Paris Then and Now (Then & Now) [Hardcover]

Peter Caine (Author), Oriel Caine (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 25, 2003

Celebrating beloved cities from around the world, this book on the City of Lights offers a unique combination of historic interest and contemporary beauty. Then and Now Paris features over 100 fascinating archival photographs contrasted with specially commissioned, full-color images of the same scene today. Each work is a visual lesson in the historic changes of this amazingly beautiful and wonderful urban landscape.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Peter Caine runs “Paris Walks” —a tour guide company in Paris that gives walking tours in English. He is a qualified guide lecturer. Peter has a degree in History and the History of Art and has been living in Paris for the last 20 years. He set up Paris Walking Tours in January 1995 and developed about one hundred different themed walks for visits in and around the city.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Thunder Bay Press (September 25, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592231365
• ISBN-13: 978-1592231362
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 9.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #394,460 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars We know these places, April 18, 2006

By 

John Joss (Los Altos, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Paris Then and Now (Then & Now) (Hardcover)

Anyone who has come to know and love central Paris--the 'theme park' areas that capture its historical essence--will find this book charmingly evocative. In the sense of being able to revisit those places, many of them typical tourist attractions, the book is satisfying. The problem of not duplicating the precise angle and POV of the original 'then' photographs, raised by another reviewer, is relatively trivial and technical. The 'now' shots capture their subjects well. No photographer will 'see' a scene, place or person the same way and from an aesthetic standpoint the 'now' photos are satisfying and professionally executed, and book production is first rate.
If one had to carp, and that's what a review is for in part, one might wonder why the authors did not take the opportunity to broaden their canvases slightly to include 'then' paintings--such as the paintings executed from the balloon's-eye view conceived during the 1871 siege of the city (able to be seen today at the brilliant Le Bourget Musee de L'Air et de L'Espace) vs. 'now' photographs, for example to illustrate the notable Peripherique, and to compare previously fallow pieces of the city 'then' vs. their current situations, such as, for example, the stunning La Defense structures.
All in all, however, for what it is, the book is pleasing and will bring back many happy memories to Francophiles. Of course there are innumerable books of photos covering Paris, and naturally there are favorite places not covered in this book or not handled the way the individual reader might like, but on the whole this is a workmanlike job that captures its subject competently.
(Apologies to readers who will note, correctly, the absence of appropriate French accents in this review--not offered by Amazon's word processing system.)

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Playing all the angles, March 5, 2006

By 

Eric J. Lyman (Roma, Lazio Italy) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Paris Then and Now (Then & Now) (Hardcover)

Paris is, I think, the second most beautiful city in the world (full disclosure: I live in Rome, which is tops in my book) and so I was eager to take a look at this book when I saw it at a friends' house.

I was already familiar with the Then and Now series after receiving the Rome edition of the book for Christmas, and after seeing this book I can only conclude that what I had chalked up as weaknesses in the Rome book may just be faults in the series.

The central idea for the book is charmingly simple: the left-hand pages feature old photos of some of Paris' best-known spots, and the right-hand side of each page is made up of modern shots of the same sites.

The biggest problem is hard not to notice: the angles of the photos on the right are very often not taken from the same angle as the older images. I found this to be so puzzling as to be irritating. I think it shows a lack of planning on the part of the book's editors, and it also robs the reader of being able to make a complete comparison between the way things were and the way they are -- a process that is the book's very raison d'être.

I admit my patience for such sloppiness had already been tried with the Rome book, but the sins seem even greater here.

I also rue the absence of a table of contents listing the photographs in order, another weakness that now appears to be a characteristic of the series.

I'm not sure how likely these issues are to be solved in future editions, since by my count nearly 30 photos would have to be re-shot in order to solve the largest problems. But if the editors would like to release a book that reaches this volume's potential, they'd better get snapping.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars c'est wonderful !, January 20, 2009

By 

r garlen (North Coast,USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Paris Then and Now (Then & Now) (Hardcover)

This book is amazing....having been to Paris twice in a lifetime.A dream come true twice... I can only say that you will love this book! If you have been to Paris..want to go to Paris...love history,photography,know someone who does and want a great gift...do yourself a favour and get this book.
I got it for my wife for Christmas. You will not be disappointed.It took us both back to Paris.Bon Voyage encore et encore avec this book.Order this book..get a bottle of wine...put on some French music and Enjoy!