France Books

This work speaks for itself. It is a must have for any transpersonal psychologist and transpersonal psychology class.

Vaughan has written a super book with much to offer. She essentially presented integral psychology with this book in that it integrates body, emotions, mind and spirit. She uses many of the concepts of Ken Wilber's earlier works, but unlike him, she is not merely a theorist. She has been a psychotherapist for many years, and allows the reader to choose for themselves what is true. Refreshingly, she does not have an agenda like so many writers, except for one to discover who they are at a deep level in their own way. This book is probably the best applied book in transpersonal and integral psychology available. If you have to own only one book, this is that book.

The Inward Arc by Frances Vaughan

This is a book ahead of its time. First published in 1985, with a second edition in 1995, it is a gift of service.

“The Inward Arc” refers not only to the individual’s spiritual journey through states of consciousness, but to the ultimate unity demanding conscious attention to our relationship with all that is. Hence, suffering in all forms, including our environment, is intimately bonded in the maturity of spiritual unity. Its subtitle “Healing in Psychotherapy and Spirituality” aptly describes the three parts – historical, philosophical, and spiritual - that provide a sound foundation for those new to the transpersonal world, the curious, and those long familiar with a variety of transpersonal experiences and thought.

This is a work of powerful authenticity, informed by solid scholarship in comparative religion on the one hand and formal psychology on the other. The two are integrated by the direct spiritual experience of the author as well as the psychospiritual growth she facilitates with her psychotherapy clients. Vaughan herself continues to be a potent force and spokesperson in shaping the visibility of the transpersonal movement and humanistic psychology. Newly discovered by mainstream academic psychology as “positive psychology,” the tenets of the evolution of the human psyche and transcendence beyond ego are offered by Vaughan as a map for the spiritually emerging individual and collective psyche. Here is the confluence of spirituality, psychotherapy, and healing in our time – Vaughan’s aspiration and passion as well as a vision of the possible.

This seminal work is a masterful example of the very principles the author is delineating. With generosity she shares her knowledge, her thoughts, her experience, and her hopes for us as individuals and as a global community. Her liberal use of direct quotations and meticulous credit to colleagues and predecessors, as well as citing original sources, is a model of integrity. This further enhances the credibility and usefulness of the work in its accuracy and access to information.

“The Inward Arc” is thoroughly satisfying and inspiring across multiple levels. Read it. The time is now.

5/13/01

I first read this title while a student of Vaughan at JFKU in 1986. I found it to be most informative and well written book on transpersonal psychology published at that time. Now re-reading it, it is still the best title on the subject. I highly recommend this book to anyone learning the ropes in the field of psychotherapy. My newest book "An Inspirational Guide for the Recovering Soul" compliments Vaughan's work in self-healing and spirituality -- please review at www.drsinor.com.
Dr. Barbara Sinor, Psychospiritual Therapist and Author

This book is absolutely incredible! It explains the development of human consciousness in such a comprehensive way that it is a must read for people interested in personal growth from a transpersonal perspective. Many writers have written about transpersonal experiences before but this author brings it all together and presents it as a very nice package. I also found the author's application of these ideas to psychotherapy very interesting and thought provoking. As a psychotherapist using the transpersonal approach, I find this book quite exquisite! The only other book on this topic that I would really recommend is "The Ever-Transcending Spirit" by Toru Sato. Sato explains these ideas in the simplest ways that it makes us think, "Why didn't I understand that before?" He uses the most creative analogies to explain our experiences, including transpersonal ones that you are simply left in awe.

A much needed textbook is now available for all neurologist and neuroscientist doing experiments in this field.

This is really a landmark achievment to write such a good book in such a way, understandable .

The author has a splendid writing gift, and she has produced a broad and wonderfully clear survey of the state of the art in this vigorous field. For a detailed summary of what you will find in the book, check the editorial review (above) from the New England Journal of Medicine.

It seems to me the book might well be read in the context of two other important books in this field: One is Bertil Hille's classic, "Ionic Channels of Excitable Membranes." As a science gathers momentum (and this one is certainly surging) we tend to lose track of what is known and what is simply assumed. Hille's book will fill in some blanks at the fundamental level - and show you exactly where the underlying assumptions are in this science. If you are at all skeptical, and of course you should be, you will like Hille's calm precision and care.

