The romance and reality of Paris, the Olympics’ host
Five non-fiction books about a city that is both gilded and gritty
![FILE PHOTO: The Olympic rings displayed on the first floor of the Eiffel Tower](https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1424,quality=80,format=auto/content-assets/images/20240727_BLP505.jpg)
PARIS LIFTS the soul, and then exasperates. It expresses reason in its orderly layout and tugs at the heart. The City of Lights mixes magic with the mundane: it is a place of bridges in the moonlight and harshly lit RER underground stations; zinc rooftops and brutalist tower blocks; fine dining and fury on the streets. As the host of the Olympic games, which begin on July 26th, Paris is more than ever a showcase, set to dazzle and delight the world. But the French capital’s often-hidden complexity and paradoxes are also part of its richness. This selection of non-fiction books—most of them by outsiders who have adopted Paris in some way—convey the character of a city that is both familiar and mysterious.
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