France Books

Grace is a little girl that likes to have fun. She enjoyed playing with her friends. She seemed to enjoy her childhood.

After School ended in the spring, that meant summer was just around the corner. Grace being creative wanted to enjoy the summer. Grace turned her backyard into a Circus. Graces' friends made a huge circle with strings and pegs. The Grace found old flowery and bright dresses as well as bright scarves to use as circus clothes. She even had a black hat which she called a opera hat which was turned into a top hat. This hat was for the ringmaster. The hat belonged to her grandpa. She also used his cane as a magical wand.

The cirus parade included rolling around, sommersaults, leapgfrogging, strength exercises, face painting, clowns, jumping rope, jumping through hula hoops, magical tricks and spraying silly string. At the circus ended Grace introducted all the performers for them to take a bow. After a snack, everybody wnet home. Grace wore the top hat at dinner time and while taking a bath.

Grace was very happy at the end of the day. She was not even disappointed when her grandma refused to have tightrope walking along the clotheslins, trapeze acts, hanging from tree limbs, or any form of fire-eating. This was not a conflict as the resolution was that there will still plenty of circus acts to perform.

That night Grace asked her Nana at bedtime if they can go to the circus the next day, Nana replied certainly. The next day they went to the park where a big striped tent was standing. Their were a lot of children at the circus that afternoon. Grace was so excited as she saw a real band playing circus music, circus clowns walking on the tight rope, horses and many other acts.

When Grace went to the circus that afternoon she took her black top hat. The most exciting part of the circus the ringermaster noticed Grace's top hat and requested that she join the circus as his assistant ringmaster. Grace was given the meagaphone and told to announce Horatio the Fire-Eater. She was that close to him that she could feel the heat. Before going back to her seat
the ringmaster requested that everyone give Grace a big hand.

After the circus Grace headed back home, she was thrilled that she had been in a real circus.

Grace, a confident, happy, and imaginative little girl many of us have come to know and love from "Amazing Grace" and "Boundless Grace" is back! This time, however, we are treated to a chapter book, which is both good and bad news. The "bad" news is that the wonderful illustrations of the first two books are reduced to an occasional black-and-white sketch; OK, this reviewer will admit he has been spoiled! The good news is that readers of Mary Hoffman's earlier books ready to move on to the challenge of a chapter book have this new volume. Needless to say, the good far outweighs the bad.

"Starring Grace" continues the theme of how Grace excels, thanks to her perserverence, confidence, and support from a loving mother. School is out, and Grace and a handful of her friends who are unable to be afforded the luxury of summer camp have to find ways to keep themselves occupied. First, the children imagine the old house behind Grace's backyard is haunted and that its reclusive owner is a witch. When the elderly lady tells her surpising story, Grace and her friends realize she is not at all what she appears to be; they all become friends. However, the elderly lady's backyard, with its overgrowth of weeds sets the stage for the next adventure, a safari. Then, reaching for the stars, Grace imagines she is an astronaut, before returning to Earth as a doctor, just as she did in "Amazing Grace." After playing detective, Grace and her friends build a time machine; once again, Mrs. Myerson, the elderly lady, reveals important details of her life from which everyone learns. The book ends with Grace trying out for a role in a play, just as she did in the first book.

This is a story told with great sensitivity, with several surprises and plot twists to make for entertaining reading. "Starring Grace" is a star - a gold star.

Grace is a little girl that likes to have fun. She enjoyed playing with her friends. She seemed to enjoy her childhood.

After School ended in the spring, that meant summer was just around the corner. Grace being creative wanted to enjoy the summer. Grace turned her backyard into a Circus. Graces' friends made a huge circle with strings and pegs. The Grace found old flowery and bright dresses as well as bright scarves to use as circus clothes. She even had a black hat which she called a opera hat which was turned into a top hat. This hat was for the ringmaster. The hat belonged to her grandpa. She also used his cane as a magical wand.

The cirus parade included rolling around, sommersaults, leapgfrogging, strength exercises, face painting, clowns, jumping rope, jumping through hula hoops, magical tricks and spraying silly string. At the circus ended Grace introducted all the performers for them to take a bow. After a snack, everybody wnet home. Grace wore the top hat at dinner time and while taking a bath.

Grace was very happy at the end of the day. She was not even disappointed when her grandma refused to have tightrope walking along the clotheslins, trapeze acts, hanging from tree limbs, or any form of fire-eating. This was not a conflict as the resolution was that there will still plenty of circus acts to perform.

That night Grace asked her Nana at bedtime if they can go to the circus the next day, Nana replied certainly. The next day they went to the park where a big striped tent was standing. Their were a lot of children at the circus that afternoon. Grace was so excited as she saw a real band playing circus music, circus clowns walking on the tight rope, horses and many other acts.

When Grace went to the circus that afternoon she took her black top hat. The most exciting part of the circus the ringermaster noticed Grace's top hat and requested that she join the circus as his assistant ringmaster. Grace was given the meagaphone and told to announce Horatio the Fire-Eater. She was that close to him that she could feel the heat. Before going back to her seat
the ringmaster requested that everyone give Grace a big hand.

After the circus Grace headed back home, she was thrilled that she had been in a real circus.

I liked when Grace and her friends went to the other yard
and pretended they were in the jungle.Because they got
suppiles and stuffed animals and pretended they were real.
At the end they pretended that the yard was a secrect
garden and cleaned it up for the old woman. That is why I like the book.

