France Books

We have used the Fodor's pocket-size guide for travel to Rome, London, and now Paris. They are always our favorites for hitting the highlights of what we want to see and do. I don't know why we keep buying the other ones, because all of the relavant stuff from those is usually in the Fodor's guide. And the maps are great (if a bit travel-worn by the end of the trip).

If you only have a day or two, this distills the major landmarks/things to do. Map is excellent and includes ALL arrondisments and surrounding areas. Has info for all ages and interests and the book & the map are in a plastic cover that is small & light enough for a purse or (large) pocket. Useful, easy to read format is well-organized with accurate information. Only useful as starting place for hotels if you are on a tight budget or need to stay in a particular area, though.

The Fodor City Guides are perfect for cramming into a camera case and setting off to explore a new city. When I scan the travel section of my local bookstore, I am overwhelmed by the increasing spine width and decreasing print font of travel guides. I want a fun vacation -- and I don't want to study too hard for it! (Let's save those brain cells for learning the language!) The City Guides give me just the "big picture" overview that I need to help me make the most of my limited vacation time. Also, the City Guides have wonderful, big, detailed, full-size maps. It is no fun to try to piece together a cohesive map which is divided across several pages inside of a book, but the Fodor's guides include a full-size folded map which is tucked inside the book jacket.

I particularly like the plastic book jacket because of three reasons: 1) It protects the book from splashes from fountains or spilled bottled water; 2) It contains Fodor's wonderful full size map; and 3) The front pocket is a handy place to store those souvenir ticket stubs to remind me of my adventure when I look back at the City Guide in the future.

Last -- but certainly not least -- the Fodor's guides have the most accurate information that I have seen regarding ticket prices, times and dates of sites that are open for tourists, and metro/bus routes. Such information is always changing, and therefore it is reasonable to expect some discrepancies. However, I have found that if, for instance, three different travel guides have three different sets of information, the Fodor's guides are usually the most accurate.

Fodor's has really done an excellent job producing this guide book. The map was informative and up to date. The book is great for carrying around in your purse or knapsack. You can just whip it out anywhere and find the appropriate Metro stop for each point of interest. Buy it!

This book was a lifesaver for me this Passover. Every year it's usually the same bland food, so hard to get creative - especially when I'm the one cooking, but not the one who's been Jewish my whole life! Keeping Kosher when you're not strict year round is challenging and frustrating, but there were so many fabulous, delicious, and flavorful recipes. And the charts and tables in the back for substitutions, measurements, and categorized alternatives for dishes was so helpful. My husband's family has many food sensitivities, and this book allowed me to make a feast that everyone could share in. I got compliments that they had never had a Passover like this before and I was never allowed to give it up as hostess. I even got a standing ovation (which was a little weird, but my husband and in-laws insisted it was well-deserved.)

I would recommend this book to any,any,anyone wanting to knock the socks off their Passover guests.

This book could be subtitled "The Joy of Passover Cooking" because it does for Passover what the "Joy of Cooking" did for food in general. An incredible variety of recipes, suitable for both gebrochts and non-gebrochts (in 10 years I haven't yet tried them all), with conversion tables and recommendations for substitutions if you live, as I do, in a place where the choice of kosher-for-passover ingredients is limited. My family tells me that each Passover gets more scrumptious than the last, and my husband, who always regarded Pesach as something of a trial because of the restrictions, now eagerly anticipates the Pesach rolls and other delicacies I whip up. No Passover-observing kitchen should be without this book!

This book is full of creative recipes that taste delicious. I used at least one recipe from each chapter this Passover. Especially helpful were the conversion and substitution charts in the back of the book. The Seder menus were helpful too. This book is a must if you have a lot of cooking to do for Passover.

Every year I spend Pesach/Passover at someone else's house. This year I made my very first Pesach/Passover. We had people coming for both Sederim and during the week as well. I was petrified. Then I bought and read this book. It was the best Pesach/Passover I have ever had and I received outstanding compliments on the food. All the meals all week were from this book. It was clear, concise, easy and most of all reassured me that I wasn't going to kill anyone with my cooking. Thank you, Frances Avrutick, where ever you are!

