[.ca] A Corner in the Marais: Memoir of a Paris Neighborhood (ISBN 1567921981)

Not your typical armchair travel book.:
If you have ever tried to research the history of your own home, you will be green with envy over the level of detail Karmel achieved not only about the structure but also about the neighborhood. Of course, Paris itself has a rich history that has been widely recorded. The author has very nicely dovetailed the history of Paris and its environs with the story of his pied-a-terre.

Charming snapshot of Paris throughout history:
This is a relatively small and delightful book that offers a snapshot of life in Paris throughout history. The author purchased a small appartment in an old and relatively untouched partof Paris, and decided to research the history surroounding it. Thus he embarks on a bit of an adventure to find out about the previous owners and the building's usage, and in doing so gives the reader a (relatively brief) overview of the area. It really is a charming view of Paris and the joys of living in a city that has seen so much history, from the earliest times when the area was outside the old walled city, up to the revolution, the Nazi occupation and the terrorism that blights the world today. The story is told in a charming and light hearted manner, and will appeal to those with a real interest in old Paris and all of its pleasures. A small criticism - it could have been a bigger and more detailed book. Obviously a city such as Paris has a fabulous and fascinating history that the house observed in its quiet way from its unobtrusive corner. Perhaps there were no historical documents that tie it to these great events, but it was there nonetheless, and I feel that the book lacks a litle for these omissions. Having said that, it is a charming book, and one which is well worth your time.

A walk through the neighborhood:
I read this book on the train coming home from Paris and could picture the building, the neighborhood and really got a feeling for the area. I only wish the book had been longer and had delved into the author's personal life in Paris a bit more. Maybe in Volume Two, one can hope.

A book of mixed quality:
The author is not a very gripping writer of history, but when writing about his own experiences and his neighborhood in the present, he does a great job. It is a big task for someone who's not a professional historian to really work himself into different areas of European history, and Karmel is not equal to the task, falling back on numerous generalizations, particularly about the older periods he discusses. Read his description of the neighborhood in the modern period and skip the rest.

A Marais Memoir:
This book reminded me of William Murray's City of Soul, about Rome. Karmel is obviously in love with his Paris and it is infectious. The narrative about Karmel's first trip to Paris, then how he moved to Paris and bought an apartment in the Marais was intriguing, although his detours into the history of the neighborhood were less interesting. I found I wanted to know more about Karmel and his wife than about who had lived in his street two hundred years ago. And the photographs! There are some marvelous black and white Atget photos in this book and although there really isn't much going on in them, these studies of shadow and light are worth the price of the book alone.