C.C.

What better way to elevate and captivate elementary readers than to provide them with a chapter book that utilizes a character familiar from the pre-school years!!! "Starring Grace" takes Grace to another level, a story rich in language and real-life situations.

The book does not "talk down" to its reader; in fact, it uses vocabulary that is challenging and enlightening: troupe, megaphone, eccentric, conspirator, machete, paramedic, tibia, bougainvillea, and trilby, to list a few. It also presents concepts that can spurn discussion as well as enhance the reader's life experiences: witness protection, internment, and divorce.

Grace's adventures also display cooperativeness and the power of a child's imagination.

It also introduces the reader to events in history: the first landing on the moon and the horrors of World War II (implied). The problems of the elderly and that group remaining vital in their "declining years" are also addressed within this simple framework of good storytelling.

And who would think that this would come from a book with such chapter titles as: "Grace and the Big Top", "Grace Goes on Safari", "Grace Blasts Off", and "Grace the Detective".

I will, most definitely, be adding this one to my classroom library and my home.

I recommend that you do the same.

This is a collection of stories that make the days leading to the Normandy invasion come back to life. It is a good companion volume for the movies "Yanks" and "The Longest Day."

General Eisenhower relieved stress by hitting an imaginary golf ball in his office; General Montgomery named his two dogs Rommel and Hitler; Churchill's wife Clementine often sent him notes signed "Love from Clemmie" with a small drawing of a cat.

Several days before the troops sailed for France, security was intense. A British soldier who knew about the invasion sneaked out of his camp and hitchhiked to see his parents and girlfriend. Along the way he bought drinks and told several American soldiers details of the coming invasion.

When he was discovered missing, a quiet but intense manhunt covered the area. He was finally found and interrogated. The American base where he had stopped was cordoned off, and the people who gave him rides were found and volunteered to stay inside their homes for several days. Later the British soldier was sentenced to ten years in prison.

A British newspaper published daily crossword puzzles, and one contained the words "Utah," "mulberry," and "Omaha," all key words describing D-Day operations. Frantic British intelligence agents interrogated the author of the puzzle, a school teacher. Years after the war it was found that his students gave him suggestions for his crossword puzzles. Utah, mulberry, and Omaha were terms that they had heard by spending time with soldiers.

In spite of extraordinary security measures, there were other leaks. Three days before the invasion, a Teletype operator practiced typing the invasion news. By mistake the news went out worldwide and was read on hundreds of radio stations.

The British people knew when the invasion was at hand. They had become accustomed to seeing lines of jeeps, trucks, and trailers laden with backpacks and equipment along the roads. The olive drab uniforms and vehicles became as ubiquitous as the green of the spring countryside. Then overnight, the crowds of GIs that had milled through the towns disappeared. After months of hearing vehicles roaring through streets and voices of soldiers that filled the shops, the towns were strangely quiet.

On the night before the invasion, General Eisenhower and his driver, Kay Summersby, watched rows of C-47 transport planes roar into the sky from an airfield outside Newbury. The planes were heading for Normandy carrying airborne troops. As Eisenhower and Summersby walked back to the car to leave, she noticed tears in his eyes.

General Rommel was celebrating his wife's birthday in Germany when he heard news that the Allies had landed at Normandy. During the drive back to France, Rommel sat impatiently in the back of his speeding car punching a gloved fist into the open palm of the other gloved hand.

this is one fascinating book which I recommend to anyone interested in WWII. Its uniqueness resides in the way the author approaches D-Day, allowing the reader to get to know how those pre D Day days were lived by civilians, soldiers, secret agents and leaders of the great assault. Now I know what Churchill did , what was on Eisenhower's mind when he decided what he decided, what de Gaulle thought and how he acted, how the germans were fooled time and time again by allied intelligence, how important secret agents work was for the success of the invasion and it also accounts for the work of many unknown heroes. A great book, a great approach of D Day.

No doubt one of my favorite books of all time.
I got this book as a birthday present a year or two again, and kept on putting it off. I don't know why, I'm interested in the war, I just didn't start it for a while. But when I got into it I knew that I'd love it. It was researched down to... well, let's just say that if it's a minute detail that happened back then, it's in the book. And you can prove it by looking at the bibliography! But the book is so emotional and intense that once you get into it there's no putting it down. I loved this book and would recommend to anyone.

David Stafford is an unusual historian. He writes analytical books that study the Second World War, mostly from the perspective of the intelligence war and the partisans. He writes clearly and intelligently, and spends most of his time analyzing the various parts of the war, and their meaning. This book, by contrast, is something that is for Stafford completely different: instead of the intelligence war, and instead of analysis, Stafford instead focuses on showing us the world or a large part of it during the ten days leading up to the D-Day invasion.

The book focuses on various people in various walks of life who did various things during the war. The book is divided into chapters, one for each of the 10 days, the last being D-Day itself. Each of those chapters is divided into sections, each of which highlights the daily life and experiences of someone involved, directly or indirectly, in the war. They range from a Canadian infantry lieutenant and an American paratrooper to a British female code clerk, an SOE operative in France, all the way around to a Jew hiding in someone's house in France and a Norwegian resister in prison for assisting in the publication of an underground newspaper. Each of these individuals is followed through their daily lives, the soldiers preparing for the invasion, the rest wondering when it would happen.

