cultural significance of the cathedral.
ASIN: B07ZWB5TZF
Buy on Amazon
Fouché cover
Fouché
Stephen Schwartz
Best for History enthusiasts and those interested in French politicsOften cited around Parisian history and power

There's a fantastic portrait of Fouché, who was the, you know, police head honcho of Napoleon by Stephen Schwartz. And I think that's what I like. It's the most remarkable book about, in a way, the first French policemen.

View mention details
Sentiment: Highly Recommended
For: History enthusiasts and those interested in French politics
Key quote: There's a fantastic portrait of Fouché, who was the, you know, police head honcho of Napoleon by Stephen Schwartz.
The host mentions 'Fouché' by Stephen Schwartz as a remarkable portrayal of the first French policeman, highlighting the complexities of power dynamics in Paris. This book is referenced in the context of discussing the murky relationship between the police and the populace during significant historical events in France.
ASIN: B000G163WC
Buy on Amazon
Rouges en Macquart cover
Best for Literature enthusiasts and students of French history.Often cited around Paris and Émile Zola

The speaker reflects on their attempt to read Zola's Rouges en Macquart sequence during their student years, highlighting its portrayal of late 19th century Paris.

View mention details
Sentiment: Passing Reference
For: Literature enthusiasts and students of French history.
Key quote: I had this mad idea of reading all Zola's Rouges en Macquart sequence and completely and utterly failed.
The host mentions 'Rouges en Macquart' while discussing the portrayal of late 19th century Paris in literature. They reflect on their own experience of attempting to read Zola's works, indicating a personal connection to the subject.
ASIN: B01MFHQISI
Buy on Amazon
La Somoire cover
La Somoire
Émile Zola
Best for Readers interested in 19th century literature and Parisian history.Often cited around Paris in the 19th century

The speaker mentions La Somoire as part of their discussion on late 19th century Paris and the works of Zola.

View mention details
Sentiment: Deep Dive
For: Readers interested in 19th century literature and Parisian history.
Key quote: I'm all about the late 19th century Paris. I'm the Paris of La Somoire and all these sort of...
The host discusses the transformation of Paris during the late 19th century, particularly through the lens of Émile Zola's works. 'La Somoire' is highlighted as a significant representation of this era, contrasting with other literary figures like Proust.

Movies & Documentaries Mentioned

Movie

Marie Antoinette

Confidence: 100%

The speaker mentions their daughter's favorite film, which is Marie Antoinette.

Movie

Les Miserables

Confidence: 100%

The discussion moves on to another film, Les Miserables, which features revolutionary activity.