The other background book is Spikes, by Rieke et al. The implication of Spikes is that Adrian was wrong and that, therefore, all of us have been wrong about what nerves actually do - and wrong since 1926. The authors put this rather more diplomatically than I have, but there it is: Adrian wrong.

Spikes summarize evidence accumulated since about 1993 that a single nerve impulse, all by itself, can somehow convey information to the brain. This shocking news will have to be either explained or explained away in terms of the biochemical machinery of the neuron. The current explanation (which is based on precise arrival timing) would seem to rely upon the physiological equivalent of a quartz crystal, um, a device we don't often come across in biochemistry.

It would be my guess that a better understanding of ion channels will point to a more biologically realistic solution. And a new and better picture of how the neuron works.

Ion Channels and Disease is the most current and broadest survey of the subject. The key to the problem is probably in here somewhere, or is referenced here, and is waiting to be discovered. I would pay particular attention to any type of evidence for linkage, structure or signaling between "individual" channels. Linkage between discrete trans-membrane ion channels could create a longitudinal channel running the length of the nerve, probably many of them. A multi-channel axon - a cable rather than a wire -- would be one possible solution to the new mystery of how a single impulse can be freighted with graded information.

This is a lucid discussion of the role of ion channels in disease. It begins with a wonderful introduction to molecular biology and physiology of ion channels suitable for neophyte as well as the seasoned investigator. Then individual ion and ligand gated channels are discussed in individual chapters. After the basic properties of each channel are introduced, diseases of the channels are discussed.

This is a fantastic book for anybody interested in ion channels or molecular medicine. If you happen to be a graduate student preparing for an exam in the field - this is your salvation! Personally, I read it with enormous delight. What a great compendium of this fascinating, quickly growing field! The style is very elegant, everything is lucid, the concepts come through crystal-clear. This was certainly an enormous amount of work and the book will be helpful to many in the field - for brushing up on channels that you don't work on, for checking things quickly, for teaching, and just for fun!

Blanche Schwappach, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, San Francisco

We love the "Jump at the Sun" books. I have bought almost all of them for my 4 year old daughter. She is at the age when she is *so* enchanted with all things "princess," and I am so sick of the lily-white Disney ones. Having these fairy-tales told with African-american characters is a wonderful change. The stories are pretty much as you would remember them -- the only difference is the color of the characters skin. I recommend this book to any little girl ages 2 to 7 -- no matter who she is.

Beautifully illustrated with gloriously vivid colors, this book and ALL the others in this series/collection are wonderful. The adaptations in text and in the illustrations are masterful and clever. I wish these books were available when I was growing up!

I bought a copy of all the jump at the Sun Fairytale classics. I added it to my multiculture collection in my classroom. These books are ones that many kids continually gravitate to and is a lovely way to include different ethnicity to a "traditional" fairytale.

I recommend this book to every little girl, and not just African American little girls. We should have more stories to show another images for our young ones. (Thumbs UP)!!!!

I bought all of the JATS fairy tales for my girls. It is great to have books that feature black girls but are not ABOUT being black. Our kids want some fantasy too. The one problem I have is the a few of the JATS books (including this one) feature villians that may be too threatening for very young kids (mine are 2 & 4). In this book, the beast threatens Beauty's father by saying that he will die by by the end of the day for stealing roses. There are at least two others that use an explicit threat of death against the hero or heroine. It's just not a topic I want to discuss with my kids because the older one if afraid of it already. Just a warning for parents who have not really discussed death with their kids.

The subject is touchy for many people, but if you are not one of them then I recommend this book. Simmans brings a lot of scholarship and research into the question of Jesus' early life, His possible marriage, His possible survival of crucifixion. That said, Simmans doesn't force the reader to wade through pages of esoteric data complete with comparisons of Egyptian, Greek and Hebrew hieroglyphs to make his points. He cites his references, but he impresses with his ability to meld the thoughts of various scholars with his own "on-the-site" insights. I found him to be the most plausible of all the writers currently being published regarding this somewhat implausible subject. Worth reading if you have an interest in this field.

