1 comments about Henry James : Collected Travel Writings : The Continent : A Little Tour in France / Italian Hours / Other Travels (Library of America).

1. Henry James' travel writings on France and Italy are a case study in fine arts perception, understanding and interpretation. He treats each new locale as a new horizon to be engaged, absorbed, and internalized through a hermeneutic of analogical interiority. Roaming within the halls and chambers of French and Italian architecture opens, through the text, new conduits for an understanding of the vast interiority that exists within the self-examining-self. James is a master at relating the space of each location with the thoughts, instincts, relational perceptions and education of the observer. Reading these texts is like engaging each site oneself and discussing with a learned and trusted friend about what one is experiencing, not just what one is seeing. The art work of Joseph Pennell is an amazing addition to these works and masterpieces on their own. Do yourself a favor and buy this book. It will be a cherished addition to your collection and a book you will pick-up time and again to walk with the "Master" through France and Italy as you discuss, reflect and remember literary events that where home to these marvels. If you happen to be planning a trip to either France or Italy, take this along to add a level of historical and cultural depth to your experience. Some of what you will read has disappeared into history, but what remains is a beautiful historical and cultural continuity with Henry James as your guide.

4 comments about SmartFrench - Introduction to French, Vol.2.

1. This method works. Period. I have a bookshelf full of French language learning tools (books, CD's, flashcards), and they seem useless now that I am using SmartFrench. I listen to it six days a week. I'm going to be able to converse at length with someone on the street in Paris when we go this summer. I have been studying French almost daily for 3 months, and I was to the point where I wished for a program (like this new SmartFrench method!) that would just teach the basics: the most used verbs, and an easy way to become proficient in counting (pay attention to how many times a day you say numbers and you'll see why it's critical in learning a foreign language). Because I'm tired of only learning to ask, "I would like a croissant", or "Where is the bathroom?", I am thrilled that this method is helping me to have a two-way conversation in French. I'm already speaking French to my twin (a French speaker) and she just laughs--she is so shocked at my progress.
   
   This is a simple, simple program. The SmartFrench Audio Cds Beg I, Vol. 1 Vol. 2 (separate purchases) figured out which essential vocabulary words, verbs (4 of them), and phrases you need to know to speak French quickly. This method also teaches you counting. It's unbelievable that this simple, easy approach has never been done before. I'm glad someone finally did it! Some of the most successful, useful inventions become obvious to the rest of us after someone comes up with the idea, and we smack our foreheads with the palm of our hands thinking, "Why didn't I think of that? It's so obvious!" SmartFrench is like that.
   
   The teacher on the CD is really gifted. He speaks at a perfect speed, or tempo, his voice is easy to listen to, and he's SMART! It's literally like taking a French class without having to go to school. He gives you tips, clues, and ideas on how to remember things. You get the sense that he truly, truly wants to help you become proficient in speaking French.
   
   Have you felt like giving up on learning French? Try this program and you'll get excited about it again. Have a Francophile in your life? This would be the PERFECT GIFT for them.
   
   Side note:
   *Pay attention to which SmartFrench program you want. The titles are very similar. This program is called Beginner 1 Volume 1, and Beginner 1 Volume 2.
   *Do not confuse the title with the CD entitled simply "Beginner Level"! That "Beginner Level" CD and the "Intermediate/Advanced Level" CD are also great, but have a different approach (VERY effective). Those CD's help tune your ear to the French language as you listen to native French speakers, at the same time teaching you to speak along with a really cool, innovative approach.
   *The CD-Rom is also great. Very interactive. Nice to see the native French people speaking. Helps me to understand how to pronounce things even better and to see typical French mannerisms.



2. This is a wonderful learning tool. Along with Volume 1, you get the basics that you need to build a solid foundation for learning the language. The pacing of the lessons is just right, and they are very pleasant to listen to as well. You feel like you are in the hands of a good, smart, wise teacher. I love using it, and I recommend it strongly.



3. This is an excellent program for learning to speak French the way it's supposed to be spoken. School classes teaches the hard stuff, like grammar, etc., and not exactly how to speak/listen to the language. We tried a few other programs and were fairly disappointed until we got SmartFrench. This is an excellent program where you learn to speak, and as importantly, listen to French the way it's supposed to be spoken at different speeds. This first set of CDs (Introduction Vol 1 and Vol 2) will give you an introduction to simple everyday words, as well as some fundamental French language structure, and how to use them. Also, the 5 most used verbs are explained on their usage.
   
