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5 comments about Bordeaux: Revised Third Edition.

1. Comprehensive and generally trustworthy information. A critical analysis, from the standpoint of a wine buyer like myself should not dissuade anyone from getting this useful and professional guide. The way Parker evaluates wine is not fool proof- but he is right 95% of the time. That in itself makes him better than almost any peers considering the sheer volume of juice he tastes. For the initated and value seeking with a professional slant, it would be nice if Mr. Parker would spend more time looking at Entre deux Mers for both red and white. Professionalism and compentency has increased there and it is not the land of co-op's and swill that it once was. Also, I would like to see more attention paid to petit chx. But then again, the sheer fact that they are not in his book keeps the price down for some of my best petit estates. There are also some worthy Lalande de Pomerol and Castillion sites he has not caught onto or he omits for lack of consistancy. I'd like him to thicken the book up with a bit of this and less on what we know is great (Clasified Growth top stuff) One thing, Cru Classe wines are bad too sometimes and Parker pulls no punches when they ship out a real looser. He can find you relative bargains, like Chx Tayac in Bourg (had 82 in mag last week- fantastic). So get the book if you want to know anything about Bordeaux. Robert Parker has kind of been black listed in Burgundy- this is too bad. He knows his stuff and some minor discrepancies should be overlooked. Cant wait for a Parker / Rovani Burgundy to be released.



2. A thoroughly comprehensive work, seemingly the definitive current description of all Bordeaux's. More than just a frank rating by one of the world's wine experts, as Parker shares facts and opinions about the various chateaus and their progress, ups and downs, in producing fine wines. This is certainly an encyclopedic effort, and one truly feels that each and every chateau and its wine have been described in considerable detail. Someone not familiar with Parker might find it interesting that his ratings are often quoted in wine publications and at auctions to give readers somewhat of a guide as to the quality of an individual wine. This is not a book that rates all old wines. Parker tends to rate still drinkable old wines, and does go back, in many cases to the 60's, in a chronological order. He also has notes about "superb" ancient vintages, that goes beyond the chronological listings.



3. This book is comprehensive and informative and should be added to the library of any serious wine lover. However, it is important to bear in mind that Robert Parker has very definite views on what a great Bordeaux wine should be! Wine, of course, is very much like art - the beauty is in the eye of the beholder! It goes without saying that if you enjoy your wines black and tannic and undrinkable for the first 15 years then Robert Parkers famous points system is for you! It is probably better to ignore his points system altogether as a wine with 85 points could well be vastly superior to a wine with 95 points , depending on whether you are looking for elegance rather than inky blackness. It is also worth noting that wines such as "Cantemerle" are sometimes penalized by Parker for being light coloured and elegant rather than a blockbuster heavy wine (such as Latour). Hachette produces a much better wine guide which presents a more balanced view on wine appreciation. It helps undo the damage which is rife in America - many wine consumers feel obliged to serve only wines with 90+ points , thereby missing out on an ocean of extemely delicious and elegant wines which Parker only rates with 85 points.

   Good drinking!




4. One reviewer noted that this really comes closer to a buying guide than anything else. I suppose that is true, but it is much more, also. It is easy enough to write histories of Bordeaux, and many are very entertaining, such as D. Markham's work on the 1855 Classification. But when most of us pick up a recent Bordeaux work, isn't it more helpful to hear more than "Chateau Lafite is a first growth and has produced good to excellent wine in x, y and z vintages, and many others." This is a book that takes a stand. And quite frankly, Parker's Bordeaux palate is as good as anyone's in the world. You don't have to agree with everything he says on every wine to recognize a master at work.



5. I consider this to be by far the best book on Bordeaux. While I do not agree with Parker or just about anyone else regarding the rating of Italian wines, Parker is right on target in his ratings for Bordeaux. I find it interesting that Parker is a fan of the rich and opulent micro wines coming out of Pomerol and St. Emilion. There are strict Bordeaux traditionalists that don't care for these wines. I think they are great and agree with Parker. They simply add another dimension to the many styles of wine being made in the greatest wine producing area of the world. Parker is extremely consistent and the only other taster that comes close is Stephen Tanzer. The Wine Spectator and James Suckling are pretty good, although I think they overrate too many wines in subpar vintages. Ironically, Spectator is not a big fan of the decadent wines Parker likes from the right bank.

4 comments about Paris Reflections: Walks through African-American Paris.

1. One recent Saturday afternoon, I set out, copy of Paris Reflections in hand, to do an actual walking tour of the Latin Quarter in Paris. My aim was to familiarize myself with some of the Black American history meticulously detailed in the book. I wasn't entirely convinced that this journey would be that enjoyable.

   What followed was an afternoon of sheer delight, as I rediscovered some of the incredible beauty of this area, with the added bonus of a perspective of celebrated Black Americans from a different era. While their very haunts may have changed or even be totally nonexistent, the monuments and neighborhoods themselves are still intact, to be seen just as these personalities saw them.

   I applaud the authors for what must surely have been a labor of love. One pet-peeve, however, is the lack of photos of the basic points of interest encountered during the walks. But, otherwise, the discovery process as presented in this book in this most beautiful of cities is worth the price of admission alone. I enthusiastically recommend this offering!




