5 comments about No Vulgar Hotel: The Desire and Pursuit of Venice.

1. This is a book without a purpose, beyond the self-adulation of the author. It has nothing new which is relevant to Venice nor is it insightful about its history, culture, or physical presence. There is not even anything relevatory about her experience in the city. These are simply Ms. Martin's musings about a city that she likes a lot. Unfortunately, it's hard to care.



2. Cute title. After that this book sinks into the canal. I agree with another poster I do not think Ms Martin wrote much of this book. If she did she should be ashamed.
   
   If you want to read a good book about Venice read CITY OF THE FALLING ANGELS. Or read any Donna Leon book all set in Venice and all excellent mysteries that are filled with the life of the people of Venice.
   
   This book is just boring!



3. Judith Martin ought to be placed in quarantine as the most threatening carrier of a communicable disease since Typhoid Mary. Her 'No Vulgar Hotel' not only threatens to spread Venetophilia (her coinage, it seems) among the uninefected at epidemic strength; it may well render milder fevers than hers terminally virulent. Beware, after reading this delightful book, of the usual symptoms of this incurable contagion -- the urge to buy and repair decaying, waterlogged and insanely overpriced palazzi, the wearing of scary masks other than on Hallowe'en, a fascination with saints and saint's relics, the adoption of Venetian ancestors (whether they're actually ancestral or not), the collection of gimcracks and gismos whose only value is a tenuous connection with Venice, and not least the impulse to go to bad or mediocre movies merely because they have pictorial connections with Venice; and finally, at the risk of drowning, to go into training as amateur gondoliers." -- Edwin M. Yoder Jr., author of "Lions at Lamb House" and other books.



4. I confess. I have a poster-sized repro of the 1500 deBarbari map on the wall of my study and I fly the standard of San Marco at my house. If Venice is in the marrow of your bones as it is in mine, you will probably laugh and cry your way through the meandering narration of this book as I have. However, I would not recommend this book to the novice. There is a bit too much of the esoteric and self-indulgent to be really useful as a tourist guide. You decide.



5. LOVED this book! I want to give it to friends who visit Venice, love it, and can't wait to go back....

5 comments about Walks Through Napoleon & Josephine's Paris.

1. Delightful, informative, exciting. Great for a sophisticated traveler -- a perfect gift for any tourist planning a trip to Paris -- and also a stimulating, fun read. I loved it.



2. An excellent book with a different perspective. It is not only well written but beautifully printed and bound. A joy to read and to walk in the very steps of these two historic and romantic personalities. Take it along on your next trip to Paris.Floyd McRae, Napoleonic Alliance, International Napoleonic Society.



3. Diana Reid Haig has produced a delightful book that is at once fascinating and useful. She tells short anecdotal stories of Napoleon and Josephine and their times while showing us beautiful photographs of the places they would have known and then showing us how to find them. No one who is interested in Napoleon should ever visit Paris without consulting this book, and even those who will never set foot on the Champs-Élysées will enjoy thumbing through its pages and reading Haig's well-written little vignettes of one of history's most famous love stories.

   The book is organized into four "walks," which generally correspond to Napoleon's early career and meeting of Josephine, life as First Consul, the coronation, and the return of Napoleon's body in 1840. To these she adds a tour of Fontainebleau and Malmaison, two places where Napoleon and Josephine lived. Each walk comes with a map that clearly shows the major places she discusses as well as shops and other areas of interest. The maps are easy to follow and a dotted line traces her suggested route. A map of Paris showing where in the greater scheme of things these maps fit would have been useful, but any visit to Paris will be enhanced by this book.

   One of Haig's most endearing qualities as a writer is her ability to provide interesting and useful information in a way that both informs and entertains. Throughout her book we hear of some of the standard discussions of Napoleon and Josephine, such as her affair and their near breakup after his Egyptian campaign. But we also are given brief glimpses into their daily lives and their relationship with the buildings that we can see on her tours. Haig also includes interesting "side boxes" on topics the basics of which are common knowledge but the unknown details of which can be quite interesting. For example, we all know of Napoleon's famous hat, but from Haig we learn that he ordered four a year as First Consul and later had at least fifty ordered from his hatter, Poupard, who charged exorbitant rates. Indeed, Haig presents enough interesting history that a scholarly reader is left wishing she had provided references.

   This wonderful little book is like none other that I have seen. It is beautifully produced and well written. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in seeing and understanding Napoleon and Josephine's Paris.

