1 comments about Gourmet Bistros and Restaurants of Paris.

1. If you have dined at any of the restaurants listed in this book, you'll want it (Le Grand Véfour, Jules Verne, Taillevant...) The photography is stunning, and it is an historical view of the greatest restaurants in the world. There is something magical about looking at the pages and saying "Wow! I sat right there... and enjoyed one of the most memorable meals of my life!"
   
   If you have never dined at any of these restaurants, you may wish to buy it- just so you can plan a trip there......

5 comments about The Historic Restaurants of Paris: A Guide to Century-Old Cafes, Bistros, and Gourmet Food Shops.

1. My recent trip to Paris wouldn't have been half as much fun without this beautiful guide. It took me to restaurants and shops I never would have found on my own. I can't wait to go back -- with this book, of course.



2. I read Ellen Williams's book about the Impressionists, and her charming prose and wealth of historical anecdotes made 19th-century Paris come alive in a way I've never before encountered in a travel guide. This book is great, too. I took it with me on a recent trip to Europe, and had a chance to sample several of the food shops she mentions. What a pleasure to learn all about them beforehand--it made the experience so much more authentic!



3. "The Historic Restaurants of Paris" is a fun guide to read. Did you know that the Tour d'Argent serves each duck with a numbered tag, a tradition that began in 1890? I wonder what numbers Balzac and Napoleon had?

   Each restau has a brief two-page description (this is a little book, smaller than a paperback novel) and there are about 100 establishments described. The data include the address, phone, Metro, and hours. The book is organized by arrondiseement, and there's an alphabetical index; an appendix organizes them by type (luxury, cafes, inexpensive, etc.).

   Don't expect restaurant reviews, the author rarely even hints that certain places aren't worth the prices they charge. This book is more about the history and trivia of each of these charming places. Using only this book to select restaurants, I ran into some surprises, bad and good.

   If your French is good, call ahead. If not, ask the hotel reception to call for you. (In the US we have concierges; in French hotels, it's everyone's job to be helpful.) Gents, take a tie, it'll get you a better table. And be advised, the French idea of "non-smoking" is laughable.

   If you're into art history, this book is a good companion to "The Impressionist's Paris," by the same author.

   Bon Appetit!




4. This book is a wealth of information about some lovely places in Paris. We did visit a few of the places recommended (the book small enough to carry around)on the spur of the moment while we were in Paris and we were not disappointed. I plan to take the book with me if I ever visit Paris again.



5. If you're sitting someplace that isn't Paris and trying to get a sense for the élan of cafés, bistros, and restaurants in the City of Light, there are many other books I'd recommend ahead of this one. Without photos or other illustrations, maps, or what you might call atmospheric descriptions, "The Historic Restaurants of Paris" is not a book I'd suggest sitting down with and reading through from cover to cover. I know because I tried.
   
   But if you are in Paris, or planning a Parisian trip where you have a pretty good idea of where you'll be spending time ... that's when this book would be, not only useful, but I think almost invaluable. The brief profiles of dozens of bistros, cafés, and food shops put each in a bit of historic and neighborhood context and would be helpful, I think, for deciding where to have lunch that day. The book's small size, though somewhat bulky, fits well into a travel jacket or bag. I'd imagine this volume would get a lot of use on your trip, even if it didn't come off the shelves much once you got home.

5 comments about A Year in the Merde.

1. Clarke's main character, Paul West, enters French society with an eye for detail but also a chip on his shoulder. The sort of silly good luck that befalls him makes the book an interesting exercise in wishful thinking that is a bit of a disconnect with the pull-no-punches reality with which French society is portrayed. The odd juxtaposition was, unfortunately, the most lasting impression I was left with afterward.



