Jeffrey H. Jackson - PARIS UNDER WATER: How the City of Light Survived the Great Flood of 1910 | Octavia Books | New Orleans, Louisiana

Start: 03/26/2010 6:30 pm

End: 03/26/2010 8:30 pm

Following Dave Eggers' late afternoon signing, Jeffrey Jackson will discuss and sign his recent book, PARIS UNDER WATER.

In the winter of 1910, the great flood of the Seine ravaged Paris and brought widespread destruction to one of the world’s most beloved cities. As the 100^th anniversary of the flood approaches, historian Jeffrey H. Jackson captures the drama of this epic natural event, and the valiant determination of the Parisian survivors. He ushers the reader through the entire riveting ordeal, from the first reports of rising water levels that were dismissed by most of the ustling capital, through the torrential rainfall that wreaked havoc on faulty engineering throughout the city. As the sewers, Métro and electricity failed around them and the flood took its toll on everything from streets and homes to businesses and museums, Parisians of all backgrounds rallied to save each other, and their city despite their history of deep-seated social, religious and political strife.

Jackson explores this rousing story of human compassion and perseverance against overwhelming odds for the first time, and also provides timeless insight on the implications of the flood from various angles. It is a sobering fact that natural disasters will always be a subject of relevance, and the flooding of the Seine nearly 100 years ago still provides crucial lessons for today. In analyzing everything from relief aid and press coverage, to which elements of the urban infrastructure failed and why, Jackson takes full stock of the crisis and its meaning in a modern world that can still relate to the daunting thought of going toe to toe with nature.

Jeffrey H. Jackson is a professor of history at Rhodes College in Memphis. He was recently honored as one of the top young historians in the United States and was a consultant for the documentary, Harlem in Montmartre: A Paris Jazz Story on PBS.

Octavia Books is proud to be hosting this author event in partnership with Alliance Française de la Nouvelle-Orléans, and we will donate a portion of your purchase to Alliance Française.