   J. David Markham, Author
   Napoleon's Road to Glory: Triumphs, Defeats and Immortality
   Imperial Glory: The Bulletins of Napoleon's Grande Armée




4. Diana Reid Haig's beautiful, well researched book is invaluable on two levels; as a work of art and as a practical walking guide. Walks Through Napoleon and Josephine's Paris will interest Francophiles as well as those who love history and art. This extremely readable history of Napoleon and Josephine chronicles the rise and fall of the doomed couple--a history which is also inexorably linked with the history of France and the French Revolution.

   A blend of words and art, Haig's book is wonderful to page through, but is also a great read. I recommend this work to both armchair travelers and frequent visitors to Paris. This book is a brilliant new way to see and enjoy Paris.




5. I had the delightful privilege of hearing Mme. Haig read from her book at the French Institute in New York which in turn, plunged me into an exuberant frenzy to learn as much as I could about Napoleon and even more so - Josephine. Mme. Haig's writing comes from a genuine passion about her subjects and is wonderfully researched, with fascinating detail. Should you be travelling to Paris with a teenager, this book could ignite a passion in them as well about history before Britney Spears' first marriage.

5 comments about The Guide to Lodging in Italy's Monasteries.

1. This book is useful. We stayed in several guest houses in the book as we drove in northern Italy. I would recommend it but would also make three observations. First, some of the directions are not suffieiently detailed or clear. I think this is a significant weakness of the book. We spent quite a bit of time finding some of the guest houses. Second, understandably, some of the prices are out of date but the places still are bargains. Third, in some of those where we stayed, the people did not speak English. This was not a problem as out Italian is marginally passable but don't expect English to be spoken at all of them, especially on the phone. Nevertheless, I have recommended it to several friends who plan to go to Italy and I will get the latest edition when we go again. It is an investment because the rates are much better than hotels.



2. It saved us money as we used it in Florence. We stopped in another in the mountains of central Italy for a social visit. The nuns are from diffenrent places around the world and quite interesting conversationalists, if wanted. The properties were quiet and clean. We will try again on the next visit. The school in Florence is in the center of the city.



3. We bought this book and decided to test it out on a vacation. Although we live in the US, my husband was born and raised in Italy and was able to call the monasteries personally to make reservations. This was definitely a plus. Given this, we did get surpises... some good, some very bad!
   
   The spot in Florence with nuns was exceptional. What a special treat. It was clean, breakfast was good, and the nuns were delightful. However, there was a curfew, which was a problem, as we like to stay out a bit late.
   
   Another place we made reservations at was extremely difficult to find. We wandered around back streets and were finally able to find a villager to get directions. When we got there, it was closed! There were no lights on and noone present. We are a married couple with 3 small children and this was not fun! Fortunately, we were able to make our way back to the main street and find a hotel with an opening.
   
   A third one we made reservations at was a BUST. It was in Venice which is very hot and humid in the summer. We were given very basic quarters and thought we were going to die of heat stroke before morning.
   
   My advice, is just be careful and resourceful if you plan on using this. After our experience, we would rather book online with sites that provide user feedback. We get fewer surprises that way.



4. Italy is a very expensive country for tourists and the guide provides a number of cheap and clean places where to stay during your stay. Not least, it covers all Italian regions. I will probably buy also the same guides (by the same author) for Spain and France.



5. This book provides an excellent selection and range of monasteries in Italy which provide accommodation for the holiday maker or even the pilgrim and retreatant.
   
   The selection includes popular locations such as Rome, Siena, Assisi, Naples, etc, as well as lesser known yet equally interesting locations.
   
   There are helpful comments about how to get there, whether English is spoken, and the range of prices for rooms, contact details, etc. (Of course, the prices would need checking, as usually these have risen by the time a book such as this is published.)
   
   Highly recommended, and certainly much fuller than similar volumes I have used in the past.

2 comments about Michelin the Green Guide Chateaux of the Loire (Michelin Green Guide: Chateaux of the Loire English Edition).

1. The reviews of the chateaux and the Loire valley are very, very good. The descriptions and photos provide a very nice, concise description. There are suggested day trips and, at least the day trip I took, worked well.
   
   But I was a bit disappointed that this guide has little information regarding restaurants and other attractions in the Loire valley. I know, I know ... the title says that it is a book regarding the chateaux. But given Michelen's reputation for restaurant reviews and other travel information, I expected more reviews of restaurants that were nearby the chateaux.