I felt the book was well researched and well presented with regard to references and bibliography. At a time when the traditional truths are under scrutiny, this was a well reasoned and thought provoking book.

Jesus didn't die on the cross: instead he survived and went to southern France to live with wife Mary: this radical and thought-provoking idea proposed by researcher Graham Simmans offers up a new reason for the spread of Christianity - by Jesus himself. Chapters consider Jesus's survival of the crucifixion and use Coptic and Jewish sources to examine Christian philosophy and how it spread through Europe.

unfortunately this is the last book from Mr. Simmans to be published.
he died too soon and unexpectedly.
i happened to know Mr. Graham Simmans for almost 3 years.
and still remember the discussions we had with Mr. Simmans being a good listener and a wonderfull person to have dfiscussions with.
i rate his book with 5 stars not because i knew him - but because it is a great book.
some day all secrets and what is hidden will be revealed - when the time is right.

This was a bombshell of a book -- it goes way beyond The da Vinci Code (book) and since I have personally investigated the Rennes-le-Chateau issue for several years, I was amazed at the accuracy of his info and also pleased that he didn't compromise the remaining secrets that need to be protected to this day. Eventually the Truth will come out, however, and this book will help prepare people to accept (via a better understanding) what has really been going on.

Related issues, truthfully handled, are Gnosticism, Cathars and the Knights Templar (who you will find are involved with that Tomb of Jesus' Family 'revealed' in March on the Discovery channel -- but you have to read the corresponding Tomb of Jesus book to see that). He even explains how the rumor got going that Jesus died in Kashmir -- but he neglects to point out that Jesus had a twin brother (see person 2nd from the left end of the table in Da Vinci's painting The Last Supper... Because he had a twin, it was necessary to pay someone to point him out -- the authorities did not want to arrest the wrong man.)

A fascinating book that is a great source for anyone wanting to research
this subject more deeply. The connection with Egypt and France is quite well documented, as well as where Jesus could have gotten his 'training', as well as the marriage with Mary Magdalene, and her ministry. It may make some people angry, but this is NOT a woo-woo book containing wild speculations! Enjoy.

What a beautiful book. Full page, full color photos, with many of the pieces being shown larger than life. Original drawings of the same pieces are shown on a facing page. I wish that some of the photos of people and places had been reproduced larger, but the original old photos may have been very small to start with, and may not have blown up well bigger than they were originally printed. All in all an absolutely drool-worthy book.

I ordered this book from Half Price Books from Texas, as Amazon did not have it. The book arrived very fast, and very well wrapped and boxed. The book was listed as used-good with dented corners and scuffed dust jacket. Wrong. It looked brand new. I would order from them again. And the book was half the price of the other sellers.

This is by far the best book ever produced on Lalique's jewelry. The photographs in the book document nice close up details as well as front and back shots of his jewelry. Also nice to see is photographs of his beautiful jewelry renderings and nature studies. This book is a must for any Lalique fan. I highly recommend it.

For lovers of the Art Nouveau movement, this book is a must! Lalique was an amazing artist/jeweler, and this book covers the jewelry portion of his career well.

So you missed the exhibit in Dallas? True, this exhibit is possibly the only time these items from private collections will be on display. But do not despair. There is still a wonderful catalog out there to be had.

When my friends and I went to see this exhibit, we were so enamoured by the beauty of the jewelry, we wanted to carry it all home with us. The catalog was the best we could do.

The items in this exhibit that were designed and made by Rene' Lalique moved classicism to modernism. Although the luminosity of the jewelry is certainly lost in the book's photographs, like the sheen of the perfectly matched opals and the glow of the glass enamels, the level of detail is not.

The exhibit was set up to light the plique-a'-jour from the rear of the pieces as well as from the front. Plique-a'-jour is similar to cloisonné. Both techniques use glass enamels separated by cells created from metal, but cloisonné is applied onto a metal surface, whereas plique-a'-jour is openwork, more like a stained glass window. The difference in effect is that plique-a'-jour has a glow that lights up the jewelry, whereas cloisonné receives its shine from the metal behind it.

