Impossible City: Paris in the 21st Century

Impossible City by Simon Kuper (2024) 258 pp

Part memoir, part travelogue and part history, Impossible City takes the reader through an introduction to contemporary Paris and follows the author as he eventually becomes a French citizen. Kuper is a journalist for the Financial Times and the writing is brisk, but the organization is scattershot, perhaps appropriate for one of the world’s most complex cities. A reluctant emigre, Kuper uses detailed personal anecdotes to illustrate the unique character of 21^st Century Paris and his place in the metropolis. This is a dense book – a series of vignettes on various aspects of Paris including transportation, terrorism, politicians, culture and of course food.