   Finally, if you're an absolute beginner in the French language, this Vol 1 and Vol 2 will get you started in the right direction. Afterwards, the next sets (SmartFrench Beginner, Intermediate/Advanced) will get you further in developing the right speaking/listening skills. This program focuses mainly on the speaking/listening aspect of the language and it does it extremely well. This SmartFrench program should be used in conjunction with reading, watching French TV/movies, and working with other French grammar programs if you want total fluency in the language. Enjoy!



4. I love the SmartFrench products with native French speakers in conversation, but the Introduction to French, Vol 1 and 2, I, personally, would skip, because they are "explanations" of grammar, and I think it is more effective to go right to listening to the conversations, and absorbing the sound and flow, and than speaking. Even with no previous French, I think this is the best way to learn, because this is how I learned the language years ago. So, while this is a good product, I personally would invest in the CD-ROM or CDs with the conversations by native French speakers....and would bypass the CDs which explain grammar.

3 comments about The Most Beautiful Villages of Burgundy (Most Beautiful Villages).

1. France is a magical place and Burgundy is one of its most magical regions. The premier wine-growing region of France, Burgundy is also the center of fine cuisine, Romanesque architecture and lazy canals bordered by meadows of wildflowers. This book, with its more than 260 color illustrations, shows Burgundy at its finest. A region dominated by water, the book begins in the north and travels through all of Burgundy's four departments. From the Yonne, a land of peaceful river valleys and almost 1000 canals, we travel southward with the author to visit little Romanesque churches and learn how the Benedictine and Cistercian monks spread the Romanesque style. We finally arrive in the southernmost department of Soane-et-Loire and the city of Macon, the border to the Midi and the South, where we sample some of the finest wines in the world, such as Montrachet and Pommard. Burgundy is one of the most beautiful places on earth--unspoiled, unhurried and faithful to its past. Whether you plan to actually visit the area or are just dreaming of a visit, this is the perfect book to accompny you and your dreams and perhaps even make make them come true.



2. My sister and I recently toured Burgundy and even though we were born and bred in France, we saw the region anew. The photos in this book are lovely and for once, do a place justice. If you plan to travel to Burgundy, and may I suggest that you do, you certainly can't go wrong with this book as a traveling companion and tour guide.



3. I have to agree with the two previous reviewers, Burgundy is a very special part of France, and a very special part of the world. It is worth seeing just for the vineyards alone, but there is so much more to Burgundy than just wine. If you're lucky enough to go there, take this book along. It will be an invaluable guide to the restaurants and hotels in the area as well as to the festivals, concerts, etc. And if you must stay at home, then this book is the next best thing to actually being there. The photos are gorgeous and the text informative. Five stars is not enough!

5 comments about Above Paris.

1. This is a stellar exploration of Paris and its environs via aerial photographs. Armed with a map and this book, you can take a wonderful tour of Paris from a bird's-eye perspective, becoming familiar with the layout of the city, the location of the most famous spots in relation to other structures, and a feel for how the city is built around the various physical landmarks, including hills and the waterways. There is also a wealth of photographs from the surrounding areas of Paris.

   The photographs are of the greatest imaginable clarity, with a wealth of detail in every picture. Although it is possible to flip through the book, the best approach is to take it and carefully study each picture, teasing out all the details that each one can reveal. I will confess that I have never been to Paris, but thanks to studying this as well as other books enabling one to study the layout of the city, I honestly believe that I could negotiate between the landmarks if I were suddenly plopped down in the center of the city.

   I have only two complaints with the book. First, the first section of the book features both historical and modern views of the same areas. I would have liked to see a lot more of that. For me, these were by far the most interesting photos in the book, and I wouldn't have minded if this constituted the bulk of the book. Second, while the pictures are of the highest imaginable quality, most were taken from approximately the same elevation. If one compares the photographs here to those in Jan Morris's OVER EUROPE, you will find in the latter a much greater variation in elevation. In the Morris book, they were able to many instances to use a remote control balloon with a camera to get much, much lower than Cameron was in this volume. Pierre Salinger's intro details some of the difficulties they had in getting permission for low-level photographs. Minor quibbles, but I do believe that more variety in the book would have increased its attractiveness and value.




2. All I can say is Wow, Mr. Cameron is such a talent, people just have no idea the skill it takes to get photographs of this quality, much less hanging out of a helicopter. I love Paris and this book lets you see the hidden gardens and the wonderful lay out of this singular city. Paris has NEVER looked so good, and eventhough this book was first published in the late 80's the photographs still capture the present city, after all Paris, thank heaven, does not change that much, that is a big part of her charm. Though she ages she never really shows her age, she is truly eternal. I highly recommend this book, it is just quite frankly unparalleled.



