I really want to talk to someone about this novel! It’s my niche that I love and adore and study as much as I can. This novel’s audio version was immersive and informative. I had to buy the print version also because I needed to go back and make notations and add it to my French Art collection as I wish I could have seen any of these artists in their element. Every Art or history buff these this in their collection.

Paris in Ruins is a fascinating story that intersects art, history, and politics.

I had never considered how the politics of the time affected not just individual artists but the movements within art. Sebastian Smee does a great job presenting this idea and showing you how the French Impressionists came to exist. The audio version was excellent. Loved the narration and easily followed along.

I can't wait to recommend this to people who are looking for history that is outside the standard issue. This is a great, approachable education on so many things.

This is an amazing book for anyone interested in impressionism or french history. As someone who is always iin the impressionist galleries in any museum I go to this was an entertaining and informational read. I have studied THe impressionist painters in a bubble and studied how they have connected to each other but have never seen them through the lens of the political landscape. The was this book is written is both informational and engaging. Sabastian Smee's description and critic of the art is lively, especially for an audio book reader. There were a few points in the reading where I was unable to look up the picture while I was listening, and it was amazing to see how close the image I have created matched the real painting. Smee's book brings a human sentiment back to the work that I often loose when looking at these paintings in such a sterile enviroment as a museum.

Have you ever considered how much art owes to the chaos of history? Sebastian Smee's 'Paris in Ruins: Love, War, and the Birth of Impressionism' might change how you look at a painting forever.

This captivating book takes readers on a vivid journey through one of the most tumultuous periods in Parisian history, known as the 'Terrible Year.' From the German siege of Paris to the radical Commune uprising, Smee masterfully captures these dramatic events through the eyes of iconic Impressionists like Édouard Manet, Berthe Morisot, and Edgar Degas.

Smee compellingly portrays these artists not just as painters but as individuals deeply impacted by the shifting tides of history. He convincingly argues that Impressionist works are more than just 'pretty pictures'—they are profound reflections on the fleeting nature of life in a world perpetually on the brink of collapse.

The author's writing is not just scholarly and insightful but intensely immersive. Listening to the audiobook, narrated superbly by Julian Elfer, I found myself transported into the scenes of the paintings Smee describes. His prose doesn't just narrate history; it paints it, allowing readers to feel the textures, smell the air, and hear the distant sounds of a city under siege.

More than just a study of art history, 'Paris in Ruins' is a commentary on how art and politics intertwine. Smee makes a compelling case for how the 'Terrible Year' tumult reverberated through France's cultural and social fabric, leaving an indelible mark on the art world.

While one might expect to be occasionally overwhelmed by the wealth of historical detail, this is not the case. The book excels in both its narrative and analysis.

'Paris in Ruins' is an intelligent and absorbing read that challenges our understanding of Impressionism and its roots. Whether you are an art enthusiast, a history buff, or simply a lover of well-crafted narrative nonfiction, this book will leave you seeing the Impressionists—and perhaps the world itself—in a new light. I will add a hardcover of this book to my library, where it will occupy a prominent place. For those who enjoy audiobooks, the narration by Julian Elfer adds another layer of enjoyment to this already rich experience.

This review is of an advance reader copy provided by NetGalley and Tantor Audio. It is currently scheduled for release on September 10, 2024.