A concise and sophisticated account of the history of decadence from its origins in ancient Rome to its present resonance in contemporary life~Analyzes decadence according to cities -- Rome, Paris, London, Vienna, and Berlin -- providing unique insights into urban geography and broadening the concept of decadence outside the usual orbit of fin-de-siecle London and Paris~Discusses the expanded sense of class in the idea of bourgeois and mass decadence~Includes arts other than literature, notably painting, architecture, and film~Part of the Very Short Introductions series - millions of copies sold worldwide