A book I had a lovely time translating over the holidays last year is now available: Jean-Michel Billioud’s Paris au fil du temps, or Paris Through the Ages. This is the first pop-up book I’ve ever done, and working from pdfs as I did, I only later saw how it was meant to be fit together. It’s a pleasure to hold the finished product in my hands, made with such care and charm. Each two-page spread features the City of Lights at some point in its evolution, touching on such major eras as the Roman Lutetia, medieval Paris, Haussmann’s renovations, and the modern day. Flaps open out and wheels turn to provide captioned cutaways. Interactive, educational, and elegant, it’s a must-read before any family vacation in France. Both French and English versions are published by Gallimard (who offered me the standard royalty guaranteed translators in France. America has a lot to learn).
