Eric Hazan

This is a very readable collection of short pieces on various aspects of contemporary and historic Paris and Parisians. “Le tumulte” in the book’s title refers to the ever-evolving nature of the city. While in this and his previous books, Hazan takes a negative view of past and present changes, in particular the current gentrification of Paris which is turning it almost into a Disneyland and driving the inhabitants of the “populaire quartiers” out of the city altogether, he notes that the physical structure of the city has in many respects survived and as the city evolves in the future the trends he deplores today could still be reversed.

Many of the pieces illustrate the ongoing “tumulte” such as those concerned with changes in tabacs, cafes, and librairies. Others simply give him the opportunity to address short subjects related to the city such as the pieces on Sartre, Deux Allemands (Heine and Benjamin) and Paris Ecrivains. Most of the pieces easily keep the reader’s interest although a few (such as the discussion of the architecture of the Bourse) require a bit more discipline to complete.… (more)