One really unusual and interesting wrinkle that Stafford manages to incorporate is that the characters he chose to follow weren't all survivors of the events covered in the book. This involves a little harmless invention of presumed emotions and thoughts, but frankly that's overshadowed by the uniqueness of what he writes. For instance, one of the pictures in the picture section shows Sherman tanks lined up in an English village, with housewives hanging washing out to dry right next to them.

It's rather surprising that at this late date someone could write something unique on D-Day and the campaign in France. The fact remains, however, that this is a very unique book, and a very interesting one.

Most books published about D-Day give scant mention to the background of the invasion, and concentrate on the invasion itself, and its aftermath. This extremely well-written book covers the 10 days that preceeded the invasion, through the lives not only of the important political and military folks involved, but also the common people. We share the lives of paratroopers, ground troops, signal interceptors, spies, prisoners, and others, and learn about their contributions, however small, to the ultimate success of the invasion. It is writing of personal history at its best, and we do get to be informed as to what happened to these people we grew to care about after the invasion. Several of them are still alive, and they, and the multitude of others who have gone to their rest deserve our eternal gratitude for what they all did for us that glorious 6th of June, 1944.

The work of Stephen Mark Rainey has soul, depth, character, and the ability to make you care about the characters, which makes his power to terrify that much more awesome. He has his own distinct voice and beat, but some of his work--as with The Last Trumpet--is so uncannily Lovecraft that one has to wonder if Mark has some hidden talents he's not telling us about, such as channeling the untold words of the dead. To name a few favorites: 'Threnody' is a wonderful execution of a brilliant premise and 'The Fugue Devil', which has to be *THE* Stephen Mark Rainey classic-- terror and heart in perfect harmony. Unforgettable.

I'd recommend his work to anyone.

Rainey does what so many Cthulhu Mythos fans cannot - he takes the idea of unknowable horror, things that see us as nothing, and places that idea firmly in the modern day without doing a Lovecraft pastiche. His stories in this volume are all connected by locale, but range in horror from trapped heroes, doomed to a grisly fate, to a feisty futuristic heroine, fighting for survival after the stars have become right. Satisfying work, set in the Mythos, but without the standard trappings so many authors feel necessary to throw in (the million moldy volumes, rattling through the entire Old One pantheon, etc.). Highest recommendations. I've just ordered Balak, his novel, after finishing the collection, and can't wait for it to arrive!

The Last Trumpet is a bone chilling collection of short stories by Stephen Mark Rainey. All the stories though different, are inter-connected in an interesting way. A treasure worth keeping in your library. Very well written, it's true horror at it's finest. If you like all things Cthulhu as I do, you won't be disappointed. Breathes new life into the mysteries of "Avante Garde" 20th Century music.

really interesting read. rainey has a way of making something seem very fresh. his plots always seem original, even when they are not. great stories. great descriptions at times. what rainey is really master at, however, is the angle. he writes a story from a certain angle, making it very intersting. his stories are at their best the most refreshing stories i read in horror. very enjoyable

What a bore and nuiscance it is to read through the piles and piles of Lovecraft pastiches that have accumulated in the past decades. Sometimes one is left to wonder why ever H. P. L. encouraged anybody at all to contribute to his phantastic creation, forgetting too soon about some of the writers who have really done a lot to expand the mythos in its masterminds' sense, and to keep it alive through now almost 80 years, people like Fritz Leiber, Ramsey campbell -or Stephen Mark Rainey.

Not too full of hope, but impressed by the overwhelmingly positive reviews the book got, I started to read through the first story, and actually became so absorbed that I could not stop until I finished the last page. It is true, Rainey has managed something all too rare: to write explicit Cthulhu-Mythos fiction without being derivative (at least as far as it is possible), bringing in a whole lot of new -and not so new- interesting aspects and ideas with an originality and, particularly, quality of style that would have made H. P. L. proud !

Although the last of the stories seemed to me a little bit like one might imagine the multiplayer mode of the upcoming Doom III-game, it nevertheless gave me some quite unpleasant nightmares (and usually I did not get any from reading horror fiction since I read "The dreams in the witch house" by Lovecraft at age 14).

But to get to the point: Rainey's stories are all centred, in a way, around an imaginary Virginia County, surrounding the (fictious) town of Beckham, and around a couple of protagonists that are, often in a subtle way, connected to each other. But apart from that arkhamasque resemblance, the similarity to Lovecraft's imaginary Massachussetts realms ends. The southern background and the distinctly postmodern settings of the stories leave little room for comparison to Lovecraft's creations. A major influence on Rainey's book was obviously the role of SOUND in the opening of vistas into the great (and terrible) beyond, influenced (admittedly) by H. P. L.'s "The music of Erich Zann", and, certainly, some of his other, less explicit, stories & a variety of other sources. Whatever the origins, the idea is presented with overwhelming originality and a sense of weirdness that reminds of some of Ramsey Campbell's best and most disturbing stories in places. All of the stories, which Rainey published over a long period of time, are interconnected in a complex but enjoyable way, with a lot of cross-references, so that one is almost left uncertain whether this is a collection of short stories or a caleidoscopic novel.

The more playful of readers may also expect a lot of really enjoyable Mythos in-jokes that offer some relief from the partially almost unbearable darkness of the stories (be prepared e. g., to meet a certain ghoul named "Richard" under the most appropriate circumstances in a story that would have found the approvement even of Lord Dunsany himself, if he'd been in one of his most sinister moods).

