Paris: The Passenger

Description

Includes: Out of the Shadows: Being French, and Chinese by Tash Aw Men Who Hate Jews by James McAuley Sapoligy by Frederic Ciriez and Jean-Louis Samba Plus: The Breauburg effect, the anti-Michelin stars movement, the Champs-Elysees as avenue of revolt, and much more In Paris, nothing is quite what it seems, starting with its size: relatively small, but second in Europe if you consider the whole Isle-de-France. The distance between the city centre and its outskirts is even more marked, as Paris seems to push away new arrivals, banishing them to its geographical and social margins. The glare of the city lights can be blinding, as the Paris celebrated in books and films clashes with reality. And all the time the shadows are growing: the Bataclan terror attack, the violent protests of the gilet jaunes, rioting in the banlieues, Notre Dame in flames, record heatwaves, and the pandemic. Not just a series of unfortunate events, they are phenomena which all of the world's metropolis will have to face. But in Paris today there is an air of renewal: from planning and environmental revolution to a generation of chefs rebelling against the classist traditions of haute cuisine; from second generation immigrants reclaiming their rights to women's rejection of the stereotypes high fashion created for them. Does anyone really think they can teach Parisians how to start a revolution?

"These books are so rich and engrossing that it is rewarding to read them even when one is stuck at home." * The TLS * "Few travel guides are confident enough to tell the stories of a destination's complex realities as well as those of their beauty. [The Passenger] has a strong focus on storytelling, with pages given over to a mix of essays, playlists and sideways glances at subcultures and thorny urban issues." * The Stack * "Half-magazine, half-book . . . think of [The Passenger] as an erudite and literary travel equivalent to National Geographic, with stunning photography and illustration and fascinating writing about place." * Independent.ie (Best series of the year - 2021) * "The Passenger readers will find none of the typical travel guide sections on where to eat or what sights to see. Consider the books, rather, more like a literary vacation--the kind you can take without braving a long flight in the time of Covid-19." * Publisher's Weekly * "Fresh and diverting, informative and topical without being slight or ephemeral [...] This supremely well-edited combination of current affairs, journalism, commentary, and fun facts is perfect for our pause-button moment." * Australian Financial Review (Best Books of the Year) * "Tremendously eclectic and classily produced . . . each volume gets under the skin of a country or a city in a multifaceted way that feels essential in these times of narrowing national horizons." * The Bookseller *