3. Every time i open this book, it draws me in. The clarity of the photos is amazing! The superb images are shot from the perfect height so that they provide a panoramic view, while still allowing you to glimpse tiny architectural details like balconies and awnings. This beautiful, unique book is the perfect preparation for a trip to Paris, as it will help you create a mental map of the city - but it's a wonderful post-trip souvenir, too. If you have even a passing interest in Paris, this book is a must-buy!



4. As you would expect from the "Above Blank" city series, this is an updated version of "Above Paris". It is slightly larger in format than the previous version, and includes the Pyramid entrance to the Louve, and all the new sites like La Bastille opera house. If you have ever been to Paris, this is a MUST. If you are thinking of going, you will buy it when you return!



5. Since I am a lover of Paris this book really reminds me of when I was there and how I can't wait to get back. The pictures are wonderful and I'm glad I purchased it.

3 comments about The Rough Guide to Italy 8 (Rough Guide Travel Guides).

1. We were planning to travel to the heel of Italy (Puglia region) and there really aren't any books that cover that area alone. Usually I buy other brands (Moon or Lonely Planet) but after comparing the information on Puglia side by side with the other books I decided that the Rough Guide better met our needs due to the quantity and practicality of the information provided (many of the smaller towns weren't even covered in the other books). We purchased local books in Italy that were more focused on the region but ended up using the Rough Guide every day.



2. This book is decidedly not for those who choose to rent a car as part of their visit to Italy. The "arrival" section of each town and region only discusses arrival by train or bus; nothing on roads or parking - either for towns or hotels. The chapter on Puglia mentions a coastal route, but then abruptly states, "you won't be able to come this way by train or bus anyway," and then jumps to a discussion of what's beyond the coastal route.
   
   (For price discussion, I will precede numbers with an "e" for euros, as e1.)
   
   The paragraph on car rental says "car rental in Italy is pricey... at around e250-e300 per week..." I have found a TWO week rental (April 2008) to be just over e300, including taxes and mandatory insurance coverage. Mandatory insurance is not mentioned by the guide, but it is what drives the price up. I agree that this is pricey, but it is about half the price of what the authors suggest.
   
   Does this guidebook eschew the car more for political reasons? Can't be, as the planet would be better off if we didn't travel at all (and did not buy guidebooks.)
   
   So, then, is this book geared to budget travelers? Not necessarily. The cost of train travel (for two) in Italy is comparable to the cost of car travel (even with gas approaching $10/gal.) For example, the train from Rome to Milan, according to the authors, would cost e94 for 2 adults (about $145), roughly the same as a compact car and gas for the day. I'm certainly not advocating renting a car to drive from Rome to Milan, but if one was traveling from Rome to Perugia to Siena to Florence to Pisa to Cinque Terra and then to Milan over several days, the costs are comparable. The authors should allow the traveler to weigh the cost/convenience factors of each.
   
   But, for real evidence that this book is not geared as budget traveler's guide, consider the nine price ranges for accommodations: (under e50), (e51-75), (e76-100),... (e251-300), (e300+). At the current exchange rate of e1=$1.60, e50=$80, e75=$120, and e300=$480. Certainly at these levels of expenditure, a budget traveler would be much better off financially by renting a car and staying outside of towns in cheaper rooms. Unfortunately, this option isn't really covered in this guidebook. (And, honestly, do people who spend $480+/night for a hotel really buy a Rough Guide and plan their own vacation?)
   
   Generally, I quite like Rough Guides; they tend to be much better written, more colorfully and honestly, than one of the leading brands ("LP") which refuses to even say something bad about Newark, NJ, in its USA book. But, generally speaking, Rough Guides also tend to be better than this particular Rough Guide.
   
   I do very much appreciate the inclusion of detailed instructions on using the buses and trains; this information is often the best reason to buy a guidebook. But, by omitting everything about renting a car in Italy, and at the same time having an $80 lowest price category for accommodation, this book ultimately is not ideal for any audience and disappoints.
   
   These authors must realize that a sensible way for many people to visit Italy would be with some time spent in major cities without a car, and some time in the countryside behind the wheel. I have no problem omitting the discussion of "what to do with your car in Rome, Milan and Venice", but the omission of suggested driving routes, parking locations and sites along the route to smaller towns and national parks is a major oversight and a serious negative of this guidebook.
   
   The included material is good; the omitted material is glaring. I net this to 3 stars.