2. This is loads of fun, I'll grant you. I happen to love British wit, so what could beat an English author griping about his time among the frogs? The French do not come off well. Curiously, I had never seen this side of them. Clarke essentially captures a petty, almost tribal narrowness which I had never before associated with the French, but rings absolutely right. Especially when the French girlfriend calls things off over politics - this is so American radicals of the 60s, and it is totally believable as a French pose of self-importance. The nonsense over the tea shops is silly but very revealing, too. Anyway, the memoir is amusing if finally a bit tiresome. Actually, the entire premise of his stay seemed weird and somehow bogus. The graphic romance seems a little adolescent to me - maybe the author has something to prove. Although the French gals do come across as totally lacking in Anglo-American primness. His shock is fun, but so is his unabashed joy in finding such easy women. This is a real case of so close but so far. Highly recommended.



3. I love every one of Stephen Clarke's books. I have never laughed so hard reading. Looking forward to getting his newest. I wish these books would also go to the big screen. Hugh Grant?



4. A Year in the Merde by Stephen Clarke is an uproarious roman à clef following a year in the life of Clarke's alter ego, Paul West. Paul West is a Brit who has been transplanted to the City of Light to help a French businessman open English tea shops throughout Paris. Paul's struggles to understand and master all things French, including the French work ethic of his colleagues (which places more importance on vacation planning than on anything truly work related); the confusing manner in which the real estate market operates; and the most perplexing thing about France - French women, will have you laughing throughout the entire book.
   
   Besides being a humorous account of French assimilation, A Year in the Merde is also an insightful look at how the French view British and American citizens. Clarke is especially discerning when recounting the start of the American led Iraq war.
   
   As the inside flap of the book says, "This book is for everyone who can never quite decide whether they love - or love to hate - the French".



5. Not a page turner by any means, but laugh out loud funny! I really enjoyed this book, took my time reading it, and am rather sad it's over... :)

5 comments about MapEasy's Guidemap to Paris.

1. As with most Mapeasy maps, this one is great in helping you find not only the streets, but the stores, the restaurants, the hotels and other worthy places.

   Granted, it may not have the most detail when it comes to little streets and alleys, but it will get you where you need to go.




2. If you are going to Paris, especially if you haven't been there before, you will probably want to get a couple of guidebooks and maps to help plan your excursions. I had used the MapEasy guide to Rome in the past, and found it to be an ideal blend of detail and narrative for navigating the city. When I needed a tactical map of Paris, I turned to the MapEasy Paris guide, which I also highly recommend.
   
   There are better and more detailed maps and books more suitable for planning a trip to Paris, but the MapEasy Paris map is the overall best choice for navigating the streets and sights once actually venturing around the great French city. The major streets are well detailed, and not only are historical sights depicted in an easy to interpret, three-dimensional manner, but they also have brief descriptions to help direct your focus to places of interest to you specifically (for example: "Musee Gulmet: Vast collection of Asian art and research library.") Important or noteworthy shops, hotels, and restaurants are depicted, and in the case of restaurants a symbol representing how expensive the food is is also included. Of course all the famous sights such as the Eiffel Tower, Arc De Triomphe, and Notre Dame are especially well detailed, and there are several inset maps on the opposite side of the main map detailing the Parisian periphery, Montmartre, and suggested short driving trips.
   
   The map is a great value, and is printed on a unique rip-resistant and water-resistant paper that is both durable, yet pliable (unlike many of the laminated card stock maps available.) For navigating the streets of Paris this is an ideal choice for tourists or those new to the city. I highly recommend the MapEasy series.



3. I own 8 of these, so see my review under "Rome." They're great!



4. MapEasy maps are the best! It is so much easier to navigate when you have a map with landmarks for restaurants, shops, etc. I never travel to a new city without them.



5. We LOVED this map of Paris for our trip. All of the major sightseeing attractions (the monuments & buildings) are drawn in 3D and to scale. This was VERY helpful to be able to plan a day of sightseeing. Metro stops are shown and helpful info about sights and stores are right on the map. Highly recommended!

5 comments about The Food Lover's Guide to the Gourmet Secrets of Paris.

1. A really entertaining and useful book to lure you to Paris. Very well written (and detailed) reviews on Restaurants, Cafes, Pastry shops, Chocolate shops, Cheese shops, Markets, etc... by districts and arrondisments. The gorgeous photos alone made me start planning my next trip to Paris. The author also includes quite a few recipes.



