The Washington Post
Though Paris Between Empires is enthralling, one hesitates to call it popular history. Philip Mansel marshals so much information -- drawn from letters, diaries, novels, memoirs and numerous secondary sources -- that his lovingly detailed book may be off-putting to the casual reader or to anyone who simply wishes a potted history of Paris during the first half of the 19th century. Instead, what Mansel provides is a meticulous account of the tidal shifts in French politics after the defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte: the Bourbon restoration of Louis XVIII, Charles X's succession, the revolution of 1830 that led to the installation of Louis-Philippe as "king of the French" and finally the triumph of Louis Napoleon, first as an elected head of state and then, following his 1851 coup, as Emperor Napoleon III. — Michael Dirda
Publishers Weekly
Historian Mansel (Louis XVIII) offers both the political and social history of Paris during the tumultuous period between Napoleon I and Napoleon III. The narrative begins in 1814, with the city in chaos at the fall of Napoleon Bonaparte and the celebratory welcoming back to the city of the Bourbon king Louis XVIII. Mansel shows us how Louis successfully navigated the unknown waters of constitutional monarchy. But the Bonapartist dreams of empire lived on. Indeed, the entire period covered by Mansel can be viewed as one long struggle between the contending ideologies of republicanism, royalism and Bonapartism, with revolution and restoration the period's dominant themes. The unpopular King Charles X was ousted by a republican revolution in July 1830 after he had suspended freedom of the press and dissolved the Chamber of Deputies. The July Monarchy of Louis-Philippe began with the promise of a "citizen-king" with republican ideals. Yet when faced with opposition in the press and in the streets, Louis-Philippe turned to repression. After several uprisings, a republican revolution came in February of 1848, and by the end of Mansel's skillful account, the Bonapartists have made a comeback. Louis-Napoleon was voted president of the republic in 1848, but by 1852 he'd become emperor Napoleon III. Into all this political history, Mansel weaves a large and vivid dose of social history: portrayals of how great men and women, from Victor Hugo to Chateaubriand, reacted to the major events of the day and sketches of Paris's theater scene, its rich literary culture, cafe society and salons. Mansel is especially adept at placing Paris's history within the context of wider European events. Illus. not seen by PW. (Mar.) Copyright 2003 Cahners Business Information.
Library Journal
Mansel, the author of a detailed and intelligent biography of Louis XVIII, has now written a scholarly study of Paris from the fall of Napoleon to the proclamation of Emperor Napoleon III. The period prior to the Franco-Prussian War was one of cultural flowering for Paris. Drawing from original sources such as journals, newspapers, and unpublished diaries and memoirs (there are over 100 pages of "Notes" and "Works Cited"), Mansel re-creates a time when Paris was the cultural capital of the world. Calling Paris in the period 1830-48 the "City of Ink," Mansel demonstrates the importance of journalists and writers to the political, social, and cultural life of the city and also covers the role of upper-class women, who influenced events through their husbands and salons. Equally important is Mansel's depiction of class warfare and the increasing chasm between rich and poor, which helps readers appreciate the ongoing struggle in France between revolution and royalism. This important addition to research and scholarly collections is highly recommended.-Herbert E. Shapiro, Empire State Coll./SUNY, Rochester Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
