A multilayered exploration of Paris--its people and stories. This book weaves a narrative that takes the readers into secret and hidden places, even in the midst of the most well-known Paris destinations. Drawing upon her many years of research and travel, McAuliffe searches out beauty and historic meaning within a busy, modern-day city and a turbulent world.
Mary Sperling McAuliffe Book order
Mary McAuliffe is a historian whose work delves into the intricate tapestry of French history and culture. She possesses a deep understanding of pivotal eras, meticulously examining the complex societal and political shifts that define them. McAuliffe's writing is characterized by its vivid engagement with the atmosphere and spirit of bygone times, drawing readers into the past with compelling narrative. Her books offer captivating insights into the lives and cultures of specific periods, often exploring the rise and fall of civilizations and their elites.






- 2023
- 2020
Paris, City of Dreams
- 328 pages
- 12 hours of reading
This book traces the profound transformation of the City of Light during Napoleon III's Second Empire, as he and Georges Haussmann completely rebuilt Paris in less than two decades. Their breathtaking-and brutal-achievement was mirrored by dramatic social, cultural, and political changes, all brought to life through McAuliffe's evocative narrative.
- 2018
Paris on the Brink
- 376 pages
- 14 hours of reading
Paris on the Brink vividly portrays the City of Light during the tumultuous 1930s. The decade was marked by violence at home and the rise of Hitler abroad, even as glamour prevailed in fashion and Surrealism sparked new forms of artistic creativity. Through rich illustrations and evocative narrative, Mary McAuliffe brings this vibrant era to life.
- 2016
When Paris Sizzled
- 344 pages
- 13 hours of reading
When Paris Sizzled vividly portrays the City of Light during the fabulous 1920s, when art and architecture, music, literature, fashion, entertainment, transportation, and behavior all took dramatically new forms. Through rich illustrations and evocative narrative, Mary McAuliffe brings this vibrant era to life.
- 2014
Examines the period of French history from 1871 to the onset of World War I, which was marked by advances in politics, the arts, music, science, and technology, through the eyes of the innovators who fought the forces of tradition.
- 2014
Twilight of the Belle Epoque
- 432 pages
- 16 hours of reading
Describes the visionary works and discoveries of the intellectuals and artists who lived in Paris at the beginning of the twentieth century, against a background of struggles between the Church and state, widespread poverty, and the approaching Great War.