Customer Reviews

Paris Underground: The Maps, Stations, and Design of the Metro

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is an excellent and fully comprehensive of the historical events that led up to the building of the first metro line in Paris.

It then details the steady implementation of the planned network covering the whole of central Paris and also deals with the structures and stations.

Well wrtitten and very readable.

What a great way to realise a deeper understanding of the Paris metro system! The book gives the reader a moles-eye view of how it was created and developed through the years. I found the book totally captivating.

If one expects a review of the rolling stock of the Paris Metro, skip this book. If you are interested in the looks, feels of the graphics used on their system - this is the book you are waiting for.

Just as in his other book, this is a study of transit maps especially Paris.

Hopefully this author will cross over to this side of the pond and do such a book om a system in the USA.

This book is somewhat of a rarity for these days, a visual feast of visuals, graphics, diagrams, and, yes, content. Printed on a slightly larger than usual format, and laid out in full color on semi-glossy, heavyweight paper, the book will adorn nearly any table on which it is laid. Although the book could be of interest to most anyone simply by virtue of its gorgeous design and layout, the volume really becomes a delight for those who have used the incredible Paris Metro System anytime in the past decades.

The book consists primarliy of variants of metro maps printed over the last (and current) century, and although includes some photos, is really focused on the representational diagrams of the metro in all its incarnations over the years. Of particular emphasis is the design and stylistic decisions that were made on each iteration of the map to increase clarity, improve speed of use, and also to represent the system in a pleasing and distinctive format. Some of these discussions, though written at a level of detail that will surprise non-cartographers, are fascinating explorations of the work and effort that goes into these kinds of maps, and this one in particular. The accompanying text also lays out in some detail the construction and extensions of the system built afte Line 1, and serves to make this book something that can serve as a long-term exploration of the Metro. Pair this book up with Plotkin's The Paris Metro: A Ticket to French History (which has a more developed layout in text of each individual metro station across the entire 14 Lines), and you'll really have a grand exposition of the system.

As most anyone who has used the Paris Metro can attest, this system is one of the technological marvels of the world. With millions of rides taken each week across 14 lines and nearly 400 stations, it is still rare (on weekdays) to ever have to wait more than five minutes at any station to get picked up. The stations are purposely designed to carve a history of France into the mind of the traveller, and the system makes a strong, but nearly subliminal, statement about the city itself. If you want to enjoy it when you're not there, this book is one of the best ways to do so.

As i got this book, i thought "i can't imagine what could be new about Paris metro, coz i already have a book about this awesome system" but i was wrong! This book gives you great opportunity to know how the metro of Paris has grown over the decades, yet over a full century - and the best part of it - at least for me personaly - is the fact, that you will find there tons of historical maps. i didnt even imagine, there were so many of them! It's really amazing to have them all in one book and hold in your own hands, plus the history and other images of the iconic metro system.

I didn't eat for a day and a half,
just so I could buy this book.

Paris Underground is far more than a history of the famed Paris Métro. It's a fascinating piece of social and political history, mirroring the growth of Paris from the mid-19th c. to today. It takes a long look at logistics -- what it takes to move people in, through and around a increasingly crowded urban environment. And in addition, Paris Underground is a brilliant survey of French engineering and design.
Author Mark Ovenden sees, and makes his readers see, how much one seemingly mundane element in an industrial culture -- in this case, a city transit system -- can reveal about the wider culture itself.
One key theme is the fierce Parisian resistance to development, however practical, that might insult or degrade the aboveground environment. A hero of Métro design was the designer Hector Guimard, who created the celebrated, elegant Art Nouveau entranceways which are still so much a part of the Paris streetscape, and of our image of the City of Light.
Another theme is Ovenden's tracing of the evolution of the maps, big and small, that help people link the surface geography of Paris with the comings and goings beneath its streets. What this cartographic history has to say about contemporary sensibility adds a philosophical dimension to a book that says it's only about a subway system.

The author starts off by admitting that he has had since childhood a very intense and passionate appreciation of transit signage in general and of transit maps in particular. Indeed, the evolution of these in Paris is the true subject of the book, the history of the city's underground transit system serving merely as context. The period covered spans from the very first concepts for the system in the 19th century all the way to 2009. Clearly, extensive research has been carried out in cooperation with local authorities and fans of the topic.

The author's interest is so strong that it is contagious. However, good prior knowledge of both Paris and graphic principles is preferable to fully enjoy the book. There is frequent reference for instance to the impact of using one type of font over another in maps and signs!

The book presents an abundance of black and white and colour illustrations in all sizes, from full-page to postage stamp. Its layout is innovative though dense and, to be honest, at times almost confusing.

Though a tad specialized, this is definitely an enjoyable book that will be especially appreciated by Paris-lovers.

Mark Ovenden has tapped into all things great with this follow-up to his Transit Maps book. Just when I thought he couldn't get any closer to my heart, he came out with this gem, detailing everything about the Paris Underground. I love him all the more for it. These 2 books are a perfect gift for anybody who loves travel, transport and maps. BUY THEM, for others and especially for yourself.

If you have any enthusiasm for rapid transit maps, this book will be of interest. It's fantastic if you also are a fan of Paris. I've spend endless hours poring over this book.