The entire project was expected to take 30 to 40 years to complete, but An American in Paris was planned to be an early volume in the series.
ðɪ ɛntˈaɪɚ pɹˈɑːdʒɛkt wʌz ɛkspˈɛktᵻd tə tˈeɪk θˈɜːɾi tə fˈoːɹɾi jˈɪɹz tə kəmplˈiːt, bˌʌt ɐn ɐmˈɛɹɪkən ɪn pˈæɹɪs wʌz plˈænd təbi ɐn ˈɜːli vˈɑːljuːm ɪnðə sˈɪɹiz.