This is my favourite cookbook-- or should I say my favourite food cookbook (The Anarchist Cookbook is my fave overall). There are lots of recipes in here for all dishes and occasions- be it a fancy dinner or a not-so-fancy dessert- and the good news is, most of them are of the minimalist tradition, so no complicated procedures or fancy-schmansy ingredients. Just plain old good food, and believe me, if you follow Pomiane's and tips, you'll be cooking like a pro in no time!

This is my favourite cookbook-- or should I say my favourite food cookbook (The Anarchist's Cookbook is my fave overall). There are lots of recipes in here for all dishes and occasions- be it a fancy dinner or a not-so-fancy dessert- and the good news is, most of them are of the minimalist tradition, so no complicated procedures or fancy-schmansy ingredients. Just plain old good food, and believe me, if you follow Pomiane's and tips, you'll be cooking like a pro in no time!

This is an absolutely delightful read. I haven't tried any of the (delicious-sounding) recipes yet, but just reading this book was enough to whet my appetite! I particularly enjoyed his many witty asides and poetic turns of phrase. Highly recommended. Also take a look at "Clementine in the Kitchen", another charmer.

This is the one cooking book I reach for time and time again. Everything in here turns out fabulously well, and the text is so humorous and engaging, I find myself just reading it for pleasure. One word of warning; it will require some adaptations if you are on a fat free diet, as many of the recipes are loaded with butter and cream. Of course, that's what makes them so delicious!
Try this book, it's the best.

so many books out there focus on the person with alzheimers and very few address the caregiver adequately. My ailing mother is caring for my father and her inability to do a good job was fodder for all sorts of of emotional issues - she needed more than a small chapter in the back of a book. This book was wonderful and validated all her feelings and let her know she was not alone. Too bad it's so difficult to find. It has a question and answer format with questions like "I feel so bad when I yell at him for not remembering. I know he's sick but I just get so frustrated! What can I do?". Practical, useful, and true to life.

If you're caring for an Alzheimer's patient, you already understand how demanding, and often frustrating, the job can be. Olive and Bock understand as well. They approach the problems with true help for the caregiver.

If you don't understand the problems of caring for Alzheimer's, read this book! If you do, read this book! There's real help in these pages!

Phyllis Staff, Ph.D.
author, "How to Find Great Senior Housing"
and
"128 Ways to Prevent Alzheimer's and Other Dementias"

Coping with Alzheimer's is a very practical survival guide for caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's. It is very well written and easily readable, not preachy or "textbooky." Highly recommended.

This is a remarkable and extremely useful book for all caregivers and family members of Alzheimer's and Dementia patients. It utilizes principles of "RET" or Rational Emotive Therapy pioneered by Dr. Albert Ellis. Simply put, the concept holds that one's perception of events will determine the corresponding feeling or emotion. A deceptively simple but powerful concept in battling depression, anger, and frustration. In the case of Alzheimer's caregivers, this premise can be a literal lifesaver and Drs. Oliver and Bock use their own case histories of treating caregivers to demonstrate pratical, powerful "inner dialogues" that can be used when the daily stress and frustrations of dealing with this challenging condition come to bear. Specific chapters are devoted to: Shame,Guilt, Anger, Depression, and even Self-Pity. This book not only provides the means to lift the spirits and emotions of caregivers, but by doing so, potentially change for the better the necessary interactions between them and their stricken loved-one. Highly recommended!

Unlike what the other reviewers have said, I personally have come accross many corsican travel guides, and the Rough Guide is simply the best. It is much more thorough than the others. My only beef is it is obviously British, and not North American. I would love to find travel guides aimed at Canadians travelling the world, alas there are few if any! The book was wonderful, and recalling it, I have been given a great urge to go to Corsica!

