No comments about Walks in the Loire Valley (Footpaths of Europe).

2 comments about The Cats and the Water Bottles: and Other Mysteries of French Village Life.

1. This book is a pleasant and easy to get through journey into an outsider's experiences in a small town in the South of France. The book is easy to read and enjoyable. Lighter than the usual Peter Mayle fare (who's books I find excellent). Overall, a simple compilation of entertaining essays.



2. Some wonderful things in life are just simple. That is what this book is. Not pretentious, not complicated and served in easy to chew bite-size essays. Overall a pleasant read that can warm you like an afternoon sunshine. (Not great literature, of course), but still a satisfying read.

2 comments about City Smart: Calgary.

1. This is a must read for any visitor or tourist going through Calgary. It is an invaluable asset if you are visiting for the Calgary Stampede, relatives, or are there on business. It is a great reference and it is obvious that a lot of research and work has been put into writing it.



2. There are more and more things of amazement that are being created that simply can't be comprehended by most, yet paramount to the human condition is that the unknown must be reconciled! So, if you have some time, are looking for a challenge, and want a comprehensive and convincing crash course on the state of everything, read this book.

   I have read most of the classics, and most of the great philosophers. Her views are uncompromising. Her stories are brilliant. And above all she is a compassionate person, by a much truer form of the definition. I fear, though, it is much too late. Her philosophy's only problem, which was not brought up in this book and therefore doesn't affect the rating, is the part about the mushrooms in that temple as part of the initiation process and the accompanying Shiva Vedic chants.

   This book is marvelous. It completely changed the way I look at literature and life in general. Her narrative is a delicate, touching essay with enough detail to outweigh your habit of waxing ethereal and finding meaning in the meaningless. You will one day become a meaningful, spiritual writer. I am sure that although you are part of the first generation raised without religion, you will find one. At the risk of dubbing this book "Chicken Soup for the Slacker," I am certain, or at least optimistic, that I received a very good sense of the dark, brooding, medieval atmosphere surronding the epic; a sense that this story was told around the fires in dark huts in the cold north. Bravo Frances!

1 comments about Blue Guide Southwest France, Second Edition.

1. You can't beat a Blue Guide when it comes to accurate, useful, and detailed information, and Southwest France is no exception. 576 densely printed pages, this book thoroughly covers the Midi-Pyrenees and Aquitaine, including Dordogne, Lot, Landes, Tarn, Gers, Gironde, and the Pyrenees. Elegant towns, superb museums (many little known), chateaux, churches, valleys, vineyards, city maps - this is a total cultural and historical guide to the region, which encompasses a vast amount of territory. And it fits in your pocket, always a plus. If you just want an overview of the most popular sites, this would not be your best choice. If you are an off-the-beaten-track kind of traveller who likes to delve and find hidden gems, by all means, take BGSF along for the fun. You may want to supplement it with another guide containing photos, as Blue Guides typically include line drawings in black and white.

4 comments about Michelin Paris Pocket Atlas Map No. 11 (Michelin Maps & Atlases).

1. Michelin travel guides have an excellent and well-deserved reputation, and this little blue street map and index for the city of Paris is in keeping with that reputation. It is arguably the most readable, comprehensive, and complete street map and index for the city in print. This is an essential little book if you plan to spend a lot of time walking around Paris, for business or pleasure.



2. We used the second edition of this book while walking and driving around Paris during a recent vacation. It fit conveniently in my pocket and was invaluable when navigating the sometimes confusing one way street system. The second edition lacked a metro map, but was complete in every other way!



3. Excellent for walking, driving, and even taking metro. I purchased the 2000 edition and it's very easy to read and also has a metro map and regional train map. Valuable indexes for all streets, museums, schools, landmarks, etc. as well as for emergency phone numbers. If you're going to Paris and are buying only one book to prepare for the trip (highly unlikely...!), then get this one!



4. This is an outstanding atlas. The book's size is very convenient, it is easy to carry, and fits nicely into a purse or a coat pocket. The map scale is excellent. All details that a visitor would need such as car parks, metro and RER stops, post offices, churches and every possible building and landmark are clearly marked on each page of the atlas. The detailed maps show all side streets so we never had any fear of getting lost on our walks. There are also separate pages for the bus, metro, and train lines serving the Paris area. The atlas is limited to the central Paris area so a visitor would need additional, larger scale maps of the Paris region if travel plans include driving to the city or around its various extended suburbs. This is the only set of maps you would need if your travel plans include the usual tourist attractions (the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the Arc de Triomphe, etc). However, this is not a guide book, so you will need a separate tour book of the city.

1 comments about Castles of the Loire: Places and History (Places and History Series).

1. I probably looked at 8 books on the Loire chateuaxs, and this was the best. Great photographs, laid out well, great information on each of the castles/chateauxs, lots of photos of the inside decoration and furniture. This book gave me a better understanding of the landscaping around the castles as well. If you are planning to visit the Loire valley, and you are trying to decide which castles to visit, this book is a must. It is also and excellent armchair-traveller/coffee-table book.

No comments about Thomas Jefferson's Journey to the South of France.

1 comments about SUNDAYS BY THE RIVER (Motta Photography Series).

1. On Sundays, Paris comes to a halt and Parisians take time to celebrate, well, that they're Parisians. In the spring and summer, especially, outdoor leisure predominates, and the romantic illusions that we Americans treasure of the City of Lights come closest to being reality.

   At least, that's how this book's Introduction by Noël Simsolo paints it. And I'm inclined to believe him. Certainly, Willy Ronis' very impressive photography seems to support the argument. Or, more precisely, the argument seems to support Ronis' images, since it's the images that this book is about. Ronis is an important and skilled photographer, and the Smithsonian and Motta Editore of Milan have done a fine job in selecting four dozen of his images for this book. They're a great portrayal of Paris at rest. And because the images are monochromatic, the fact that they span four decades (1947 to 1993) can easily be forgotten. Classic Paris always seems to be in black and white anyway, and Ronis' timeless, seductive work draws us in easily.

No comments about A Guide to Provence.

No comments about The Companion Guide to Gascony and the Dordogne (Companion Guides).