3. It is better to have this book than nothing. It does have some basic information in it. But there are also very basic things left out. Things like practical information to help with planning how to get where you want to go are missing or wrong. Moreover, the ability to get a good overview of what, among the endless possibilities of attractions, are really the ones most likely to be of interest, is simply not possible from the guidebook. Hence, we actually bought another guide book while we were in Italy to complement all that was lacking in this one. Especially when traveling to regions commonly covered by other books, such as we were (Rome and Naples), another option would probably be better.

5 comments about The French Chateau: Life, Style, Tradition.

1. If you love French history, art, decoration and life style; if you have ever dreamed of living in a beautiful French chateau, you must get this book. Each time I open this book I am enchanted. What makes this book especially interesting is that people still live in these chateaus, these dreamscapes of tall Mansart roofs, formal French gardens and rooms filled with 18th century furniture. Forget about the text, it's the ravishingly photographed gardens and interiors that inspire one to dream. Beyond the sheer fantasy of it, this book showed me how I could create a little of the "French Chateau Style" in my own humble living space.



2. Christiane De Nicolay-Mazery is a fabulous author with fabulous connections. I'm an interior designer & I find Christiane De Nicolay-Mazery's books to be the most inspirational decorating books that I own. One of her other books, 'Private Houses of Paris', is my favorite book on the topic of decorating and I own almost every significant book published on this topic. I do wish that this book was available in hardback, as I prefer hardback books, but this fact should not dissuade you in purchasing it because inspirational design is absolutely on every page of this book!



3. See how the other side lives in this fascinating book on private French chateaux. Their residences as well as their lifestyles are revealed in this book packed with gorgeous photos dripping with color and layers of texture. What's also interesting about this book is the history behind each property as well as its past owners. One can only dream...



4. An unusual and beautifully published book that profiles privately-owned chateaux, inside and out. It gives you an intimate view of life within the rooms, formal and informal, utility and casual, garden and forest. Family and friends are included from a respectable distance, showing weekend sporting activities and day to day life. Snobbish? Unapproachable? Not really. Think of it as a personable Architectural Digest a la Francaise, with much more panache.



5. ok book,not one of my best picks,several out there that are better as far as decorating goes!

2 comments about Wallpaper City Guide: Paris (Wallpaper City Guide Paris).

1. Wallpaper Magazine --- the bible of all that is cutting edge in international design/fashion/travel/interiors --- is celebrating its 10th birthday.
   
   And how better to show off its grown-up status --- at ten, a magazine is old enough to drink and smoke and Lord knows what else --- than by rolling out a slew of travel guides that are exactly as hip as the magazine?
   
   These make no effort to be complete. They're 100+ pages. Paperback. Smallish: 6" by 4". With photos that sometimes fill two pages.
   
   In other words, these are not travel guides for first-time travelers. (You want a primer --- start with a guide like Fodor's.) These books are a whole other game. Indeed, they're so of the moment that they probably need to be junked and massively revised every year or two --- the cutting edge has a way of cutting the throats of hip restaurants and shops. And the thing about architecture is that there's always more of it, and the new stuff is (or so the media would have it) just a bit more exciting than last year's.
   
   To judge these guides, I selected a city I know well (Paris) and the city that's been home for most of my life (New York). Talk about surprising! No, make that mind-blowing.
   
   Wallpaper's Paris Guide doesn't fall for the lie that the city never changes. It sees "constant, if sometimes, gentle, upheaval." Yes --- if you are 25 years old and have spent quantity time haunting the chic arrondissements. If, like me, you have a family and plunk yourself down in the 6th or 7th, this guide is a revelation.
   
   I loved the cheek of this praise of the Marais: "These streets...are as near as Paris gets to signs of life on a Sunday." I was happily surprised to learn that Sacre-Coeur was "built as a monument to failure" (in the Franco-Prussian War). But after that...everything was new. I was especially agog at the hotels --- the photos are so exquisite they're hotel-porn. Who could afford these rooms? Why did I know so few of them?
   
   For that matter, I'd heard of half the restaurants, none of the clubs, few of the buildings. Shopping? Spas? Getaways? Zip. Zip. Zip. It got so that I frowned when I came across a recommendation for a known entity --- like Joel Robuchon's Atelier. Clearly, Joel's super-expensive, no-reservations eatery must be on the way out.
   
   Wallpaper's New York Guide was equally full of surprises. I live uptown --- clearly, everything worth seeing or doing is way downtown. (Though it was bracing to see the Paris Theatre, at 5th Avenue and 58th Street, listed as the city's best art-movie cinema.) I've never heard of the beautiful Matsuri Restaurant (in the Maritime Hotel), or Thor, or Public, or Odea, or En, or Morimoto. And that's just the tip of my iceberg of ignorance.
   
