No comments about Exploring the Islands of England and Wales: Including the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.

No comments about Knopf Guide: Louvre (Knopf Guides).

No comments about Nights in the Big City: Paris, Berlin, London 1840-1930 (Reaktion Books - Topographics).

2 comments about On the Road Around South of France : Driving Holiday's in Southern France.

1. I took this book with me on my recent trip to Provence. If your intention is really to drive everyday, and spend each night in a new location, then this book would be valuable. But if you are planning a more leisurely visit, then the Cadogan guides are a lot more fun and more useful, especially regarding cultural information.



2. We took this book on our first driving trip through Provence, and jettisoned it before the second. While it does contain considerable information, the condescending attitude toward the French is, at best, dispiriting, and, at worst, leads you away from wonderful adventures. In no way does this book encourage the traveler to embrace the uniqueness of French culture and country life. We felt misled by the pretentious put-downs of villages, museums, cafes, restaurants and monuments that we found welcoming, enlightening, warm and delightful. If we had believed that some places were as dreary as the authors painted them, we would have missed our best experiences with hospitable people in beautiful settings.

   You're better armed with Michelin maps, Cadogan guides and the host of free maps and brochures available at the well-run and helpful Bureau de Tourisme offices located in almost every village, where kindly hosts and hostesses can help you in English if you're not fluent in French. You can also rely on the helpfulness and good advice of people you meet in Provence. Bon voyage!

4 comments about Devil's Island: Colony of the Damned.

1. This book is a disappointment. It is not a serious work of scholorship. It has no notes, no index and is written in a rather breathless style that involves lots of exclamation marks and purported quotations of conversations that took place 75 years ago. The work also lacks structure and needed a good editor.

   Save your money.




2. If you are seeking fascinating history and a well researched book, try this one. However, as the previous reader mentions, the book is not well written and it would have been nice to see his sources.



3. Devil's Island was originally published circa 1934. It told of Dr Dreyfus'ordeal. The book you are listing is 1988. Is that an update of the original Devil's Island?



4. Before I review this book, I should say that I am a student of French history who is particularly interested in the French colonization process in the Caribbean and South America. Consequently, the prison colony in Guiana has come to my attention.
   
   After reading the book twice I've decided that I disagree with the other reviewers. No, this is not a sequel to or revision of the 1934 work about the Dreyfus affair, in response to another reviewer's question. Miles's work is a more all-encompassing one that includes information about the voyage from France to Guiana, the reasons why the convicts were sent there (among others) and the conditions within the colony. The work also explores the psychology of the French government and its motivations in attempting to keep the colony alive.
   
   I think what turns off some readers is the fact that this book is not academic. Don't get me wrong, Miles's research is very thorough, and contrary to what the other reviewers have claimed, there is a very long bibliography in the back of the book where all his information can be found. Miles's language is far from sophisticated, and I did notice a couple of grammar errors, but who cares? The book gets across its message in a clear, accessible, ENTERTAINING manner, which a more academic, sophisticated work may not be able to as effectively. I have always enjoyed entertaining histories, and so do most people, considering the types of history books that sell en masse.
   
   All things considered, I think it's only fair to give this book four stars. I was truly entertained by this book, and it did a great job of opening my eyes. Miles obviously put an enormous effort into it and I believe I succeeded. I also appreciate the photographs of the penal colony, prisoners, and other penal memorabilia. This book is easily worth the money, or at least a trip to the library.

No comments about Blue Guide China, Second Edition (Blue Guides).

1 comments about Fodor's See It France, 2nd Edition (Fodor's See It).

1. I ordered this book with the hope of "pretty pictures" to better decide on sights of interest for our trip. I already owned the Rick Steves book, but thought this would be a helpful supplement.
   
   Although the book does provide some pictures of the different sights, which are small, but useful, the organization of the book is just not intuitive for me. Instead of having an entire comprehensive chapter on a location (including sights, food, sleeping, tours, etc), it is broken into broader chapters. There is a chapter on "sights" which includes ALL regions. A separate chapter combines eating and sleeping together, once again for ALL regions. The sleeping chapter was especially lacking, considering the targeted audience of USA travelers.
   
   Overall, it was cute, but not helpful. I've almost got the Rick Steves book memorized, and that one I highly recommend.

No comments about World's Best Histories Volume 7: France.

No comments about Paris: Discovering the City of Light.

No comments about Swift's Anatomy of Misunderstanding: A Study of Swift's Epistemological Imagination.