Bohemian Paris

Library Journal

Seigel has written an important work, one which monitors the development of an extraordinary counterculture through all its evolutions and ambiguities during a constantly changing period of French history. Bohemian Paris was, of course, a uniquely creative entity; its art, ideas, literature, and lifestyles influenced (and were influenced by) the bourgeois world that was simultaneously taking shape. The author combines a sophisticated command of French history with an authoritative understanding of those who populated Bohemian Paris, e.g., Courbet, Rimbaud, Zola, and Cocteau. Though not an easy book, this represents a major contribution to social and intellectual history. Most academic libraries will want it. Mark R. Yerburgh , Trinity Coll. Lib., Burlington, Vt.