The plique-a'-jour technique was not new, having been used during the Renaissance but had been virtually forgotten. The influence of the relatively new trade with Japan opened up the eyes of those artists who were participants in the new arts & Crafts movement centered in London. In fact, Lalique studied in London and picked up on the Japanese influences. In addition, there was also a religious movement centered in Germany at this time that centered more upon appreciation of nature than a single deity.

These influences combined in Lalique's jewelry that stunned the world when he unveiled over a hundred pieces of bijou at the Exposition Universalle in Paris in 1900. Critics of his work charged that he was merely trying to provoke the public. The public crowded around the exhibit during its run nonetheless, although not all of the items in the exhibit sold during the Exposition. The opal necklace that all of us loved when we saw this exhibit in Dallas was one that did not sell, surprisingly enough.

So, if you simply could not get to Dallas, then the catalog rates a good look so that you can study Lalique's breathtaking style. He was never matched and, in fact, abandoned making jewelry for glass when cheap, shoddily made knock-offs began to appear. Lalique felt he had gone as far as he could go with jewelry and became a direct Tiffany competitor.

This book is a great resource for anyone interested in not just art nouveau jewellery but master jewellers of this period.I had not seen lalique's work before and was completely besotted with the pictures in this book,it includes intial design sketches alongside the finished pieces and discusses his work in great length.Great book when I need inspiration.

Josephine Poole and Angela Barrett's provide a compelling portrait of an ardent and spiritual Joan of Arc in this illustrated juvenile biography of the 15th-century peasant girl who led a French army to victory against the English and was later burned at the stake for witchcraft. Author Poole emphasizes that this is a true story, which is what makes the story of Joan's courage and humanity more compelling, especially with Barrett's illustrations, which provide a sense of both the time and the import of the story. Poole does an especially nice job of presenting the political complexities of the time in simple terms, yet provides a poetic touch to her text. What comes across is a story of a simple girl who was empowered by her beliefs to accomplish great things, that treats the triumph and the tragedy in equal measure, and underscores how after her martyrdom Joan went on to be named a saint by the Church.

Young readers will understand how Joan's beliefs could inspire her troops at the siege of Orleans, but they will have trouble understanding why there were those who abandoned her or why the English made sure she would be convicted at her trail. However, ultimately this look at "Joan of Arc" is more interested in providing a look at the story of her life without really trying to explain the motives of anyone beyond Joan. Within that context, the illustrations by Barrett make it clear that although she is dressed up in armor and carrying a colorful banner, Joan was a young girl. Young readers will definitely have a sense for why the story of this particular young girl has been a dramatic and compelling one for centuries.

The illustrations are very fairy-tale looking, lending a mythical quality to the long text. A great example of historical events turned into a stunning picture book. Even high school kids would be inclined to read this one cover to cover; I'd use it in middle school without hesitation! Compare to the new biography of Ann Frank by this team!

I bought this book in my position as church librarian, seeking stories for preteens about people whose lives were changed by God. There are very few books for kids like that out there that don't send a heavy fundamentalist message. There's also the old joke that Noah's wife was Joan of ARK. I needed to set that piece of ignorance straight, too. So I found an excellent book about St. Joan in this illustrated copy. The text is preteen level with historical information like a timeline of Joan's life and map of medieval France, along with the text of Joan's life. This is a nice volume and I would recommend it if you wish to buy it for medieval history, religion, feminist issues, French history or all of the above. The illustrations are well designed and in soft colors, to express the femininity and grace of Joan.

I had read this book before, and I loved it. Children will fall in love with this book. This book tells about the heroic story of Joan of Arc, the French maid that helped France win a war against England, and died a heroin. I think children will think she is a saint, and she is a great role model for children. Here children can learn from Joan, about bravery, courage, and patriotism. My favorite quote is, "A saint is like a star. A star and a saint shine forever." Parents, you children will like this book. Plus they learn a little history too on a level they can understand.

Regine Pernoud, the most respected twentieth-century biographer of Joan of Arc, noted that everyone can find a reason to love this saint. This book helps children begin to understand why she still haunts us 500 years after her death. I bought a copy of this book for my three-year-old son to introduce him to Joan of Arc's story, and it has been a pleasure for both of us. Now that it is available in an affordable paperback edition, a lot of parents will want to add it to their child's library.