2. Not only a visually beautiful book, but packed full of great recipies and places to eat and shop. We have been to many of the restaraunts, and the reviews are dead on. A great book for anyone going to Paris.



3. A wonderful combination of tourism and cuisine...recipes that bring you to the places presented in vivid photos of the most beautiful city in the world...Bon Appetit!



4. I bought this book expecting to get a guide to very good Paris food outlets. It is not even remotely close. Indeed I am reminded of the famous dictum "it does not rise ro a level that could be called shallow".
   It has a lot of very nice glossy pictures & a brief guide to the different areas of the city exactly as you would find in any basic intro to Paris but completely unrelated to Gourmet eating. There are some wonderful recipes (I am sure) but I don't cook.
   All in all only a small fraction of the book is dedicated to telling you where to find Gourmet eateries.
   A huge disappointment.



5. Beautiful photography, informative and great food and site to visit and shop at. Many places I visited or saw when there this spring.

No comments about Frommer's Irreverent Guide to Paris (Irreverent Guides).

5 comments about Paris Out of Hand: A Wayward Guide.

1. This book is a georgous book, from its looks (plush cover, ribbon bookmark, illustrations) to its content. It describes a slew of fictional places (and a few non-fictional) creating a surrealistic, dreamlike landscape. As nice as it is, this isn't a sit down and read sort of book, more of a coffee table type, wonderful to flip through and see what you find.



2. This imaginary guide to Paris is full of surreal imagination that will just make you smile. Helpfully divided up into sections on hotels, restaurants, the nightlife, sights, etc., you'll read about places and services you've never dreamed of! What a shame, they don't really exist! Peppered thoughout the text are helpful French expressions translated into English such as "Do you have a ladder so I can reach your airmail clerk suspended from the ceiling?" You can read some guest comments for the hotels which of course, are also bizarre, and learn about special services such as a kidnapping service or a food tasting service (so you don't get poisoned). The book has some quotes from real people too and the lavish artwork gives it an other worldly feel. It will transport you immediately to a wonderful alternative reality Paris.



3. Lovely useless french phrases that just beg you to use them.
   "there is a frog in my bidet". How great is that.
   
   Superb imagination. On both the behalf of the writer and the illustrator.



4. This book did not come close to the Griffin and Sabine series despite its recommendation for people who like Bantok's work. While parts are funny, other parts are too hard to follow or just too outrageous to get what the author is trying to convey.



5. As an off-beat book that sems to be about Paris this was amusing but of limited value. The book is too cheeky and cute to serve as a useful guidebook. I felt lost on some entries - as if it was necessary to already be an insider to get the references made on some places.
   
   If I already knew Paris well, I might have appreciated this book. Don't know. But it did not seem to be very useful as a travelogue that I'd carry with me next time I trek over to the City of Light.
   
   A bit too wayward, and not enough of a guide. Beautifully typeset, I might add, which means a lot to me, But not sufficient for me to keep it and pop it in the laptop's carrying case.

2 comments about Insight Pocket Map Paris (Insight Pocket Map).

1. I would recommend one of these maps for ANY city you visit! They are compact but provide a ton of detail! Worth every penny!



2. I just returned from Paris and found this map to be extremely helpful. I particularly liked that it was sturdy enough to bump around in my bag unscathed, small enough that it didn't require a lot of room, and concise enough to help me find my way. I highly recommend.

1 comments about Remembrance of Things Paris: Sixty Years of Writing from Gourmet (Modern Library Food).

1. What a great opportunity to learn more about the Paris I love, and French food which I do not prepare at home. I wait for my trips. I am not intimidated with the snooty waiters, as I did my "homework." I'm prepared to ask questions about loaves and wine and anything else. The set-up of the chapters was easy reading, too. I trusted the writers. I discovered more secrets in Paris via their investigations and risky ventures. I didn't have to suffer the frustrations of getting lost on the metro nor the pains of tusseling with those Parisian cabbies. I especially enjoyed the trips to the new and modern Paris as described by Paul Goldberger. Do you want to loaf with a loaf, drink a bottle away from the bottlenecks? Read this book. Also, I will read other books in the Modern Library Food series based on my enjoyment of Ruth Reichl choices.

