Thomas Okey’s Paris and Its Story recounts the long history of the French capital from its Roman origins through the Middle Ages and beyond. Okey traces the growth of the city on the Seine, its medieval kings, cathedrals, and universities, the building of Notre-Dame, and the dramatic events that unfolded in its streets across the centuries. The book blends history, topography, and anecdote to bring the story of Paris vividly to life.
Particularly rich in its treatment of medieval Paris, the work evokes the city of Saint Louis, Abelard, and the great Gothic age, when Paris was a centre of faith and learning for all of Europe. Okey writes with affection and knowledge of the monuments and memories that fill the city. Readers interested in Paris, medieval France, or urban history will enjoy it.