How many other guides to Corsica aimed at independent travellers, written in English can you name? Yes, Corsica is covered in each and every guide to France as well, but those 20 or so pages in a 500-pages book aren't what you really want, are they? It would be unfair to say though that Corsica: The Rough Guide is the best one simply because it's also the only one -- both the authors and the editorial staff has done a pretty decent job on this one. Recommended.

Like all Rough Guides, this is jam-packed with well-written, discerning travel advice. Also like the rest of the series, it has the best for all budgets. The reviews were incredibly accurate and up-to-date, and all were worthwhile. The cultural sidenotes are interesting, and the photos are much better than thsoe in other guides. I didn't really check out other guides (not that there was a huge amount of choice), but I can't imagine how you could top this one. Go to Corsica, and take this book with you.

I travelled Corsica with a rented car. The book gave me almost all I needed - information about the atractions, historical background, cultural interesting articles, and tips about hotels etc... The tourist information offices know very little how to help tourists - with this book they are almost not needed.

Actually, I would've given this a 3.5 stars if I could split them, but the parts I loved I loved *so much* that I'm rounding up. First, I agree with the reviewer who said this should not have been labeled a "romance." Just like a mystery reader expects a crime in chapter one, a romance reader expects the hero and heroine to meet before a hundred pages in and... well, not to spoil anything, but most stories based on historical characters aren't going to get the same kind of ending a romance reader might expect. I think the author may also have made a mistake by trying to make this more romance novel-like. The elements that I DISliked included things that felt like attempts to force it in that direction--for example, in THE COURTESAN, Diane de Poitiers has a romance with another man, which plotwise allows for jealousies to develop, but by all historical accounts, she never slept with anybody except her husband and then, once widowed, with Henri. Sometimes the Diane de Poitiers portrayed here acted too melodramatic for my tastes, like a second-rate romance heroines (and by the way, I read and write romance, and so being a romance isn't an insult in my book). She gets her feelings hurt way too easily by our mean mean villainess, she flips back and forth between "I can't let him know this!" and telling her lover everything, and at one point she's so angry at Henri that she starts burning his letters unopened! None of this reflects the pragmatism and absolute strength portrayed in non-fiction accounts of this woman.

BUT THE GOOD STUFF--and oh, there's a lot of it. I think the concerns I list above did come from this being the author's first novel, and from attempts to smoosh it into a form that it didn't need to take. The sense of historical "truth" still comes through, so powerfully that I don't want to warn people off of this story, just to make sure you don't get distracted by the lesser elements. In particular, the connection and the depth of passion between Diane and the much younger Henri was some of the most powerful stuff I've read in a long time. I've read Princess Michael of Kent's non-fiction account of these lovers, THE SERPENT AND THE MOON, and despite differences about some historical details (and ditching the whole contrived jealousy business), the spirits of the lovers seem to parallel nicely in both works, as if Diane Haeger is allowing us to time travel back and experience some of what they experienced, in a way a non-fiction author can't quite do. And FWIW, a little poetic license taken with the ending really did help cushion the facts that anyone who's read the history already knows, without betraying the reality of what happens.

I'll reread COURTESAN in the future, skipping the Anne d'Estampes parts and focusing on Henri & Diane, the early years, and I'll be quite satisfied.

I agree with the reviewer from Texas who stated that this was one of the best books she had ever read. That it is a first novel is remarkable: not only does Haeger have a depth of understanding of the period, rare in many authors of romance fiction, but she is truly able to make her characters come alive.

"Courtesan" is the story of Diane de Poitiers and Henri II of France. Their romance began when Henri was a young prince and Diane the "older woman" beloved by Henri's father, King Francis I. It continued through Henri's marriage to the plain, and later infamous, Catherine de Medici, and was a scandal throughout France and beyond. The author skillfully recreated the world of 16th century France, especially the world of the royal court. All of the characters, both real and fictional, are presented with their flaws and virtues. While Diane is clearly the heroine of this fictional treatment, Haeger allows us to see the pain and humilation the love affair inflicted on Queen Catherine as well.