Rainey manages easily to write in an almost dreamy and surrealistic Dunsanian, as well as in a realistic, dialogue-and action-based, stephenkingesque manner, but always keeps far away from merely copying these or any other writers, particularly never-ever copying H. P. L. himself. Read one of the deceased Lin Carter's stories (whose work as an editor I admire, but, frankly, not his writings) and compare it to one of Stephen Mark Rainey's best efforts as "To be like them", "Sabbath of the black goat" or "The fugue devil", and you will immediately recognize what unfathomable abyss lieth inbetween.

Highly recommended. I'm certainly up to buy anything the man has ever written.

I just finished reading Tomorrow to Be Brave a few minutes ago. What a fantastic book! I couldn't put it down. I will skip summarizing the book because others have done a fine job in doing just that. What I will say is that if you want to read a biography that reads like a novel - a novel that is full of excitement, adventure, and history - then this is a great choice. I had never learned much about the North Africa theater of WWII and it was very interesting to read about it. Especially, the section on Bir Hakeim. A final opinion, I have to completely disagree with a reviewer who said that Susan Travers was sometimes whiny. Ms. Travers was anything but whiny. For any person who has been far from home, far from the normal every day routine (to say the least), who is smelly and hungry and doesn't feel well, they can probably appreciate Ms. Travers fantasizing about a good meal and a hot bath. I honestly don't know how Ms. Travers did it. She wasn't whiny, just honest. That being said, I would strongly encourage both men and women, regardless of whether or not they have any interest in military history, to read this book. It will be time well spent.

This memoir of Susan Travers, "The only woman ever to serve officially in the French Foreign Legion" (book jacket) is an intriguing glimpse into the Second World War in North Africa. Travers, who in her younger life admittedly "acquired something of a reputation" (33), found the outbreak of WWII a turning point; determined to use her driving skills for a good cause, she signed up for the Croix Rouge (Red Cross). To be an ambulance driver, however, she had to become a nurse first, something Travers admits was never her strong point. Sent first to Finland, then West Africa, Sudan and the Eastern Mediterranean, Travers' driving adventures are entertaining, and the struggle between Vichy France and the Free French (led by de Gaulle) is riveting. The author does not claim to be a saint, and in fact at one point has one former lover sneaking into bed with her while she is covering up an affair with her employer - all staying in the same house! The great love of her life, according to this book, is General Marie-Pierre Koenig, commander of the North African outpost in Bir Hakeim. This is not an affair of equals, and frankly the picture of Koenig in the book seems to indicate a man who needs to be in power all the time, and will not tolerate any difference of opinion - Travers openly admits this, and by her own admission, is not always happy with the relationship. That aside, the sections on North Africa are illuminating: what the Free French forces were able to do in holding Bir Hakeim is laudable, especially with few supplies and little respect from their allies. Travers later life doesn't take up many pages, and the reader hopes that, after failed love affairs, when she finally marries, she will be happy. For a time, that's true; however, after she and her husband are sent to Vietnam after WWII, things fall apart, and after a brief separation in which he takes ill, their marriage is never the same. I found it interesting that despite her well-deserved heroics, there are many times in this book where Travers is, well, whiny - she complains about no baths or clean clothes, while it's obvious there are more important things to worry about...war is war, after all. I guess you could say these character traits are what makes the book entertaining on another level, but at times, the winging was annoying. Definitely worth reading, you'll learn a lot.

I'm a student of military history. I read a good deal of stuff on the Second World War, studying various battles and campaigns. A few months ago I read John Bierman and Colin Smith's book on the battle of Alamein, and it included information about a woman who'd been in the French Foreign Legion, and served during the battle of Gazala as General Pierre Koenig's driver, enduring the bombardment and siege of Bir Hakeim. I was interested in this, and obtained a copy of the book. Whoa! Susan Travers, now in her 90's, has a story to tell.

The daughter of well-to-do English parents who lived in France for most of her adolesence, Travers spent most of the thirties on the continent, playing tennis, gambling, and cavorting with a series of lovers who were all uninterested in settling down with her. When World War II began, she decided to turn her independant streak (which had led to her learning to drive a car) into an asset, and join the armed forces, fighting for the Allies somehow. She wound up in the French army, trained as a nurse, drove an ambulance briefly in Finland, and then wound up in Africa.

There she served briefly in the campaign in Ethiopia, then was moved to Syria. Here, the doctor that she usually drove for was greviously wounded, and his replacement couldn't stand the thought of a female driver. He complained to his superior, and the next thing Travers knew she was driving for Pierre Koenig, who at the time was a colonel in the Free French army fighting in Syria. Soon the campaign was over, and Travers could set up house with the married Koenig for several months, because the colonel's wife was conveniently absent.

Their affair, however, had to remain secret for the most part. She stayed his driver when the unit he commanded was transferred to the Western Desert in Libya. Soon, the British ordered all women out of the Front lines, but she contrived to make her way back, and was at the post the Free French brigade held for most of the battle. This was Bir Hakeim, a crossroads in the desert that had been fortified with trenches and bunkers dug in the desert floor. Bir Hakeim was the southernmost part of the Allied position at the Battle of Gazala, and it was an important one. After initially attempting to take it quickly by storm, the Germans bypassed it and left its capture to the Italians, who repeatedly failed. The Germans then returned and also failed, and when the post was finally worn down to the point defense was no longer an option, the garrison surprised everyone by breaking out and escaping in their vehicles.