2. Excellent comprehensive guide to the region. I've been there four times and discovered many new places in this book.

No comments about Frommer's Florence & Tuscany Day by Day (Frommer's Day by Day).

No comments about Michelin Southern France (Michelin Map) (Multilingual Edition).

1 comments about The Garden at Hidcote.

1. Hidcote, often cited as the most famous garden in England, was created by Lawrence Johnson in the Cotswolds and has been a strong influence on garden design. Themed rooms, enclosed by hedges formed out of yew, beech and hornbeam, feature stunning vistas adorned with pools, topiary, a combination of various paving textures as well as lush green pathways, and a restrained use of garden ornament. The book begins with a chapter on the garden's creator and surprisingly, little is known about him. Johnson was born to American parents in Paris and traveled the world through a career in the military. His mother bought the Cotswolds property in 1907 and Johnson lived there with her and set about to transform the property in the legendary garden that it is today. His gardening style and influences are not really known as he didn't keep journals or records. He was a private man whose contacts in the gardening community were limited but it is generally assumed that he was heavily influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement, headed by Gertrude Jeckyll and Edward Lutyens. Whatever his influences, Johnson crafted a unique garden which is now maintained by the National Trust.
   
   Each chapter covers a specific "room" in the garden and a map is coded with numbers to show the various areas of the garden. The entire garden consists of 21 different areas (The Red Borders, Alpine Terrace, Stilt Garden, and Rose Walk are just a few examples). The photographs by Tony Lord are stunning and many are featured on full pages. This is a stunning book, the next best thing to being there!

No comments about Walking Easy: in the Swiss and Austrian Alps.

No comments about Frommer's 24 Great Walks in Paris.

4 comments about A Traveller's History of Paris (Traveller's Histories Series).

1. Like most people, I didn't pay a lot of attention in world history class. If you ever slept through a lecture on the French Revolution, you should read this book. It looks dry, but is actually very witty; the author has a fine sense of irony. You can't help but snicker at the author's detail of the revolutionaries storming the Bastille, only to find just 6 people locked up... or finding out how Robespierre received a substantial award in college for excellent academic performance. A good overview of Parisian history from 53 BC to the present. The book also includes a section on the history of major monuments and museums, such as Notre Dame de Paris and the Eiffel Tower.



2. I first encountered this book in a college bookstore among the texts. It was required reading for a curriculum-based trip to France. I was surprised to find that though nestled among texts, this book was a refreshingly light read with insightful tidbits into Paris' grand history. Punctuated with simple sketches for illustrations, the book offers a great deal of behind-the-scenes information which enriches any trip to Paris let along anyone with a crush on the City of Light. I frequently include the book in my packing for overseas trips because it makes fun reading among travel companions as we tour the city or to discuss over a cup of café. The history in this book is simplified enough to be a pleasant read (not overwhelming or at all like stereo instructions), but in-depth enough to make you feel like an expert. It really enriches any visit to Paris to understand the city's history and this book is a great way to get an overview of what Paris has gone through over the ages.



3. The first 90% of the book is an unevenly written 2000 year chronology of the city. The chapters proceed from pre-Roman to modern times. This makes it very difficult to find information from different eras on specific landmarks. The style is also very dry. My point is that the information isn't presented in a way that a traveller would want to access it--'I'm in Place de la Concorde--what's happened here over the centuries?' Other books I've read like this will take you through suggested walks in different neighborhoods talking about their history e.g. 'Turn left down this street and you're looking at Napolean's house etc...' The book also ignores or barely mentions the historical basis for many popular characters of Paris historical fiction. The musketeers get half a sentance and Victor Hugo's stories don't fare much better. The last 10% attempts to give some more detailed information about Notre Dame and a couple other landmarks but it's too little, too late. I did learn a lot of interesting material about the city. But I would recommend spending your time with a Parisian's memoir or work of fiction based in Paris. I think you would get much more enjoyment for your investment.



4. like a previous posting, i was gratified by some of the details included by the author. however, i generally found the writing to be sloppy, and dry. the overall feel of the book is also uneven-- for example, the princess diana section towards the end seems it fit to tell us the origin of the word "paparazzi", yet there is very little about the continuing mayoral politics, the rise of anti-immigrant feeling in paris, etc.