5 comments about Michelin Red Guide 2007 France: Hotels & Restaurants (Michelin Red Guides).

1. Over the years the Michelin Red Guide to France has been the most reliable guide to restaurants and dining we have ever found.



2. This guide was our bible for our 2 1/2 week driving tour of France. We used it to find hotels and restaurants and were never disappointed.



3. The attempt to go to English lacks a little - like getting an Englsih version of a French menu. Something feels missing. I have always been annoyed at the lack of a Paris map to which references could be made, but hey. We should know this already, right?



4. Having lived in Belgium, Switzerland and France, we have, through the years, bought the Michelin Red Guide -- and always in French. Through you, the one we just purchased is in (mostly) English. My wife's French is excellent, mine not so good. Therefore, we are very pleased to have the latest version -- and in English. We have already used it a few times -- and made reservations in the Perigord for an upcoming visit. It is well laid out, reliable and easy to use. Five stars.



5. We always use this guide when traveling through smaller towns in France where other guides do not provide much help. We usually agree with its ratings. I tend to use the Internet for towns in which we know we want to reserve ahead, but when just wandering around, this guide is great!

No comments about Speak the Culture: France: Be Fluent in French Life and Culture (Speak the Culture).

5 comments about Knopf Guide: Paris (Knopf City Guides).

1. No I do not work for the publisher, but as someone who will spend 4 months planning 14 days away. I must say if I could bring only one book, this would be it. I have used it on every trip to Paris, and have not been led wrong by it. The book touches upon almost every conceivable church, museum, square, fountain, etc. that is within the City proper. If you were to study this book for 2 weeks with a larger Michelin map of the City,(one that is entirely on one looseleaf page, you could put the book down and completely navigate around the City on your own and find everything. Yes it is that good and well thought out. The ultimate writers of the guidebook deserve 'props' for how they did the book. I like the Knopf guides in general, but this one is the best.

   Some caveats:

   1. The hotel and restaraunt section IN THIS BOOK, in the back is too short and dated. The first and only time I booked a hotel in the back of a Knopf guidebook was in Venice and I GOT BURNED BAD! Unless you are talking about something world renown, like the Crillon, or the Cipriani in Venice, use another guidebook! For Paris, Cheap Sleeps/Cheap Eats has never done me wrong. In fact they have been uncommonly good.

   2. There are a lot of tricks for getting around the City, getting into museums, etc. You won't find them in this book, you are going to have to go to Rick Steves for that!

   3. The guidebook cant tell you what is best to see in this City, although it is not the Knopf guidebooks fault. It is the fault of the City of Paris. There is so much in that City, if you step off the plane and honestly look around, your head will spin, and perhaps you will start a lifelong love affair with it, as probably millions of others have. I don't think I have ever been happier, or more content, then sitting around drinking wine and eating frites somewhere in the Latin Quarter. Enjoy yourself and relax, the way the U.S. and the world is going, you may not get back there for a long long time.




2. In 1987 I visited paris for the first time. When I purchased this guide it was like going there many times over. It is truely one of the best books I have ever purchased. It is an art guide, history book, architecture study, travel guide and more.
   
   What more could there be? This is an excellent reference all around. Its easy to research a novel from this tome alone. I felt that I stepped off a plane and had an excellent english speaking tour guide with me.
   
   I naturally proceeded to get the rest of the set of travel guides. It was better than all the encyclopedias I had in school. The benefit of this series is that unless the world changes dramatically, the travel guides will not go out of style of years to come.



3. I love these Knopf guides, they are really beautiful little books and they are chocked full of information, granted they are not a quick guide, but if want indepth information and some deep research on Paris, then I highly recommend this guide, read it before you go to Paris, it will make the trip all the more enjoyable. Bon Voyage.



4. Very useful guide, especially for galleries and places of interest. Didn't use it for housing and not much for food.



5. Easily one of the best Paris guide books on the market, Knopf's City Guide of Paris is a visual and textual delight. Suitable for those trying to plan a first visit as well as for the repeat visitor, the book is a cornucopia of artistic and photographic montages of most all of the major sights to be seen in the city. The treatment which the book provides is so extensive that many people do not exclusively use the book for only tourist visits: the volume also excellently permits us to vicariously revisit the city from home, as well as conduct informal research on the many aspects of Paris' history and culture. As a tourist guide, the book can therefore help you make decisions on what you wish to concentrate on during a vacation visit, but as a resource guide, the text can help you develop knowledge about all kinds of aspects of the city (history, cuisine, art and architecture, etc.). It is truly a lovely book to enjoy both inside and outside the city.
   
