Published in 1889, A travers l'Exposition is Élodie Lamarque's personal walking tour of that year's monumental Paris World's Fair. The book doesn't have a traditional plot with characters. Instead, the 'story' is the journey itself.

The Story

Lamarque takes your arm and leads you through the bustling fairgrounds. She points out the engineering marvel of the brand-new Eiffel Tower, describes the noisy halls filled with clanking machinery from different nations, and wanders through pavilions showcasing art and crafts from colonies and countries most French people had only read about. She pauses at cafes serving exotic foods and tries to make sense of the sensory overload. The narrative is her attempt to organize this chaos into a coherent, memorable experience for the reader who wasn't there.

Why You Should Read It

What makes this special is Lamarque's voice. She's not a dry official guide; she's a curious, sometimes overwhelmed observer sharing her genuine excitement and confusion. You feel the optimism and the slight anxiety of the era—the pride in human progress mixed with the strangeness of seeing the whole world crammed into one park. Reading it lets you time-travel. You get the vibe of 1889 Paris: the fashion, the smells, the sounds, and that electric feeling of standing at what felt like the center of the future.

Final Verdict

This is a perfect, quick read for history lovers, especially those fascinated by the Victorian era or Paris. If you've ever looked at an old photo of a world's fair and wondered, 'What was it actually like to be there?' Lamarque gives you the answer. It's also great for travelers who enjoy literary travelogues. Just be ready for a snapshot, not a deep analysis—it's like finding a wonderfully detailed postcard from 1889.