The Bir Hakeim battle makes up the middle quarter or so of the book, and it's a marvelous story. Travers was Koenig's driver for the whole battle, which means that when the breakout occurred, she drove the general's car. The car was hit by numerous bullets, but she and her passengers survived without being harmed.

After the battle, she and the general had to separate (the German propaganda machine made a thing of their affair) and she spent most of the rest of the war driving an ambulance or doctors. When the war ended she managed to enlist in the Foreign Legion, and served several years in overseas posts. Eventually she married a legionnaire, had children, and left the legion herself. When her husband finally passed away, she decided it was time to tell her story. I'm very glad she did.

Wow, what a life! Let's be thankful that there were people who kept insisting that Susan Travers' story be written while she was still alive. And thanks to Wendy Holden that story makes such fascinating reading that you find it hard to believe this is the story of a real life. I did not know much about the events of the Second World War that took place in Africa. So, while having been interested in the personal story of this fascinating woman, I got quite a bit more insight into the political events of that time as well. This part is definitely Wendy Holden's second major contribution.

You read this book and ask yourself, "Is this true, did this really happen?" But of course it's true. Only an honest person could bare their soul as does Susan Travers, with the brilliantly sensitive prose of co-author Wendy Holden.

The story is spell-binding as our heroine bounces from battlefield to boudoir with breathtaking élan. So many words fall short- courageous, brave, intrepid, relentless, passionate and others- as she and her fellow Legionnaires take their stand on faraway battlefields, most notably Bir Hakeim in the desolate desert of North Africa.

But the most appropriate word to describe ajudant-chef Travers is probably "driven". She sums it up on page 267 as she bids farewell to her dying father: "I'd spent so much of my life seeking his approval that having never really obtained it, his death only left me feeling more empty. Any chance to impress him now was gone and I felt cheated".

'Tomorrow To Be Brave' is a work and a life. It speaks for itself. This woman knows herself and to herself she is true. How ironic and poignant that the "driven" hero of Bir Hakeim was in fact a driver (chauffeur) in the French Foreign Legion. Susan dodges pot-holes and pot-shots as she valiantly drives her paramour, the General, through the desert sands. She is truly an "angel of mercy" as she man-handles her ambulance in the muddy mountains of Italy.

So much history. So much romance. So much intrigue. So much honest pride. So much heartbreak. It's all there. Who needs fiction with a story like this! A little knowledge of French is helpful but read it anyway even if you don't know what "ma cherie" means.

Bon courage, La Miss. Merci!

A heavy book packed with information. More a refererence book rather than a read in its own right. jam-packed with lots of good information including many stand-alone information sections detailing all aspects of life at sea - for the men as well as the ships. If you have an interest in naval warfare in the age of sail this book is a great investment

It's one of the best books of that type I've ever read, too much details, but not boring, explains everything and gives you a full idea about how the seamnship of that period, strategy life at seas and of course of the battle of Trafalgar. I would reccomend it without any hesitation.
Probably the title of the book isn't so attractive as it's the book itself.

What a book! This book is huge and contains just about everything you would want to know about the people, the ships and the battles. I was really impressed to see the hour by hour description of the battle and the detailed descriptions of the ships appearance as well as its statistics.
I have no hesitation in recommending this book.

The Trafalgar Companion by Mark Adkin looked very much like his Waterloo Companion that he wrote earlier. The book covers three subject matters. First is the Trafalgar campaign and battle. Second is the biographical overview of Horatio Lord Nelson and finally the third coverage deals with anatomy of navies and ships of this period although the Royal Navy get most of the coverage. Each three subjects are spread apart into sections and interlocked with the overall coverage of the topic. There are also many side bars notes that inserts interesting trivial if not important information regarding the subject matter at hand.

The book proves to be well written, well researched and easy to read. There are over 200 illustrations that covers everything from battle scenes, diagrams, tactical maps, drawings, ship equipments and so on. There are several pages of a great cross section from the top down on HMS Victory (deck by deck) which showed the ship in battle readiness and show the positions of each crew member by position and officers. There's also a full page coverage on each British, French and Spanish ships involved in the battle as well as history of some of its officers. I can write considerably more on all the great stuff that this book contains.

It pretty obvious that the author went all out to provide one of the most complete coverage of Trafalgar campaign and battle within a single volume. Each of the subject matter appears to be well written and researched. Nelson's biography may not be as detail or indepth as some of the full scale biographies but the coverage proves to be impressive and insightful. All of Nelson's previous battles are in the this book and well covered. While not as detail as Brian Lavery's book, Nelson's Navy, the study of the Royal Navy in this book should satisfied almost anyone. The coverage of the campaign and battle of Trafalgar proves to be complete and highly detailed, helped by charts and maps that gives a clear understanding of the subject at hand.

There is also a short but detail coverage of post-Trafalgar period, fate of the ships, officers and burial of Nelson. Interesting tidbits that can only enchance the reading experience.

In conclusion, while there are books out there who may do a better job covering just the battle or just Nelson or just the details of wooden navy, I believed no book does a superior job in putting all three together and making it work. The 555 pages of this book is crammed with information that can only benefit the reader to the utmost. Its well worth the price you pay.