I think the publisher did "Courtesan" a disservice by calling it an historical romance, as I think it would be more accurate to call it an historical novel. Many romance readers do not like stories that involve adultery, especially when there is no chance that the couple can wed. This book also does not contain scenes of explicit lovemaking which many romance readers require in their novels. By calling it a romance, the publisher, perhaps unknowingly, limited the readership to women, as few men pick up books clearly labeled as "romances." Every man whom I have talked into reading this book has been impressed by the scholarship shown by the author, and charmed by Diane. With the exception of "The Return," Ms Haeger's later books do not IMO show the same depth as this remarkable first novel. Ms Haeger's last two books, about Maria Fitzherbert and the woman loved by General William T. Sherman, are workman-like biographical novels, but they simply do not grip the reader in the same way as "Courtesan."

THE BOOK IS RICH IN CHARACTER ILLUSTRATION. YOU COME TO UNDERSTAND THE LIFE IN COURT AND VIEW HOW ONE WOMAN, OF NOBLE BIRTH, MAKES THE BEST OF A SITUATION TO ALLOW FOR HERSELF AND HER FAMILY. THOUGH AN EPIC, YOU FOLLOW THE CHANGES BY HAEGER'S VIVID PROSE AND HATE TO SEE THE END OF THE BOOK!!

Not one to care about any royalty beyond the English throne or the Scottish clan chief, I was enthralled by the story of Diane de Poitiers and Henri II of France. Diane Haeger vividly brings to life a time frought with intrigue, treason, uncertainty, treachery - as well as love and hard-won happiness. Diane is an amazing woman and to have the devotion of a man like Henri, she must have been even more than history could say. Diane and Henri share a passion I sometimes believe only exists in books, and Ms. Haeger gives theirs heart-wrenching, awe-inspiring tangibility. I was impressed with her attention to detail and meticulous research - what I want to know is...what did she discover about these fascinating people, Diane and Henri, that she didn't share with her readers? Fabulous reading - what a treasure!

When it comes to professional caliber instructions and instructions for baking and pastry, this book is clearly top of the heap. It may be a little expensive, but it is easily the equivalent of at least a dozen other books on pastry with glossy, fancy photos and a big, famous name on the cover. If you are a professional who plans to advance your career, this book is a must have. Please note that this is volume 2 of the series; you are expected to go through the volumes in order, so this book assumes that you have already gone through and mastered volume 1.

This book has a lot to offer the professional. Note that the emphasis on this volume is production. It goes beyond the basics of volume 1 (sanitation, making batters, proper baking techniques, etc.), while fancy, sophisticated decorations are reserved for volumes 3 and 4. The mini lessons in this volume are more or less equivalent to the instructions I got at culinary school. The great value here is that there are many more subjects in this book than in any cooking school class. If there is something you wish to do but never did at school, the recipes in this book will give you enough detail to do it successfully the first time through.

Even for the home cook, there is much here of great value. Like cooking school, the lessons in this book are designed for cooks who may or may not have previous experience. If you are going to try something from this book, you must follow all the instructions to the letter, gather the necessary tools and ingredients, have patience, and expect to fail once or twice before you get the hang of it. Also, pay careful attention to the difficulty ratings to the recipes; the instructions make everything look easy, but this is misleading. If all you get out of this book is the proper method to make pastry cream and creme anglaise, a couple of candies, a decorated cake or two, a couple of tarts, and brioche, then this book is very worthwhile.

There are a few cautions, however. I found some format problems: pictures mis-labeled, the butter cream section is messed up, etc. The original copyright date is 1985, and first published in English in 2000; this means that the patisserie here is probably 3 decades old, and much of it very out of fashion. Also, note the title is "Professional French Pastry", and bears little relation to pastry as it is commonly served here in the US. It's primary value is that of a training manual, and not a guide to current, trendy pastry trends or tricks.

It has chapters on: basic creams, 2 chapters on secondary creams, confectionery, and finished pastries (pate a choux, cakes, tarts, puff pastry, and brioche presentation). The last section on finished pastries is by definition advanced, and occupies the second half of the book.

