Tag Archives: Simon Kuper

Impossible City by Simon Kuper is an expat’s view of Parisian society in the 21st century and how it has changed over the last two decades. Kuper bought an apartment in Paris in 2000 and still lives in the French capital with his American wife and their three children. From the point of view of a middle-class British journalist, Kuper outlines the mysterious codes which dictate how Parisians socialise, and the chapters about elitism and the rise of Emmanuel Macron are particularly fascinating (Kuper is the author of a book called ‘Chums’ about similar networks in the UK). ‘Impossible City’ also covers changes to the city’s infrastructure ahead of hosting the Olympic Games last summer, and the impact of the terrorist attacks in 2015 and the pandemic. Brexit prompted Kuper to finally apply for French citizenship, and ‘Impossible City’ is a fond but not overly romanticised portrait of Paris told with dry humour. Continue reading →