The Trafalgar Companion is probably the best reference book on the Royal Navy in the time of the Napoleonic Wars. It has about 550 pages of small type and is jam packed with information. However, it is much more than its title suggests.

This book could probably be divided into three main parts: the life of Nelson, the Trafalgar campaign, and the background of the Royal Navy. There are nine sections, each with subsections and most with an epilogue. The epilogues comprise the first part, as they describe some aspect of Nelson's life or career. If one wanted to read only about Nelson, one could jump to the end of each chapter and read a very good biography of Nelson. The epilogues include his early life and career, the battles of St Vincent, the Nile, Copenhagen; his stay at Naples, Emma, and a few others. The reader really comes to know a great deal about Nelson. The second section, the background of the Royal Navy, gives the reader about 150 pages on topics such as ship construction and classification, seamanship, navigation, officers, seamen, marines, uniforms, gunnery, tactics, and many others. This section alone is invaluable to understanding the Royal Navy. The third section is about the Trafalgar campaign. The subsections include British and French naval strategy, the fleets, command, opening moves, the battle itself (about 60 pages), and the aftermath of the battle.


So, what makes this such a great book? The topics have all been discussed in tons of other books. Well, first, this book is like an encyclopedia--it brings everything together under one roof. If you want Nelson, you got 'im. If you're reading Hornblower, Ramage, Kydd, or Aubrey and you need some background info on some topic, it's here. However, this book is more than an encyclopedia. If you have several hours to spend on a great story--the battle itself--you've got a great read in front of you. Second, in addition to the text, this book is filled with hundreds of illustrations, diagrams, lists, quotes, maps, paintings, and drawings. For example, the section on fleet comparison devotes a page to each ship from both fleets. The pages include a drawing of a ship, its rating, number and type of guns, number and type of crew (i.e. naval, infantry, marine), a biography of its commander, what the ship did during and after the battle, and, for the British, a list of all its officer--all the way down to the purser! In the section on guns, gunnery, and tactics, there are eight fabulous color illustrations, each covering two pages. The first is a cross section of the Victory with all the rooms labeled. The ship looks like a mini city. Then there are top-view illustrations of each deck. Not only are the guns and other parts of the ship labeled, but also where crew members would have been assigned. I didn't know that a marine was assigned to each gun on the ship. In some cases even known personalities can be placed in certain areas on deck. There is even a page showing the number and arrangement of lanterns to indicate signals in the presence of the enemy! I particularly like the 19 maps in the battle section. The reader can follow the movements and firing of the ships throughout the battle. There are so many topics and all are treated exhaustively.

I could go on and on giving examples of the breadth and depth of this book. Besides the information, the color illustrations and quality of paper make this book visually pleasing. I HIGHLY recommend it to anyone interested in the Royal Navy in the Napoleonic Wars. It's worth every penny you'll pay for it-you won't need anything else.

I received the book in very good condition and came very well wrapped and quickly. I am very satisfied with it.

Walks Through Lost Paris: A Journey Into the Heart of Historic Paris

This is a wonderful book, except for one thing. It is so small that the maps are almost unreadable, and the print is not so easy to read either. I've been to Paris twice and walked through all four areas in the book before, but the book opened my eyes to a lot of history and details I'm looking forward to seeing first hand. I am taking it to Paris in a couple weeks, and I'm looking forward to the walks, but I'm going to have to blow up the maps so I can read them without a magnifying glass. This book would be far more enjoyable in a larger format.

If you love Paris (and who doesn't?) you'll appreciate this book. It takes us over well-trod streets, past ancient buildings, and brings them alive by examining their past. Atget documented Paris as it was; this book predates that.

Beautifully produced book with superb use of 19th century & current photos to show changes in Paris locations pre & post Haussmann. A great read for anyone who loves & knows Paris, and doubles as an "advanced" and specialized walking guide for those lucky enough to be on site.

Whether one takes the recommended walks or just reads the words, this is a great little book, full of wonderful then and now photos (I especially like the photo of the people in the boat on Rue Jacob during the flood of 1910--see the hats!) and interesting discussions of how Paris came to be what we see today, how sections of the city were saved by those who loved them, and how other sectors were changed and updated. I have a number of walks-around-Paris books, some written for Parisians themselves, and I think this is the best and most interesting. It entertained my husband when he recently spent a week in the hospital. It is not especially touristic, and not a book for those dropping in for a day or two to see the highlights of Paris. This is a book to wallow around in. I found the English version first, but will look for the French, as I'm suspicious of translations.

An excellent book with a different perspective. It is not only well written but beautifully printed and bound. A joy to read and to walk in the very steps of these two historic and romantic personalities. Take it along on your next trip to Paris.Floyd McRae, Napoleonic Alliance, International Napoleonic Society.

Delightful, informative, exciting. Great for a sophisticated traveler -- a perfect gift for any tourist planning a trip to Paris -- and also a stimulating, fun read. I loved it.

Diana Reid Haig's beautiful, well researched book is invaluable on two levels; as a work of art and as a practical walking guide. Walks Through Napoleon and Josephine's Paris will interest Francophiles as well as those who love history and art. This extremely readable history of Napoleon and Josephine chronicles the rise and fall of the doomed couple--a history which is also inexorably linked with the history of France and the French Revolution.

A blend of words and art, Haig's book is wonderful to page through, but is also a great read. I recommend this work to both armchair travelers and frequent visitors to Paris. This book is a brilliant new way to see and enjoy Paris.