2. Congratulations on work well done. While there are thousands of writings on Paris, add this to your list of Paris reading. While this work is uniquely geared towards a personal experience of Paris through the eyes of African Americans, it is a must have for anybody planning a cultural tour of the city of Paris. I congratulate Ms. Anderson for her enlightening and beautiful book!



3. Paris Reflections, Walks Through African-American Paris is a comprehensive walking guide through the streets of Paris. Written by Christiann Anderson and Monique Wells, two African-American women who have adopted the city as their home, the book is a well documented history of African-Americans and others of African descent who have lived, worked and played in the famed City of Lights.

   As one reads through the book, the authors' love and appreciation of the city is evident. In Paris Reflections, readers follow six fascinating walking tours of the city and are treated to a treasure cove of information, the obscure as well as the familiar, from important dates in Africa-American history in Paris to profiles of colorful personalities who have lived and worked in the city. Well written and easy to read, Paris Reflections, Walks Through African-American Paris is a valuable resource for both travelers and non-travelers as well.




4. As one who had never been to Paris I found/find Ms. Anderson's book extremely helpful, as well as entertaining. The discovery of Paris is a very personal journey, and I give Ms. Anderson credit for NOT including photographs, because pictures limit ones' own experiences of Paris. If photographs had been included in this book, they would have limited my own imagination of African-American Paris, and my personal journey of discovery. Ms. Anderson is an accomplished writer and artist, who is very readable. Her artwork is intriguing. I highly recommend this book, as somebody who doesn't travel very much, however I also feel the seasoned traveler will also benefit from her research. It also makes a lovely gift.

3 comments about Knopf Guide: Provence (Knopf Guides).

1. These Knopf guides are pictorially rich, have excellent tips and itineraries, and are comprehensive in scope. Small enough to pack and carry too! The Provence guide really introduces you to the art, culture, geography, history and the sights beautifully. Just about all you need (or can rely on comfortably) in advance of a trip. OK, so there are guides richer in hotel/restaurant details, but as a general trip planner, keepsake, and carry around guide this is the one!



2. I state in the reviews of the Knopf City guides that I prefer this set of books for how it deals with Cities, particulary Paris, Rome, and Venice, however, as I always begin my trip preparations by buying the Knopf guide, I started with this book.

   The problem, I think, with this book in general, is that is tries to cover Provence and the Cote D'Azure. It should be difficult to say those two place names in the same breath because of the sheer size of the region, but also the sheer diversity of activities and sites, but this book tries to handle them both and I think it 'covers' both scantilly, although I am a 'buff' of this area and this may be my own personal bias.

   While Provence and Cote D'Azure cover much of the same geographic area, due to summer traffic, when you plan your trip, plan it so that you have a Provence part, and a Cote Part. In essence, your hiking and ruin exploration part and then your beach, booze, and sun part. But understand that in either location, there is more to do, more to see, more delightful places, more interesting and half hidden towns, then you could possibly see in a lifetime. There is no region on Earth like it. This Knopf book coveres hundreds of the points of interest in the area, but as one area is completely different to the next it is difficult, you cant use this book to find the niche you want to stay in, nor can you use it to get the real history of some particular monument or town. Picking what you may want to see is very important because with summer crowds, (just about the entire French nation gets off in the summer) traffic, and getting caught in a cheesy tourist mill can dampen your trip. This area is about superlatives, and when you go you want to be sure to get it all. there is a reason the wealth of the world beats a path to the South of France every year! You will see it rather quickly when you get there.

   In my other City trips, I use Knopf guides about 95% of the time I reach into my backpack. In The South of France or the French Alps, I use it 30% of the time, to compliment what I read somewhere else. I recommend if you go, use the Karen Brown guide to pick a B&B, then read Fodor's 'Exploring Provence' and the Rough guide too. But always bear in mind, that many of these resort towns, or seaside towns, or mountain towns, have their own particulary slant, if you will. None of the books on this region can adequately brief you on this. You will just have to keep going back till you find the perfect town. You know, the South of France was the only place I have ever been where a manager of a hotel actually recommended in French, another hotel to me, if I came back to the region. It must have been a middle class bonding thing. Anyway, pick up those other books, then get this one, and armed with the three of them you will be fine!

   Happy traveling!




3. The Knopf guide may be the most beautiful guide to Provence currently in publication. Glorious pictures, excellent graphics and a good, glossy cover make it very decorative.
   
   The contents themselves are fair - Provence is a very large area to cover and, naturally, some places get shorter-shrift than others. Where the information exists, I found it to be accurate and the reviewers' ratings usually agreed with my opinions.
   
   I'd like to see a larger guide with more detail - particularly about smaller towns (not everybody who goes to Provence remains in Avignon or Aix) but, until one comes along, this is a decent buy.

No comments about Flexible Working in Food Retailing: A Comparison Between France, Germany, Great Britain and Japan (Routledge Studies in Retailing).

1 comments about Mr. Bean's Definitive and Extremely Marvelous Guide to France.

1. If you're a Rowan Atkinson fan (Mr. Bean, Black Adder), this book is a huge disappointment. Perhaps the Mr. Bean style of visual humor doesn't translate well into words; the book was boorish, not the least clever and very repetitive. Granted it was not purchased as great literature, but it was not even the least bit entertaining. If you like Rowan Atkinson, stick to BBC television or his recent movie. The book was abysmal.

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No comments about Take the Kids Paris & Disneyland Resort Paris, 4th (Take the Kids - Cadogan).