November 16, 2022
Paris Histories and Mysteries:
How the City of Lights Has Changed the World
John A. Frederick
Aviva Publishing (2022)
ISBN: 978-1-63618-241-4
Paris’ Greatest Secrets Revealed in New Travel Guide
John A. Frederick loves Paris, and as an American who has moved there, he knows what readers will be intrigued by when it comes to the City of Lights. A lover of Paris myself, I absolutely loved Paris Histories and Mysteries, Frederick’s new book that reveals the story behind some of the most important monuments and events of France and its history. Many of them had world-changing influences, though we may not even realize it today.
Each chapter of Paris Histories and Mysteries focuses on a fascinating story connected with Paris. It tells you details that will surprise and amaze or intrigue you. Several are about well-known places like the Eiffel Tower or famous people like Nostradamus, but Frederick digs into the historical record to find fascinating facts you didn’t know. For example, did you know Eiffel had agreed to tear down his famous tower after twenty years? Can you even imagine Paris without its landmark piercing the skyline? Frederick shares the story of how Eiffel managed to preserve his masterpiece for generations yet unborn to marvel over.
Other stories read more like fiction than historical fact. Isn’t the Phantom of the Opera just a famous musical, movie, or book—the fictional creation of novelist Gaston Leroux made more popular by Lon Chaney and Andrew Lloyd Webber? He couldn’t possibly be real…or could he? Frederick, using clues in Leroux’s novel that suggest the story was based on fact, digs through the historical record to find evidence that both the Phantom and his musical protégé have historical counterparts, and the proof lies right below the Paris Opera House.
Other stories may be more obscure to the reader, but they are just as fascinating. Countless people have drowned in the Seine, but one death of an unknown woman had far-reaching effects. Anyone who has ever taken a CPR class, including Michael Jackson, owes a debt to this unknown woman. Frederick explains why that is in his opening chapter.
The beautiful Paris we know today was once not beautiful at all. It was a city of dark, small, and filthy streets in tightly packed neighborhoods. What changed? The beautification of Paris began in the early 1600s. What started it all? It obviously wasn’t the Eiffel Tower. Was it the cathedral of Notre Dame or the Louvre? No, not at all. It was a bridge, the Pont Neuf. Frederick shares how this bridge became one of the world’s first scenic attractions. It changed how people thought about Paris. It allowed them to see vistas and panoramic views of the city, and as a result, it inspired countless city planners to make their own changes to cities around the world.
Did you know the French love American horror author Edgar Allan Poe as much as we do? And why wouldn’t they, especially since he set several short stories in Paris, most famously, “The Murders in the Rue Morgue.” But just where was the rue Morgue and how did Poe, who probably never visited Paris, know how to describe it so well? Frederick gets to the bottom of one of literature’s greatest mysteries and in the process sheds light on other literature, such as how Poe influenced the French poet Baudelaire.
Each chapter includes Travelers’ Tips about how to take the Paris metro to reach a specific historical place associated with the chapter’s story. Walking directions are also and details of what to look for that you might otherwise miss. I’ve been to Paris but missed so much that I can’t wait to go back and explore more using this book.
One gold nugget after another of fascinating French history and mystery fills these pages. You’ll seek for the secrets of turning lead into gold with fifteenth-century alchemist Nicolas Flamel. You’ll engage in court intrigue with Catherine de Medici. You’ll witness the start of World War II when a Jew living in Paris assassinates a German official. The story of Paris is the story of world history. It’s the story of all of us because, as Frederick says, Paris lives in the hearts and minds of people all over the world, and we have all been influenced by what has happened there whether we are aware of it or not. After reading Paris Histories and Mysteries, you will definitely be aware of the debt you owe Paris, and you’ll want to visit it to pay it proper homage and experience its mysteries again and again. Begin with an armchair tour through this fascinating book, then go visit the sites yourself, and watch Paris open up before you.
For more information about John A. Frederick and Paris Histories and Mysteries, visit www.JohnAFrederick.com.
— Tyler R. Tichelaar, PhD and award-winning author of The Gothic Wanderer and Melusine’s Gift