I had the delightful privilege of hearing Mme. Haig read from her book at the French Institute in New York which in turn, plunged me into an exuberant frenzy to learn as much as I could about Napoleon and even more so - Josephine. Mme. Haig's writing comes from a genuine passion about her subjects and is wonderfully researched, with fascinating detail. Should you be travelling to Paris with a teenager, this book could ignite a passion in them as well about history before Britney Spears' first marriage.

Diana Reid Haig has produced a delightful book that is at once fascinating and useful. She tells short anecdotal stories of Napoleon and Josephine and their times while showing us beautiful photographs of the places they would have known and then showing us how to find them. No one who is interested in Napoleon should ever visit Paris without consulting this book, and even those who will never set foot on the Champs-Élysées will enjoy thumbing through its pages and reading Haig's well-written little vignettes of one of history's most famous love stories.

The book is organized into four "walks," which generally correspond to Napoleon's early career and meeting of Josephine, life as First Consul, the coronation, and the return of Napoleon's body in 1840. To these she adds a tour of Fontainebleau and Malmaison, two places where Napoleon and Josephine lived. Each walk comes with a map that clearly shows the major places she discusses as well as shops and other areas of interest. The maps are easy to follow and a dotted line traces her suggested route. A map of Paris showing where in the greater scheme of things these maps fit would have been useful, but any visit to Paris will be enhanced by this book.

One of Haig's most endearing qualities as a writer is her ability to provide interesting and useful information in a way that both informs and entertains. Throughout her book we hear of some of the standard discussions of Napoleon and Josephine, such as her affair and their near breakup after his Egyptian campaign. But we also are given brief glimpses into their daily lives and their relationship with the buildings that we can see on her tours. Haig also includes interesting "side boxes" on topics the basics of which are common knowledge but the unknown details of which can be quite interesting. For example, we all know of Napoleon's famous hat, but from Haig we learn that he ordered four a year as First Consul and later had at least fifty ordered from his hatter, Poupard, who charged exorbitant rates. Indeed, Haig presents enough interesting history that a scholarly reader is left wishing she had provided references.

This wonderful little book is like none other that I have seen. It is beautifully produced and well written. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in seeing and understanding Napoleon and Josephine's Paris.

J. David Markham, Author
Napoleon's Road to Glory: Triumphs, Defeats and Immortality
Imperial Glory: The Bulletins of Napoleon's Grande Armée

"He was born a fine cat in the heart of Paree, the youngest of six in his petite family. But his mischievous ways led him astray. Now he roams about town, down the Champs Elysees, and when the mood strikes him, he dines au cafe..." Oh Zat Cat! He owns Paris, from the Louvre, to Jardin Luxembourg. And when he ventures into Le Grand Salon du Grand Couturier, Monsieur Pierre, an unexpected mishap creates havoc, and poor Monsieur's entire collection is completely ruined. "Before he can even meow or blink, he's whisked off his feet by a sash in pink! He flies through the air, clawing hats and hair. Ball gowns of satin are shredded to bits. Laces and ribbons totally ripped..." But the show must go on, and as the disheveled models in ripped dresses take to the runway..."Whispers of wonder turn to roars of delight, as our four-legged friend struts into the light. So original, exotic, and free. These ingenious designs C'est la "Rage" de Paree!" Chesley McLaren's lively, rhyming text is rich in clever wordplay, both French and English, energy, and puns, and includes phonetic help and translations tucked quietly at the bottom of each page. But it's Ms McLaren's marvelously vibrant, busy, and innovative artwork, swirling boldly around the pages, that really makes this picture book sparkle. Together word and art create an engaging feast for both the ears and eyes that begs to be read aloud and shared. Perfect for youngsters 4-8, Zat Cat! is a masterpiece of humor and wit, and one of the new, stand-out children's books of 2002 that shouldn't be missed.

I happen to know the amazing author/artist of "Zat Cat" & I just wanna say:"Way ta go, Chesley!!!!!"

"He was born a fine cat in the heart of Paree, the youngest of six in his petite family. But his mischievous ways led him astray. Now he roams about town, down the Champs Elysees, and when the mood strikes him, he dines au cafe..." Oh Zat Cat! He owns Paris, from the Louvre, to Jardin Luxembourg. And when he ventures into Le Grand Salon du Grand Couturier, Monsieur Pierre, an unexpected mishap creates havoc, and poor Monsieur's entire collection is completely ruined. "Before he can even meow or blink, he's whisked off his feet by a sash in pink! He flies through the air, clawing hats and hair. Ball gowns of satin are shredded to bits. Laces and ribbons totally ripped..." But the show must go on, and as the disheveled models in ripped dresses take to the runway..."Whispers of wonder turn to roars of delight, as our four-legged friend struts into the light. So original, exotic, and free. These ingenious designs C'est la "Rage" de Paree!" Chesley McLaren's lively, rhyming text is rich in clever wordplay, both French and English, energy, and puns, and includes phonetic help and translations tucked quietly at the bottom of each page. But it's Ms McLaren's marvelously vibrant, busy, and innovative artwork, swirling boldly around the pages, that really makes this picture book sparkle. Together word and art create an engaging feast for both the ears and eyes that begs to be read aloud and shared. Perfect for youngsters 4-8, Zat Cat! is a masterpiece of humor and wit, and one of the new, stand-out children's books of 2002 that shouldn't be missed.