   Some side comments are in order. For example, the book has been kept reasonably small so it can fulfill its purpose as a tourist guide. This means, however, that the page size is not the most convenient format for holding and reading the book for any length of time, and yet the beauty and written information in the volume compels us to do just that. This means we are sometimes locked into a small battle trying to open the book to ever greater degrees to make the page overlays more visible during longer reading sessions. And because the book is printed exclusively on high-quality gloss paper - a true delight in most any book - the volume feels like it weighs a metric ton. Why does that matter, you might ask? With airlines seemingly ever reducing and scrutinizing baggage weight limits, this single book is going to add a pound or two to either your checked baggage or your carry-on bag. When you are worried about reaching your baggage weight limits, this factor becomes a real issue. Nevertheless, I can tell you the book is so well done that I've brought it with me multiple times on trips to Paris due to the great information and illustrations it provides.
   
   My own suggestion is that you couple this book with a good map of the city (which is sometimes best purchased while in Paris itself), and you have a great start to understanding the city. Another great addition to this book is one of the "walking guides" for the city (Tessan's City Walks: Paris: 50 Adventures on Foot is excellent). With these few books, you have more than enough to have a great visit to the City of Lights. Bon voyage!

1 comments about The Most Beautiful Villages of Normandy (The Most Beautiful Villages Series).

1. Excellant book. Excellant purchase. Good delivery. No complaints.

5 comments about The Pilgrim's Guide to Santiago De Compostela.

1. As a collector of guide books about Iberia, I found this volume exceptionally revealing, practical and poetic.



2. I personally knew Mr. Melczer both as my instructor and later as a friend and I simply cannot say enough about this man. Studying in Spain with Mr. Melczer in 1990 I can say he truly opened my eyes to history, art and culture. I took copious notes, but I realized I could never fully "absorb" the knowledge that this man imparted to his students. He inspired me to enter the field I am in now.
   This book is an excellent presentation of one of the most remarkable journeys traversed by so many people throughout history. The research is excellent and the reading is very clear. This book is a must for any person interested in Spanish history



3. When you are not sure of the details of any particular Camino miracle, you need go no further than William Melczer's guide. The Codex Calixtinus is the source of all those stories you read in the other English language books. Melczner's guide is the first complete English translation of Book Five of the Codex Calixtinus - the original medieval pilgrim's guide.
   
   This is a scholarly, extremely well documented book. The entire book is 345 pages. Of this, the actual translated Codex is 50 pages. The introduction and notes demonstrate a through knowledge the medieval pilgrimages. The book includes a haigographical register and gazetteer as well as bibliograpy and index. I had to go to my unabridged dictionary to find out that haigography is the study of saints. The gazetteer contains a short explanation if each place name. Both the haigraphical index and the gazetteer are quite helpful when doing any Camino reading.
   
   This is not a book I would carry with me, but certainly one that is enjoyed after doing the Camino. For those who have time, it supplements any historical reading one may do before the Camino.



4. DO NOT buy this book if you are looking for a modern guide to the Camino.
   
   DO buy this book for a scholarly translation and background of the pilgrims who went before you on the Camino (the guide was written in approx. 1160 AD)! The large introduction is packed with detailed information about the history/legends of St. James and his tomb from the time of Christ through early Church fathers, early Spanish history, Islamic invasion and subsequent withdrawal, and the French connection. There is detailed history on pilgrim routes, what they wore, where they stayed, and more. A great read prior to walking the Camino!



5. 
   This book is comprised of a translation of Book V of the Codex Calixtinus, and abundant notes, commentary and introduction of same. If you have traveled to Santiago, then you have most likely already read extensive quotations, citations or information from this work. It is probably the single most important historical source of information about the pilgrimage. Or at least the most famous.
   
   The translated work itself is only a small fraction of the total book. I urge you to go to the effort of reading the Notes to the Codex. Do this at least for the value for money in the experience since the Notes section is almost twice as long as the actual text. Even past that, I found the notes good reading, and only wish that they had been published in situ with the text and not at the back since it would have saved me a lot of really endless flipping back and forth.
   
