No comments about AAA Spiral Paris, 5th Edition (Aaa Spiral Guides).

2 comments about Antique and Flea Markets of London and Paris.

1. Antique and Flea Markets of London and Paris is a book serious shoppers will love. While spending several summer months in London, I have visited a number of the markets described. The authors are right on target, and the photos are enjoyable. I learned about many features I've missed, and read about several new places to try on the next trip. The book realizes that shoppers are people, not machines, and tells a little about the market's surrounding area, especially places to stop for a snack and a rest.

   I'm not as familiar with Paris, but if the Paris section is even close to being as accurate and useful as the London section, it will save shopping time and hassle across the channel, as it will in London.

   This is not "the" book for your trip if you need a complete guide book. If you like antiques and markets, however, you will love this book.




2. This book met a lot of my expectations by being very portable, very well-illustrated, and full of good descriptions of the merchandise one is likely to find in London and Paris flea markets. "Antiquing" is a very visual experience for me, and having plenty of photographs to whet my appetite for the various shops was a real plus. The book was useful too in helping me plot which days to attend which markets. Even if the merchandise changes and vendors sometimes move, there is enough general information that stays constant for this to be a useful guide for several years. The two-for-one format--London and Paris in one book--is also fun. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because the maps could have been better. Otherwise, a great resource!

No comments about Karen Brown's France Hotels, Revised Edition: Exceptional Places to Stay & Itineraries 2008 (Karen Brown's France Hotels).

5 comments about The Most Beautiful Villages of France (Most Beautiful Villages).

1. This is my third copy of this book. I give it as gifts to everyone I love. I live the dream with a home in Turenne (the picture on the cover) My aim is to visit every single one of these exceptional villages.
   
   The book is beautifully illustrated, and the text has the essence of each village exactly. It whets one's appetite to see The Most Beautiful Villages of France.



2. Yes, the villages in this book are beautiful, but having been to France several times, I was a bit disappointed that the photos in this book are all relatively similar. Although some of the photos and descriptions are impressive, this book could have provided more intimate or unique photos of the villages and shops as well as more interesting prose.



3. This is a thoroughly enjoyable and easy reading book. The authors take you through rural France and anyone who has visited there can identify with it. The process of social and cultural acclimmatization is both facinating and entertaining.



4. I have five of these ''Most Beautiful..." books, and have to say there is something of a problem with this particular book. Many of the images here seem to lack any real black tones in them, and consequently lack depth. It is not because they are meant to look misty and atmospheric, it is simply something missing either in the original photography or in the printing. Compared to the images in "The Most Beautiful Towns of England", for example, where the images are pin sharp and full of contrast, they are simply not as well produced.
   
   Still worth the money if you want to see some of the villages here, but there is little within quite as alluring as the cover photo, in my opinion.



5. Dominique Reperant's "village" has fewer than 1,050 inhabitants and he defines "most beautiful" as most preserved. So it's no surprise that his photographic essay that explored even the tiniest corners of France resulted in a collection of impressive shots that showcase France's roots in the medieval middle ages. And while the coffe table sized book will serve as a pleasurable souvenir of a trip into the French countryside, I was considerably underwhelmed with the quality of the photographs. They have a frustrating sameness of style and composition from photograph to photograph that failed to capture the distinctness of each town and enormous variation in the geographical settings of the towns from region to region. And, if there was a rationale to the order in which the towns were presented, it escaped me entirely.
   
   A nice memory to be sure but certainly not a book that I would categorize as so stunning that it would prompt an armchair traveller into booking a trip on the next available flight to France.
   
   Paul Weiss

4 comments about Coast to Coast Walk: A Pictorial Guide (Wainwright Pictorial Guides).

1. A great book for planning and walking across England. It has all the details necessary and is written in a humorous vein. The personal drawings and asides add to the light-hearted approach. Really necessary for the details of the walk.



2. The content in this book is terrific. Unfortunately, the text is ridiculously small. I cannot conceive of why. If the text were a reasonable size, I would have given the book a 5-star rating.



3. This beautiful guide to England's Coast to Coast walk is a rare thing... a very practical and reasonably up to date guide by the man who originated the route together with the original drawings and maps Wainright did to accompany the original edition. It is a beautiful book. The photoreproductions of Wainright's original handprinting give the book the feel of an historical artifact; a work of art from a different era.



4. this is a great reprint of the wonderful original coast to coast guide.
   its a must for anyone wanting to do all or part of the walk across Britain. can't wait to use it myself on the trail later this year.

No comments about The People of Pleure: Portrait of a French Village.

5 comments about The Naked Truth About Cap d'Agde.