What a sweet book! Great for cat or fashion lovers or any little princess. Feline fun with French flair! I just love the illustrations.

This book is a delight! It is an entertaining tale of a stray cat who owns the town of Paris. The cat gets into mischief when he jumps into a window of a building and tears dresses (for a fasion show) to pieces. However, the ripped pieces are a succes and the "Rage de Paris!" This book is wonderful! It combines French words into the story and is a neat tool for those who want a little culture in their children's books. I reccommend it to anyone!

I wish I had know about this book years ago ! Needless to say I'm going to order copies for friends too. The layout is clear and easy to follow. The topic covered are comprehensive. There is plenty of information given to progress your knowledge further. All in all a great addition to the historic costumiers library.

Note: my review is based on the first edition of this book.
I think this book is wonderful--the author has also written computer manuals, and so her directions are very clear. (Come to think of it, most computer manuals aren't that easy to understand--hers must be special!) The book covers a wide array of topics related to vintage fashion. I especially appreciate the segments on sewing techniques--she explains basic things that I haven't been able to figure out from other books, like how to lengthen a pattern, and more complicated techniques that are very helpful when dealing with vintage clothes, like how to replace a lining. The author includes a lot of helpful hints from her personal experience. The book is organized into different topics, so you can skip the ones that aren't relevant to your interests.

I'm a swing dancer and I love this book because it tells how to deal with vintage clothes you actually WEAR! Some books seem to think everybody who buys vintage clothes is some kind of museum. Or that they're rich and only buy perfect clothes in fancy boutiques. This book gives instructions for real-life cleaning, mending, and altering to fit you (for men's clothes too). And how to work with vintage patterns to make your own repros. This book ROCKS!

I thought this was a useful book on costuming. There are lots of illistrations and detailed info, such as what style of lace, or what patterns were popular/available during the periods. Good buy, very helpful!

Best book I've found. Descriptions and illustrations for each historical period, as well as outfit planning, authentic fabrics, sewing and patternmaking tips, mending, restoring, and resources from A to Z -- books, websites, catalogs, periodicals... My #1 pick.

It will be love at first sight! This lovely little book is a must if you are traveling from your armchair or in person. The photography is wonderful and you get the feel of how special shopping is in France. Don't leave this little diamond at home - read it while sipping a cup of coffee at your local Starbucks or on the plane before landing in France.

even if it's only window shopping.

My wife and I love travel and we have had the privilege in shopping in many of the great cities of the world: New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Rome, Milan, Houston, and many many others. Paris is without equal for shopping in a number of respects: elegance, beauty, quality, knowledge of staff and the pure joy of seeing fine products in a beautiful setting.

We both admit that we are sometimes a little intimidated, and frankly it's only in Paris we have that feeling. Partly it's the attitude of the sales people -- worldly, fashionable, speaking impeccable French. Partly it's our awe that the French seem to have discovered how to imbue even the simplest product with a level of sophistication.

Chic Shopping Paris is a passport to discovering the joys of shopping in that great city. The photographs by Alison Harris are beautiful -- the book is almost a postcard collection of beautiful products beautifully displayed. The text is descriptive, educated, loving even -- Rebecca Perry Magniant proves her learning not only in this sampling of her work, but also on her frequently updated website. If the following passage resonates with you to any degree, visit the website, and carefully consider buying this beautiful little book:

Nicole Lehmann
19, rue de Turenne, 4th arr.
01 42 77 57 21
Métro: Saint-Paul
Tuesday-Saturday 11am-7pm, Sunday 2pm-7pm, closed Monday
nlparis.com

Nicole Lehmann's new shop just a block away from the Place des Vosges is small but elegant, the perfect setting for showing off her luxurious purses. Each of her bags is entirely handmade, with attention to fine details, in high-quality leathers and skins with metal accents. The bags come in three basic styles: the cabas (tote), the pochette (clutch), and the besace (messenger). Each comes with either long or short straps and in different finishes (grained or smooth leather, suede, alligator, ostrich). Some have unique details such as a long chain strap that can be removed and worn as a necklace; another style has a slim leather closure strap that is interchangeable with straps of other colors, and any of the straps can be worn as a bracelet. A small line of jewelry, cuff links, and belts rounds out the collection."

And if this book doesn't interest you, at least visit the publisher's website; The Little Bookroom publishes a number of delightful books that will enhance your travel experiences.

Robert C. Ross 2008

I travel to France and especially Paris often and love to have an insiders look at shopping places that visitors often don't know about. I can't wait to get there in October and use my little green book to check out some of the places in it. Love having the email addresses, phone numbers and the many pictures. Thank you Rebecca!

Travel through the best of the insider's Paris in 208 beautifully written and photographed pages. In concise, but through narratives, Ms. Magniant brings the best of Paris to your mind while Allison Harris' photos are each a well composed tableau of the individuals shop's wares. From wall designs to unique notions to toys, antique printed matter, designer clothers, jewelery, perfumes, all manner of foodstuffs, and other off-the-beaten-track treasures- if you can't find something of great interest to you, don't see Paris-see your doctor!

The perfect book for exploring Paris via shopping! The book is divided by neighborhoods for easy reference. The descriptions are extremely helpful and the photographs could be postcards of Paris themselves. The small size of the book will fit into your purse for easy access. I read this on the subway before I went shopping and couldn't wait to start shopping.