   But here's the thing: Nowhere in these guides do I get the feeling that the writer is sneering at me. Or, that if I go to these places, the proprietors will look at my preppy blazer and graying hair and frantically look for a velvet rope to bar me. The exclusionary factor here is money --- bargains are not a Wallpaper priority.
   
   But, hey, you're on a vacation. A little splurge won't kill you. And if you cherry-pick the suggestions in these guides, you're sure to have an adventure you can share with the folks back home. But you'll have to excuse me now --- I'm off to visit New York



2. These include a couple of poorly reproduced photos and tiny articles drawn from the magazine, obviously nobody was sent there seperately to do anymore research or come up with any useful information. These are vapid and terrible.
   
   Save your money and get a real guide book, the same places will be included but you might learn something.

5 comments about On Rue Tatin: Living and Cooking in a French Town.

1. Having been a student in France in the 1970s, this book brought back a lot of good memories. Ms. Loomis is an excellent writer and tells a good story making me feel like I was there. I could easily imagine all of the situations and think any person with an interest in France or cooking would enjoy the book. It'll be kept in my library to reread in the future.



2. Very disappointing, the only good thing in it is the food. It's terribly condescending and author's ego is all over the place. But the most annoying part is that while it claims on the back that this is a book about a cooking school and anyone about to open a small business should read it, this is not the case at all. She only talks about the school a bit at the beginning and then we are just left with her life, her view of the French, which is not very exciting, and an awful lot of adjectives.



3. This is not a cookbook, but a memoir with a scattering of recipes. The story is a familiar one: American becomes enthralled with France (or Italy as is often the case), manages to buy and restore a delapidated country house, and lives to write about it. It is hoped that the proceeds from the sale of the resulting book will defray the costs.
   
   I am sure that Susan Loomis is a nice person, but she is a mediocre writer. Her tale is written in a self-absorbed style that just detracts. The writing is ponderous and irritating.



4. I took a cooking class with Susan when she made one stop in California. I learned alot and so I read this book to see how she ended up in France. It was a delight. It made me want to pack up and visit the town where she lives. I loved reading of the people who live there and the recipes she shares. Very enjoyable.



5. This book is bad in many ways. Like many readers who have pointed out, its writing is just awful. Then, the author seemed small-minded about French culture at times which makes me wonder why did they move to France? She never properly explained it other than saying 'I just Love it there'. One example is when she wrote how she felt uncomfortable with the French way of 'by-passing' the system. She gave the impression that she felt it's wrong to do such things, then gave several examples of how they got their parking tickets waived because they knew this friend and how they bought stuff at cheaper prices because they knew some other friends - in other words, how they cheated the system themsevels while feeling this 'French' way is wrong. This is just hypocritical and condescending.
   
   This book is NOT about living in a French town for the most part, rather, about the author's own life, a quite boring one, that is. The author went into great length into describing every little detail about every little thing. Describing their housekeeper's habbit of cleaning in the dark took 2 pages, then another paragraphy about how the housekeeper doesn't clean the cobwebs very well, then another paragraph of how she's not complaining and 'the world still turns'. It is just painful to read.

5 comments about Streetwise Paris Metro Map.

1. I bought one for each of the three of us going to France. They were small and laminated, and would fit inside our passport covers. Should have guessed that anything that small would be useless. If you are over 40, forget it. I don't wear glasses, but I could not read the print. The arondissments are not clear. They were useless for us, but they were stylishly cute, all the while.



2. This little laminated map, of the Metro and RER lines in and around Paris, is one of the most valuable and cheap investments you can make before you visit.The details on this map are very small. If you have any difficulty reading fine print, a portable magnifying glass may be in order. This map folds into thirds and easily fits in your pocket. Both the RER and Metro lines are displayed on the same side, making it easy to recognize where to connect with other lines. The free maps from the train stations separate the different lines, making it more cumbersome to plot your course. Spend the money, get this one - you'll use it.



3. This map was so helpful to us when we walked around Paris a couple weeks ago. You can get a metro map when you get to Paris, but I didn't see one that included the whole city in one map. The Lonely Planet Paris guide had a good map, too, but the mini map is easy to put in your pocket and reference as needed.



4. Super clean, conveniently-small. It is a great tool. (I did have to use my glasses to read it, but sometimes you are forced to give into old age...especially if you want to find your way through the Paris metro.



5. OK but not worth the money. These are free (albeit not laminated) at any Paris Metro station. Only bought it as I needed to get up to 25 dollars to get free shipping.

No comments about Time Out Shortlist Paris 2009 (Time Out Shortlist).