   The book is also published with a Hagiographical register of the relevant saints and a Gazetteer of the locations. Either of those sections might be of more use to the prospective pilgrim than is the text itself. I have to say that reading the Codex after I completed my trip made it funnier and more illuminating.
   
   This is one of those fabled must-reads if you are interested in the Camino. If you aren't, it still might be interesting as an example of medieval travel writing. Melczer seems to do a good job with the book and the translation. Recommended.

2 comments about Paris by Metro: An Underground History.

1. Delaney's Paris By Metro is nothing short of an etymological delight! The book has a brief description of EVERY Paris Metro station and although it checks in at only about 70 pages it is loaded with information.
   
   I've been to Paris several times and using the Metro is always one of my favorite experiences. I've caught myself on more than one occasion wondering from where these strange and foreign names for the stations were derived. Chemin Vert, Oberkampf, Varenne, and a host of others were just as mysterious when leaving Paris as they were when I arrived. But with this book all the mysteries have been solved!
   
   There is no "Look Inside" feature as of yet for this publication so I'll give you a few of the details of the layout of the book.
   
   It's very portable, nice looking, and weighs next to nothing. A traveller could probably fit it into a back pocket, but I think it's more suitable for a backpack or a purse. The first several pages deal with some of the particulars of using the Metro. You'll find a clear 2 page color map of the entire Metro, a brief explanation of how to use the system, a brief description of the different types of trains, lists of places to visit and shop that are easily accessible by the Metro, and a method for understanding the different terms used in France for various types of roads, streets, squares, and plazas.
   
   The heart of the book begins on about page 7 with a chapter devoted to Line 1, followed by 13 additional chapters, averaging about 5 pages each which ultimately cover all 14 Lines of the Paris Metro. The entries are very concise, and I'll give two examples here using the aforementioned stations:
   
   On page 49:
   
   Line 8
   Chemin Vert
   The name (green path) derives from the fact that the street in question passed through the market gardens in existence a few centuries ago.
   
   On page 32:
   
   Line 5
   Oberkampf
   Born in Bavaria in 1738, Christophe Philippe Oberkampf was one of France's leading linen printers and was an important figure in the cotton industry.
   
   As you can see, the entries are very matter of fact and although some are a bit longer than these examples most are very short and to the point like the ones above.
   
   This book may not be for everyone, but anybody who loves the Paris Metro and is intrigued by the names they see on the system map will surely enjoy reading this book. It's also the kind of book that drops names for further research. It's a great gift idea for a Francophile or somebody who is planning a trip to Paris. Maybe you should just get it for yourself, you know, something to have around your home when you're longing for the most magical city in the world.



2. I should have paid more attention to the product description and noted how many (or few) pages were in this book. I thought perhaps it might be a fascinating in-depth study of the Paris subway system, similar to Chrisian Wolmar's excellent "The Subterranean Railway" (about the London underground). I was wrong. It's a very thin hardback in which the author gives short (usually 1 paragraph) stories of how each Metro station got its name. The book is organized by the numbers of the subway lines, and contains some nice color photos (but there could have been much greater variety). I learned some interesting facts about the people and places who have been immortalized in the Metro, but I expected a lot more. No history of the Metro itself, and many stories that could have been fleshed out in more detail. This could easily have been an extra chapter stuck at the back of a Rick Steves travel guide, rather than a separate book.

2 comments about Michelin the Green Guide French Alps (Michelin Green Guides).

1. I am planning a trip to Annecy, France in the French Alps. This tour book is more detailed than general books on France. It provides websites, small maps, small city maps, driving tours, excellent history of the towns, and recommended sight-seeing.



2. A very dependable and reliable travel resource. Logical layout and very informative.

No comments about Cycling the River Loire: The Way of Saint Martin (Cicerone Cycling).

5 comments about Suzy Gershman's Born to Shop Paris: The Ultimate Guide for People Who Love to Shop (Born To Shop).

1. I purchased this book a little while before going to Paris and read it cover to cover, made maps, reference marks on my maps (basically went over board) believing I had invested money in a guide that was somewhat acurate. Sadly, I was mistaken - many of the stores mentioned were either no longer in business or were at another address. Most of the advice was off the cuff and not honest enough to be taken seriously by anyone. It is a fun read, don't get me wrong, but more as fiction than fact. Paris is a living, breathing animal of a city, always changing - i realize now that advice, not military precision shopping, is what I am looking for, and this is not it.



