Alfred Franklin

Born in Paris in 1830, Alfred Franklin became known as a historian, librarian, and specialist in the history of Paris. He worked at the Mazarine Library, where long years in the archives helped shape the detailed, source-rich books he would later publish.

Franklin wrote widely on the social and cultural life of earlier centuries, often focusing on ordinary details that make the past feel close at hand: housing, food, education, trades, books, and the customs of Parisian life. He also took on large reference projects, including bibliographical and historical works that drew together material from many scattered sources.

He died in 1917, leaving behind a body of work valued for both its scholarship and its curiosity about everyday experience. For listeners interested in history that feels concrete and human, his writing offers a rich window into old Paris and the world around it.