1. I'm making my first trip to Cap d'Agde this August so I wanted to be up on things. This book describes every in and out of nudist town--from the sexy parts to the family parts. It's written clearly with interesting details. The authour's humor is so British--no slipping on the banana peel laughs for him--but it works for an American audience too. The many color and black and white photos show both people who go there and various parts of the town. The detailed maps also give me confidence that I'll be able to find what I need. Even though my French skills are lacking, given the author's tips, I'm confident I'll be able to find plenty of places and people that welcome Enlish speakers



2. Even though we feel that a single man has a very distinct disadvantage in trying to convey a perspective on nude recreation, nevertheless, this remains a book that probably should be read by people with an interest in nude recreation, and particularly by any prospective first time guests at Cap D'Agde.
   To us, anyway, the author seems to be a bit heavy on the "libertine" scene, while not writing enough about the traditional family aspects at the resort.
   There are chapters on the Gendarmes, shopping, activities for kids, day trips to local nearby attractions, orientation and acclimatization, restaurants and accommodation, as well as detailed guidelines for swingers.
   One should probably keep in mind that the Cap is constantly evolving, from year to year and even month to month -- one can find the ambience very different, for example, during July and August as opposed to June or September.
   Still and all, everyone should visit the resort once in their lives, even if only for a day visit, and this book would provide a very good basis for knowing what to expect.
   We would definitely recommend it for anyone as part of their travel "homework" for a future trip to the Cap, or for anyone who's been there in the past and wants to reminisce about one of the truly unique travel destinations in the world today.



3. "This book gives the reader all the information necessary to make an educated decision on choosing the Cap as a destination and how to conduct oneself in various situations. It's amazing just how much information is packed into a small book! Ross chose his words well."

   "The book is all encompassing. It is not simply about the Cap - information and suggestions on integrating a visit to the Cap with going to Paris as well other destinations of interest within and outside the Cap give the vacationer valuable choices."
   
   "There really isn't any other travel book needed other than this for traveling to the Cap. I doubt a travel agent would even begin to scratch the surface of what this book offers. Ross gave so much valuable information, from maps, to restaurant types and club styles and locations,what to bring, internet contacts prior to the trip, tour operators, choices on accommodations and even where to buy sexy-wear! Of course the unique French phrases offered would never be found in a conventional foreign language translation book."




4. The naturists who hang out at Cap d'Agde, though they are in the majority, don't want anyone to know what a haven for swingers (or libertines, as the author Velton puts it) that The Naked City is. Cap d'Agde has something for everyone and this travel guide certainly gives everyone the exact info they need to find their pleasures, whether those pleasures are lurid or benign family fun. The section advising single men made me laugh out loud. I enjoyed reading this book and recommend it highly even if you are only an armchair traveler.



5. Does Ross Velton tell the "Naked Truth About Cap d'Agde"? That depends upon your point of view. After I made my plans for a week at Cap d'Agde, I purchased the book and read it before, during and after my visit comparing it to what I saw and experienced.
   First of all, the Quartier Naturiste is just that, a section of the town of Cap d'Agde where it is possible to be be naked in public at all times. Personally, I was nude 24/7 and found the experience wonderfully refreshing. In an uptight, clothe compulsive world, it is physically, mentally and spiritually liberating to be able to do all your regular daily activities like shopping, banking, eating out, going to the post office, getting your hair done, filling up your car and even going to a laundromat without the restrictive encumberances of clothes. And consider there are thousands of others of all sizes, shapes, colors and ages doing the same, it makes you realize what a very special place Cap d'Agde is.
   Being the "Naked City" that it is, however, the Quartier Naturiste also attracts people of all persuasions. Not only will you see families from babies to grandparents but you'll see couples (gay and straight) and singles (mostly male) some of whom come to Cap d'Agde for its "wilder side". Half of Ross Velton's book is written for those whom he calls "libertines" (who are a minority from what I could see) and how they can go about persuing their sexual pleasure at Cap d'Agde. Not only does he list bars, clubs, and rendevous points of very stripe but he offers tips, advice and etiquette for successful swinging.
   That being said, let me say that in no other source, did I find so much basic information about Cap d'Agde (the other half of the book). Not only is there a map, but there are listings and contacts for places to stay, directions on how to get there, what it will cost, when to go, restaurant reviews, bar and club reviews, etc. For this reason alone, I highly recommend it for the first time visitor whether they are just plain nudists or swinging libertines.
   Fortuntately, Cap d'Agde is large enough for all. Just like you may not patronize the local bar down the street, so too, you do not have to go to a sex club. And just like the French are more accepting and open minded about public nudity in order for a place like Cap d'Agde to exist, so too is their attitude towards sex. Not having taken the libertine path myself in Cap d'Agde, I found nothing there to be any more sexually overt and flagrant than I found in any other European city.
   So, buy the book, get on a plane, take off your clothes and stay for awhile so you can experience something totally unique to the world.

No comments about The Garden at Hidcote.

1 comments about Inside Paris: Discovering the Classic Interiors of Paris (Inside...Series).

1. After falling in love with Paris, I took my mother there for her 60th birthday. So, when her 61st birthday rolled around, I bought her this book as a reminder of those wonderful days. Trouble is, I didn't want to part with it so I had to buy my own copy. It's filled with gorgeous photos of the interiors of some of Paris's most-loved buildings and several lesser-known but just as beautiful. A great gift for the Paris lover or any lover of architecture, history, and beautiful spaces.

No comments about Access Paris 11e (Access Paris).