Eiffel's Tower: The Thrilling Story Behind Paris's Beloved Monument and the Extraordinary World's Fair That Introduced It

“With splendid attention to detail…Jonnes, the author of Conquering Gotham and Empires of Light, takes a remarkable cast of characters and documents their respective experiences at the fair.” —New York Times Book Review

“A remarkable feat of popular history…It’s hard to imagine a better account of all this than Jonnes’ book…This is a work of deep research and thorough organization, an account of crucial stage in the birth of European modernity that jogs along at the confident pace of a good novel. It shouldn’t be missed.” —Telegraph (London)

“A colorful cast of characters descended on Paris for the 1889 World’s Fair, and Jonnes offers an atmospheric overview of the celebrities who made Belle Époque Paris their stage during the memorable event…The fair’s undisputed main attraction, both at the fair and in Jonnes’ account, was the controversial wrought-iron tower of unprecedented height that, Jonnes says, appeals for both its technological genius and its ‘aerial playfulness and charm.’ It perfectly embodies ‘the triumph of the modern’ that Jonnes so well captures in her sprightly account.” —Publishers Weekly

“Jonnes…captures the verve and personality of the Belle Époque as Paris struggled to show the world its glory…Jonnes details the iconic figures who added to the allure of the fair—James McNeill Whistler, Paul Gauguin, Thomas Edison, Annie Oakley, and Buffalo Bill—and the excitement and ambitions of the era.” —Booklist

“[An] enjoyable history of one of the world’s greatest monuments and some significant surrounding figures.” —Kirkus Reviews