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Notre-Dame: The Soul of France
Notre-Dame: The Soul of France | Agnes Poirier
8 posts | 2 read | 1 reading | 3 to read
The profound emotion felt around the world upon seeing images of Notre-Dame in flames opens up a series of questions: Why was everyone so deeply moved? Why does Notre-Dame so clearly crystallise what our civilisation is about? What makes 'Our Lady of Paris' the soul of a nation and a symbol of human achievement? What is it that speaks so directly to us today? In answer, Agns Poirier turns to the defining moments in Notre-Dame's history. Beginning with the laying of the corner stone in 1163, she recounts the conversion of Henri IV to Catholicism, the coronation of Napoleon, Victor Hugo's nineteenth-century campaign to preserve the cathedral, Baron Haussmann's clearing of the streets in front of it, the Liberation in 1944, the 1950s film of The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, starring Gina Lollobrigida and Anthony Quinn, and the state funeral of Charles de Gaulle, before returning to the present. The conflict over Notre-Dame's reconstruction promises to be fierce. Nothing short of a cultural war is already brewing between the wise and the daring, the sincere and the opportunist, historians and militants, the devout and secularists. It is here that Poirier reveals the deep malaise - gilet jaunes and all - at the heart of the France.
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kspenmoll
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wisherwishinguponastar That looks like the perfect meal! 3y
51 likes1 comment
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kspenmoll
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Ch.1 is a tense,heartbreaking account of the night of the fire- the official‘s involved,the fireman‘s bravery, the eerie silence of the ever expanding crowds until a communal scream “No!”, breaks out as the spire lights up.The author states:”On the night of the fire I remember a kaleidoscope of images,a collision of emotions,in quick succession.”I remember watching with my husband, mesmerized & horrified as we witnessed it burn that night in TV.

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kspenmoll
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TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! Looks great!! 3y
53 likes1 comment
quote
kspenmoll
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“Notre Dame is one of mankind‘s greatest architectural achievements, the face of civilization and the soul of the nation.”

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kspenmoll
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TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 3y
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Twocougs
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Pickpick

Fantastic read, from the fire, through her 850 year history and then to her future I was enraptured. It made me miss her so, along with my beloved Paris 🇫🇷

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Eyejaybee
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Pickpick

A wonderful history of Notre-Dame de Paris, including the dreadful fire that severely damaged, but failed to destroy, it almost a year ago. See my WordPress review at: https://eyejaybeee.wordpress.com/2020/04/12/a-review-of-notre-dame-the-soul-of-f.... #book #books #nonfiction #agnèspoirier #Nôtre-Dame #history #France #paris #medievalhistory #frenchhistory #booklove #bookish #bookcommunity #booknerd #politics #bookphotography

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Eyejaybee
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I was fortunate enough to meet Agnès Poirier last week at l‘Institut Français Royaume-Uni. She was introducing a showing of a fantastic documentary about the organ in Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral, and I grabbed the opportunity to ask her to sign a copy of her latest book, which I am eagerly looking forward to reading. #agnespoirier #notredamedeparis #notredame #paris #history #books #france #frenchhistory