2. I've been traveling to Paris for 35 years (lived there for one) and so, know the city fairly well.... A friend lent me this book, and I tried to use it during the 3 weeks I spent in Sept-Oct of last year (2006), and was very disappointed. I mapped out the locations of several of the shops Suzy raves about, and arrived, only to find that the store was no longer (was it ever?) at the address she gave. If you know Paris, you know that there are tons of little, hard-to-find-rues, so it was VERY frustrating to spend so much time looking....and finding nothing. I would suggest she do her homework before she publishes another guide.



3. I always eagerly await Suzy's latest Born To Shop Editions from all over the world and this one didn't disappoint. Since she has lived there for over 5 years this edition has been stream lined to perfect. Even with the transportation strike while visiting this past 2 weeks.............Thanks!!



4. When this series started 20+ years ago, it was interesting and fresh. Now it merely looks old,out-of-date and worthless. Suzy's editorial style is intensely irritating. She's a fashionista who couldn't be less interested in anything you can't wear. And I agree with the other reviewers - most of it is years out of date.



5. I have previous editions of this book which I found initially helpful but this " updated" one is hardly that. It still lists stores that closed 6 years ago!!!!! The author has not done her research recently and it is reflected by inaccurate data causing shopping angst!

5 comments about French Spirits: A House, a Village, and a Love Affair in Burgundy.

1. I just finished reading this book. I have never wriiten a review , but I do feel compelled to after reading some of the other reviews posted here. For me, this is a memoir, not a travel guide. I admire anyone who is willing to share his life experiences with me--I find it a most generous act. I feel like writing to the author to thank him for his book. He brought the area and the people to life for me. I am studying French; so the sentences in French (don't be alarmed, he supplies a translation just following) were fun for me to figure out. I liked learning about Henri IV's locks, and learning about the author's childhood. I love a good memoir--and particularly, one by someone who is not famous except in his own circle. I would encourage anyone who feels the same to buy, or borrow this book--and order "Eyewitness France" if you want a travel guide. This book is a lovely eyewitness to a man's life.



2. Beware the spate of books on the topic of Americans/Brits living in France! Talk about publishers milking a trend! Unfortunately, not every author is a Peter Mayle or an Ann Barry. Greene's book, for example, is hopeless--- a shambles as far as organization goes, peopled by clueless, insensitive, and incompletely delineated characters (maybe that last is the good news, because the bad news is that this is a work of non-fiction.) It is about as illuminating of the French culture and countryside as a Greyhound bus tour of the Top Ten tourist sites of the Ile-de-France.
   Don't be taken in by the book's title, as I was. Even we bibliophilic Francophiles have some standards!



3. I just finished French Spirits and then read other reviews. It never occurred to me that the author was being a braggard. The story is full of real characters and the author's acceptance and appreciation of their quirks is obvious. My only complaint is that this swift read ends abruptly. There are implications that his mother does not continue to live with them in France, but we never learn what happens to her. Surely there is a sequel, but perhaps more life has to be lived before he will be ready to write it. I will certainly be waiting.



4. This is the 5th book of it's type I've read in a row. You know the genre, Americans buy a home in ruins and fix it up. I'm a sucker for this kind of book. But the things I've learned from these books are: 1. You have to have bottomless pockets. 2. French government regulations are enough to drive me insane. 3. If I ever do buy a house in France, I will find one that someone else has already roofed, tiled, windowed, painted, landscaped etc etc etc! What a nightmare.
   If you like this sort of book, this one is great because it's located in a different, less written about area of France. And it's every bit as good as Ann Barry's. I always thought Ann was a ninny sort of wimp that depended on the kindness of her neighbors way too much. At least Jeff Greene and his wife were more self reliant.



5. I am beginning my third reading of this memoir of creating a life and finding a world in Burgundy...and that should say how highly I think of Jeffrey Greene's writing. I feel as if I too moved to the old presbyterie with its hundreds of empty wine bottles left by the last, somewhat alcoholic priest/resident. The people and the place are so personally described. Love, life, leaky roofs and fascinating neighbors all wound together by a poet! We are fortunate readers!