Angela Barrett's illustrations are striking and memorable. In particular, I like the painting of the English bombarding Orleans, as it shows what a siege was like in those days. The cover picture (displayed above) shows Joan on her horse surrounded by the hopeful residents of Orleans who wanted to touch the maiden that God sent to liberate them. Without being heavy-handed, the fire engulfing the banner hints at Joan's ultimate fate, and her face reminds us that she was in many ways a child. This was a true incident, and Joan was said to have been masterful in guiding her horse to water to douse the flame. There is also an outstanding two-page illustration of Charles' coronation, in which Joan is shown standing in a position of honor as befits the liberator of the kingdom. The depiction of angels visiting the imprisoned Joan while she was on trial at Rouen captures the spirit of her faith in God and certainty in her quest. Remember that this uneducated peasant girl held her own for two months in a contest of wits with masters from the University of Paris. The illustrations alone make this book worth having.

Any biographer of Joan of Arc must find a way to explain the inexplicable. Josephine Poole's text is good, beginning with the simple statement that this is a true story. Ms. Poole offers Joan's story more-or-less at surface value. As is appropriate for her audience of children, she simply relates that Joan was a country girl working in a field when she heard voices that filled her with overwhelming happiness. The author includes some details of Joan's story that one could quibble with, but overall the text is solid as biography. I was frankly glad that she did not go into details of Joan's terrible death, concluding instead that a saint, like a star, lives forever. Indeed, Joan of Arc will always live in the hearts of all of us who love her.

Perhaps my son's actions speak loudest about the value of this book. We never go on a trip without "Joan of Arc," and I have heard him tell his friends, in his own way, that Joan of Arc tried to warn Classidas to go home, but that she ended up having to shoot and was sorry when he died. This book has helped my son begin to love St. Joan, and that is the strongest recommendation for it that I know how to make.

Excellent book. But make a note, that unlike original French 2-vol. set, this book includes mostly b/w illustrations (only 21 in color). All 1885-1887 French Army magnificent uniform color plates by Detaille are b/w here.

The Impressionists are the most famous French Art Movement of the late 19th Century. At about the same time, France was also producing a great school of historical painters and illustrators. Edouard Detaille in my opinion was the greatest historical painter/illustrator of the 19th Century. Do not buy L'Armee Francaise for the text. It is an English translation of stilted and heavily baroque 19th Century French. However, the illustrations are simply amazing! This is one of my favorite books.

This is one of my favorite books in my Library. It is a feast for the eyes, laying out sketches and illustrations that are unmatched anywhere else.

As a Professional Army Officer and historian, this book also lays out, in detail, the very essence of the French Army during these times.

This book runs the gauntlet from being a coffee table book, to a real resource for true military historians.

An important source of 19th century military history is the beautifully illustrated, two-volume work, L'Armée Française, produced in 1883 by the renowned military artist Edouard Detaille, with text by Jules Richard. Through his remarkably detailed and beautiful artwork, Detaille has rendered a compelling look at this most dramatic era of warfare dominated by the French art of war, military organisation and uniform styles. This classic work has been known for over a century in its French edition and is now translated into English for the first time. This lavish reprint contains the entire two-volume translation, and is richly illustrated throughout with Detaille's original published artwork depicting accurate portrayals of uniforms and military life. The book has been further embellished with an additional full-colour section displaying other works by the artist.Contains the entire translation plus over 300 illustrations from the original artwork by the military artist, and gives background information on regimental histories, army organizations, recruitment, training, battledress and equipment.L'Armée Française is the only military history book of its kind, giving background information on regimental histories, army organisations, recruitment, training, battle dress and equipment of the soldiers of France. It is a guide to the French armies that fought in the Napoleonic Wars, Crimean War, the Mexican Expedition, the Conquest of North Africa, and the Franco-Austrian and Franco-Prussian Wars, as well as a contemporary look at peacetime army in the late 19th century.No one can make a serious study of military history without becoming familiar with the wars fought by the armies of France.

This book is superb. Profusely illustrated by French artist Eduard Detaille, it covers the French Army from 1790-1885, describing in great detail the combat arms, staff, schools, gendarmerie, the navy, and the 'bric a brac' of the arms and services.

