Born in Poland in 1810, Chopin emigrated to Vienna at age eighteenand then to Paris, where from 1831 to 1849 he would spend almost half of his brief and tumultuous life. In Paris his extraordinary powers would reach their height and he would shine among the immensely talented writers, painters, and musicians who were working there and defining their era. Chopins other acquaintances ranged from Rothschild to Marxand it was here that he began his long and stormy relationship with the novelist George Sand. In Chopin in Parisa New York Times Notable BookTad Szulc brings to life this complex, contradictory genius, and re-creates an unsurpassed epoch of European history, culture, and music.