5 comments about French Toast: An American in Paris Celebrates the Maddening Mysteries of the French.

1. A friend recently gave me FRENCH TOAST. Instead of picking and choosing between the tempting chapter titles - a toss up between The French and Money and The French and Sex - I read the book straight through.
   The book demystifies the French in a very humorous but real way. The reality check comes from the author's French husband who is interviewed throughout the book - thus giving a French twist and insight into an American's impressions.
   You'll learn things like how to make a real French beef and carrot stew. You'll marvel with the author at a French woman's ease making a 5-course meal in a skirt, high heels, sans apron! And you'll gleefully chuckle reading about to-wash or not-to-wash pre-sex.
   A toast to someone who treats cultural differences with lightness and humor!



2. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is either interested in France or who will be living there and wants to become assimilated. In a delightful way Ms. Rochefort shows how she learned to deal with the unexpected cultural differences she encountered during her marriage to a Parisian. She laughs at her naivite and unpreparedness for French customs and shows how she struggled to master French cooking, to understand French manners, and to enjoy hectic city living without giving up her love of her own country.
   
   Ms. Rochefort shows that while it's one thing to be enchanted the city of lights, it's a differnt thing to know how to live there, as a Parisian. Her lighthearted style is misleading, since it is clear that the adaptation to her new life was not always as easy as she makes it seem.



3. French Toast by Harriet Welty Rochefort
   
   This book has three virtues. Setting out to explain `the maddening mysteries of the French' to people from other cultures- and especially to their diametric opposites the Americans - it rests on decades of immersion. The author, who emerged into French life after growing up in small-town Iowa, has a French husband, passport, children, and household. She also works there. This depth of familiarity is an advance on that gained by most anthropologists engaged with similar cultural puzzles. Secondly, she has a sense of humour, an absolute requirement for such a brave venture, where the natives are not always friendly, and maps not always clear. Thirdly, she has a most engaging style of writing. This rests on knowing what needs to be explained, and bringing the topics alive with vivid anecdotes - almost all of which - although related with humour and tolerance, are nevertheless underpinned by a profound coming to terms with difference, and a search for the harmonies and things to celebrate. French Toast is an elegant couterbalance to the simple-mindedness of freedom fries.



4. I am neither American nor French. As an Asian woman, I lived in the United States for more than a decade, and I have been living in France for exactly one decade. I had been married to an American and now to a European. With my former training in cross-cultural psychotherapy, and having lived and worked with people of various racial backgrounds, I have a great interest in inter-cultural relationships.
   
   I had read French Toast the first time in 1999, shortly after moving to France, and I was quite amused at the author's descriptions of the French. I read the book again very recently and her account has confirmed my own observations of both the Americans and the French. She said that she had only a "bird eye's view" of the French during those past twenty years. To me, her bird eye's view was remarkable. What had struck me the most when I first arrived in the United States more than thirty years ago was the "individual" versus the "family'. The author has lived through and felt that experience. As an American woman living in France and being married to a Frenchman, she talked about the cultural gap getting bigger and not smaller, and how deeply cultural differences run below the surface. I myself can certainly identify with those dilemmas.
   
   The author has a fabulous sense of humor. Very few books addressing cultural conflicts can be written with such tolerance. What I really admire in her book is her ability to laugh at herself and at her own mistakes. Very few of us can do that.
   
   I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in understanding French behavior, whether they are tourists or planning to be long-term residents in this country. Reading this book is both entertaining and enlightening. I also think the book cover design is quite charming.



5. I am also an American woman living in Paris. Before I picked up this book I thought it was going to be a typical, steroetype reinforcing, superficial romp down the Champs-Elysees. Not at all! Its really funny, and works as much as a memoir as an introduction to the culture. My experiences in France are not identical to that of the author because my circumstances (marriage, neighborhood, age) are not the same. However, everything she says rings true. Ah, France! I am hoping there will be a sequel!