There are numerous tables of commanders of units and orders of battle, and the text is comprehensive; trying to keep up with its pace is like being force fed with a firehose. Quite simply, it gives an amazing amount of detail is what is actually quite a small space. There are both color and black and white illustrations, and they definitely have the look and feel of the 'smell of gunpowder.' Detaille was one of the best military artists of all time, and this book shows of his work perfectly.

Having seen the original volumes in French, this translation and edition have lost nothing in the trasition. The detail and minutiae are amazing, from the formation of the not-properly-sanctioned 15th Cuirassier Regiment in Hamburg by Marshal Davout in 1813 to the conquest of Algeria, this volume has much information that was not available before in English. It is a definite must for the military historian.

Much of the book is about the French Armies of the Revolution and Napoleon's Grande Armee, which is fine with me, as it is my favorite period. You can ride once again with the cavalry of the Empire, work those terrible guns of the Imperial Guard that tore allied armies to pieces, or sweat in the ranks with the infantry of the line (infanterie du ligne) as they go on just one more forced march into the thunderous hell that was combat in the Napoleonic period.

Highly recommended and you won't be disappointed.

Les atmospheres sont tres attachantes, on y retrouve l'ame slave et les chagrins et bonheurs de l'enfance et de l'adolescence.

Makine captures beautifully the solitary emptiness of the steppes and their harsh beauty... you can really feel the silence of the vast land, the chill of the wind, the warmth of his family's tiny appartment... even more important is his realistic and compelling portrayal of his struggle for identity, his desire to belong...

The book is well written. I have read the French, the Finnish and the English versions and I do admire all these works. The story is beautiful and at the end sensitive, too. The differences between 2 cultures come clearly up.

Well written, typical russian type of story, makes you cry, makes you laugh, strong emotions.

It is unusual love story, love in many senses... The story starts slowly, developing in several historical and geografical planes planes. In some parts it looks more like memoirs, not a novel, because all characters are vrey realistic.

I am planning to take my children, age 8 and 6, to see the musical version of Le Miserables. Before we watch the show, I wanted to prepare them for the complex plot so they can enjoy the show better. This book is perfect for my purpose. On the other hand, I do want to encourage my children to read the original version when they grow older.

Our children have listened to music from this production and we've explained the storyline to them. They had it finished in no time and really enjoyed it.

This book is a great way to interest your young(2nd-4th grade)child to the classics. The wording is simple and the book is just the right length. My daughter really enjoyed this classic tale. I look forward to introducing her to other books in the stepping stone series.

We have the soundtrack for Les Miserables, and my children (1st & 2nd grade) were extremely interested in the storyline. My son was fascinated by the idea of social injustice, of a Bishop actually lying/sinning to save Jean Valjean and turn him into an honest man, of poor little Cosette's misery, of Eponine's unselfish love for Marius, of the student rebellion on behalf of the misery of the masses, of what could have possibly motivated Javert to kill himself, etc... He asked so many thoughtful questions, trying to understand this story. He actually pulled down my 1000+ pages, unabridged version of Les Miserables and tried to read the first few pages!

I promised him I would try to find a version of the story just right for a 2nd grader, although I said it was very unlikely. Then I searched Amazon and found this little gem of a book. He absolutely loved it and read it several times the first day it arrived. As you can imagine, much IS lost by transforming a 1000+ page, tiny font book into a 100 page, largish font book. However, there is no way a 2nd grader can possibly appreciate the original, and he thoroughly enjoyed this version, so he and I are completely satisfied by this Stepping Stone book.

Jessie Wise Bauer (Well-Trained Mind) maintains that introducing children to adapted classics is a good idea, because then they grow to love the stories and are not intimidated by the original works when they are older. If this idea appeals to you, then I also highly recommend the series of Odyssey books by Mary Pope Osborne (Magic Tree House author).

My 3rd grader read this book for a homeschool assignment. We try to introduce the classics whenever we can. I was so impressed by this book, I've told all my homeschool girlfriends about it. The raw emotion and suspense is captured in this book, but the negative elements (prostitution, for example) are left out, making this very suitable for an elementary student. My reluctant-to-read child couldn't put it down! I love Monica Kulling's work- we own several of her retold classics. HOMESCHOOLERS: READ MY OTHER REVIEWS!

