Book Review and Giveaway: Eiffel’s Tower, by Jill Jonnes

You know you’re in for a hell of a ride when a book on the history of the Eiffel Tower and its debut at the 1889 Exposition Universelle begins not with an anecdote concerning Gustave Eiffel or any French citizen, for that matter, but one starring…Annie Oakley.

American scholar and writer Jill Jonnes’ newest book, Eiffel’s Tower
has the tongue-twisting-but-completely-accurate subtitle, And the World’s Fair Where Buffalo Bill Beguiled Paris, the Artists Quarreled, and Thomas Edison Became a Count. That, in a nutshell, is essentially what this book is about: a fun, extremely detailed and meticulously researched narrative of the iconic tower, but also of the many, many, many personalities who flocked to the City of Light that fateful year of 1889 to take part in one of the most dazzling fairs the modern world had ever seen (and which also coincided with the 100th anniversary of the storming of the Bastille, a not-inconsequential detail that Parisians wanted to highlight.)

No kidding. This fair introduced Parisians and the world not only to Eiffel’s Tour de Fer, but also to Edison’s phonograph, Gauguin’s Martinique paintings, Annie Oakley’s astounding sharpshooting skills, the Paris Herald (which later would become the renowned International Herald Tribune, now owned by the New York Times Company), Buffalo Bill Cody and his enormously popular (if more than a little inaccurate) Wild West shows, and the Shah of Persia, not to mention hundreds of other dignitaries, royal personages, ambassadors, celebrities, writers, journalists, artists, inventors, photographers, and other fans dazzled by the sights and sounds that the city had to offer.

Jonnes gives them all plenty of coverage in this sprawling, if sometimes overwhelming book. She crams each individual’s story into the 311 pages that make up the work, and throws in another twenty-one for the bibliographical notes and fourteen for the Index. She introduces hundreds of colorful characters, but focuses her attention on a dozen or so particularly fascinating ones: Eiffel, of course, but also haughty American artist James McNeill Whistler, Oakley, Buffalo Bill, Edison, Gauguin, Vincent van Gogh, New York Herald (and subsequently, Paris Herald) publisher James Gordon Bennett, and the thousands of French luminaries and ordinary folk who couldn’t stand the thought — much less the mere sight — of what they considered the eyesore of the Parisian landscape, the wildly controversial and despised Tower. Their adventures leading up to the opening of the Exposition in May of 1889 unfold in the first half of the book, with each feverishly preparing for their dazzling moment under the Parisian sun, in the shadow of the rising tower, and dreaming of the riches and fame they hoped to achieve.

The most compelling story, of course, is that of the tower itself, and its uncertain future in the face of lawsuits, constant delays, mechanical problems, and structure’s demand for engineering perfection, particularly on that all-important first platform. Hindsight allows us the benefit of knowing how it will all end — it’s possibly the most photographed tower in the world, and certainly the most famous city landmark — but Jonnes manages to infuse plenty of suspense into the book. Will the tower be finished in time for the grand opening on May 6th? Will the elevators finally work, as promised by the American Otis Company? Will Parisians embrace the final product, despite the initial outcry? Will anyone even want to climb to its very peak — at 320+ meters — at a time when safety harnesses and liability suits were non-existent? Will it even be allowed to exist beyond the twenty-year contract Eiffel managed to extract from city and fair officials?

If you love history, architecture, art, or Paris itself — or all of them, for that matter — you’ll definitely want to read this book. It’s a lovely introduction to the many great figures of history who besieged this city during its Belle Epoque period and fell under the Tower’s spell. Jonnes introduces just enough tantalizing detail about each to make you hunger for more about Ms. Oakley and her fascinating life; the struggles of Gauguin and van Gogh as artists and as human beings in the hypercompetitive world of European art; the brilliance and endless energy of Edison the inventor and showman; and of course, the singleminded focus and formidable intellect of M. Eiffel himself.

Giveaway: If you’d like to win a copy of this book, please leave a comment on this post listing your favorite book on the history of France. It can be the history of anything, from food to fashion to a particular historical figure — anything goes, as long as it’s a book and it’s the history of something or someone related to France. Rules are, as usual:

1. Only one entry per person, please.
2. You must leave some way for me to contact you in your entry, either by linking to your blog (which hopefully will have your email address) or leaving your actual email address on the post itself. If I can’t contact you personally, your entry will be disqualified.
3. Entries must be received no later than 6:00 pm Central Time, Monday, June 8, 2009.
4. The winner will be chosen at random using Random.org’s Sequence Generator and announced on Tuesday, June 8, 2009.
5. Non-US-based entries will be accepted, but if the winner is from outside the US, they will be responsible for any customs duties their postal authorities impose on them.
6. One (1) winner will receive a new, hardcover copy of Jill Jonnes’ Eiffel’s Tower: And the World’s Fair Where Buffalo Bill Beguiled Paris, the Artists Quarreled, and Thomas Edison Became a Count. Shipping charges will be borne by Yours Truly, excluding taxes or customs duties.

That’s it! Bonne chance!

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