Description
At the Foot of the Eiffel Tower
Book Summary
In 1889, as Paris prepared for the Universal Exposition, Emilia Pardo Bazán was sent as a correspondent to cover the event. This book gathers her chronicles, in which the author not only describes the construction of the Eiffel Tower but also offers a vivid and personal look at the city: its hotels, its politics, its cultural figures, and the technological and social innovations of the era. With an engaging and sharp style, Pardo Bazán becomes the reader's eyes and ears to portray the modern Paris that fascinated the world.
What is it about?
Emilia Pardo Bazán, an experienced traveler and renowned writer, displays her talent as a reporter in these pages. Through her chronicles, the reader witnesses the construction of the iron colossus rising on the Champ de Mars, but also discovers the day-to-day life of a city in ferment. The author shares her impressions of hotel prices, the eccentricities of fashion—such as the trouser suit she defends for the sake of female freedom of movement—, the political situation of the moment, and the cultural debates that stirred the French capital. With irony and lucidity, Pardo Bazán combines journalistic chronicles with personal reflection, offering a unique testimony of the modernity that was erupting at the end of the 19th century.
Main themes
- The 1889 Universal Exposition and the construction of the Eiffel Tower as a symbol of progress.
- Everyday life in Belle Époque Paris through the eyes of a traveler.
- Social and political criticism of the era, including the situation of women and women's fashion.
- The contrast between the fascination with technology and the horror it sparked in some sectors.
- The figure of the press correspondent as a privileged witness to history.
Who is it recommended for?
This book is aimed at readers interested in travel literature, historical chronicles, and literary journalism. It is also for those who enjoy the prose of Emilia Pardo Bazán and wish to discover a lesser-known facet of her work. It is especially recommended for lovers of the history of Paris, the Universal Exposition, and the transition toward modernity at the turn of the century.
What this book offers
- A close and human vision of one of the most emblematic events of the 19th century.
- The pleasure of reading one of the great figures of Spanish literature in her most journalistic and lively facet.
- A lucid reflection on the impact of technology, fashion, and culture on the society of the time.
- A valuable testimony on the lives of women and their role in the public sphere at the end of the 19th century.
- An enjoyable reading experience, full of anecdotes and details that transport the reader to the Paris of 1889.
Technical specifications
- Author: Pardo Bazán, Emilia
- Publisher: La Línea del Horizonte
- Language: Spanish
- Subject: TRAVEL LITERATURE
- Collection: CUADERNOS DE HORIZONTE
- Binding: Paperback
- Date of publication: February 2020
- Number of pages: 232
- Weight: 312 g
Editorial review
At the Foot of the Eiffel Tower recovers Emilia Pardo Bazán's talent as an exceptional chronicler. Her sharp gaze and direct style make these pages a first-rate historical document, but also an entertaining read full of nuances. For followers of the author, it is an opportunity to discover her journalistic side; for lovers of history and travel, a vivid portrait of a key moment in European modernity. A work that combines erudition, irony, and inexhaustible curiosity for the world around her.