"Life Á La Henri - Being the Memories of Henri Charpentier" by Henri Charpentier & Boyden Sparkes, © 2001

It is always exhilarating to read the story of some one who enjoyed life. Mr. Charpentier certianly enjoyed his life. It was not always cream and sugar, but he made do. He gives a good account of himself. He was proud and pleased with his life. He worked hard and, from his story, could about work miracles in the kitchen and dining room. His patrons appreciated his honesty and gourmet food. He was not a chef, but he could have been. He was a restaurateur. He enjoyed being the one who would present the food. His stories of the early days of the twentieth century are interesting.
In his life all was not wine and roses. At one point he describes getting mad at a boss of his and the next he and his wife are on their way to America. He does not tell us all about his travails (who was right or wrong or why he was so orney about it; just that it happened), but he does not leave them out, either.
After reading this book, I started to look at my food, smell it, etc. He inspired me to appreciate what I was eating. The service is generally my own, and the presentation on the plate, I do for myself, also, but the food itself, now that is the important part. My wife is a chef from the old school, good food you want to eat to much of because it is so good. She has no degree or education, but like writing, you can get the hang of it and do very well. I always enjoy her cooking and now even more, because I take the time to look at it and smell it and taste it. Chew your food: that is where the flavor is, not gulping it down.

"I, the creator of Crepes Suzette for the man who would become Edward VII, will now give you the recipe for Henri Charpentier."

And so he begins his sweetly swaggering and sentimental autobiography spanning his humble beginnings in 19th century France, to his auspicious apprenticeships in the world's top hotels and restaurants, his poverty while working in London, and his struggles to create a career as a restauranteur in America, only to be shut down by Prohibition. The story is told with a littering of the favorite recipes of the famous people he served. I could not put this book down! Full of anecdotal stories of princes and empresses, and his own enterprising yet generous heart comes through. Wish I weren't born too late to taste these meals ... At the end is a short cookbook of simple but elegant recipes, and excellent advice for choosing market produce. ... Merci, Henri!

What a fine autobiography! There's a LOT of wisdom in this book.

The book ends in the 1930s but Henri Charpentier, the man who invented the Crepes Suzette, lived until the 1960s and achieved a great deal after having written this fine work of non-fiction. He was a chef in many of the finer hotel restaurants on the planet and, of course, owned and operated his own restaurants as well. There were few of early 20th Century royalty and nobility whom he did not serve a fine meal to at one time or another.

But what comes out more in this book is Henri himself... his philosophy, his common sense, and his incredible ability to beat the odds, always with a positive attitude. He was an orphan but brought up in a loving (very poor) home. Before it was all over, he even trained under the great Escoffier.

This book is about food and the art of cooking, yes, and there are even a number of incredible recipes. But more importantly, it is all about life and a man who knew how to make the most of it.

My highest recommendation.

By the way, don't pay 40 bucks for this book as it is currently priced -- go to a used bookstore or a Goodwill store and find it for 2 or 3 dollars. Henri would want it that way!

Hello . My name is Robert Charpentier . I am please that may of you have taken the time to not only search , but purchase the " Henri Charpentier Cookbook " . At first printing , there were only 100 in circulation , most of them to close personal friends and family . Later , the world began to catch on , and additional books were printed .

I am proud to be a close relative of Henri . I met him when I was a child growing up in Westport , Connecticut where I lived with my parents until we moved to the south in 1968 where I still reside . My parents are also living . My dad is a proud man , and holds close to his heart the fact that Henri was his fathers brother , and I , am the nephew .

Perhaps i'll write additional words later , but for now , I will continue to honor Henri's work , as it is part of who I am and my heritage .

Thank you for reveiwing this letter . Please feel free to E-mail me at home anytime , I will return the honor .

We first found a copy of this book several years ago in a used bookstore, and absolutely fell in love with it! It features marvelous tales that any food lover who wants to understand the love that great chefs bring to this profession will definitely enjoy. (Don't miss the one about stealing a ham -- and the one about serving the moon on a plate!) We plan to buy copies of Life a la Henri to give to a few young friends soon graduating from culinary school to inspire them on the road ahead.