Stephane Kirkland

Hard to visualize with prose alone

An interesting history from time to time concerning events from the Second Republic to the Third Republic with the Second Empire in between.

The description of streets and buildings is very hard to follow without maps and images (historic and current).

A detailed overview of the redesign of Paris under Napoleon III and Baron Haussmann. It's well-written and even-handed, a good book for civil planning enthusiasts and Paris lovers who want more than what a basic guide book will tell you. Could use more maps.