An excellent and complete manual for French pastry. These classic techniques are taught to every French pastry apprentice. They are all basic instuctions but very detailed and can be built on very easily. Only caveat: the ingredients used are French and/or European and American equivalents aren't suggested. Only the language has been translated-but not the culture!

I have purchaced this book just because i like french pastries and like to try myself to make those wonderful pastries that we see in the vitrine. And i did not regret that.Now I am going to purchace the full series.After reading ,this book I can now prepare brioche,eclair,petit pain,cream cormet.Buy them I promise you will not regret at all.All my friend do not believe that i cook them myself.

This book stands out from most of my other cookbooks because it does not only focus on what to put into the things it describes, but how to do it, and what not to do. The latter is, for some reason, quite hard to find.

Don't expect a book for keeping on the table in the living room because of its pretty pictures, like the latest trend in cookbooks seems to mandate. This book is directed towards people who need to do something in the kitchen, and tries to tell them how in a relatively simple way.

A very nice book, although it is directed towards learning in a professional environment. You will also need volume 1 to get the full benefit of this book.

In 1234, the stranger uses one word to halt a rapid dog from attacking nine years old Princess Isabelle, heir to the French throne. From that moment on she believes she will do great things for God and country.

Six years later Isabelle's older brother King Louis IX rules in France. Lethal rivalries are everywhere as chivalrous knights join religious orders with each competing to be the One as well as battling the fledgling state for control while secret societies seem everywhere ready to fill any power void. While her sibling is a perfect role model as a pious individual setting an example for Isabelle, by 1844 she feels her destiny is elsewhere. Isabelle begins her life's quest accompanied by the mysterious Jean Benariel. He somehow knows what she seeks, who she is to him at long last and fully supports her on her endeavor. She also recognizes her companion from his one magical utterance that not only saved her life several years ago, but set her on this hallowed mission that is dangerous as knights battle one another claiming God's will and non-believers control the Holy Land.

Three fourths historical novel and one fourth fantasy subplot come together in a fabulous thirteenth century thriller. Isabella is a terrific protagonist who holds the exhilarating story line together. Jean adds a touch of mysticism into the mix. The support cast includes many real personages of history that add to the feel of realism such as correspondence with Thomas Aquinas. THE CROWN ROSE is a fabulous fantasy historical thriller that grips readers from the moment the young Isabelle believes she knows her life's work and never slows down until the final codicil.

Harriet Klausner

Take French medieval history, blend in a healthy dose of fantasy, and then trace the life of one Isabelle of France, born heir to the throne in 1240 and facing an unusual, changed destiny from a man who may be more than an ordinary mortal and you have The Crown Rose, a rich fantasy with a plot woven around actual events, blending elements of the real and fantasy. Over a year was spent researching the period - and it shows in a rich, detailed setting.

I grabbed this book thinking it was a historical novel and instead was treated to a great mystery in the purest sense of the word.

A wonderful novel full of mystery, romance, history, and fantasy. Parts of it reminded me of "The De Vinci Code" with its religious undertones and controversial questions about Christ and the Church. The characters were fully developed and very rich, although I would have like more depth to the so-called 'bad guy.' Its research was well done and paints a fascinating picture of France in the thirteenth century. Too often historical novels are too historical and leave the reader with the bitterness of there being no conclusion to life other then death and life's sufferings. Although this novel is not the happily-ever-after type (how could it be and still be historical?) it does not leave you at the end feeling hopeless and angry at the futility of life, rather it leaves you sort of mistily happy and inspired to do something, anything, with your life. I was very disappointed when I found out that Fiona Avery has not written any other novels. Hope this helps.

P.S. Good book for teenagers with a little bit of patience. Nothing in it that a thirteen year old couldn't read, although intellectually it would be over their head.

George Koskimaki provides a great account of what the troopers experienced during the great invasion of France. It's a detailed account of action for the 101ST Airborne. Amust read for History buffs, and reenactors.

The author was a T/5 (Technician 5th Grade) of the 502nd PIR (Parachute Infantry Regiment) when he jumped as the 5th man in the 16-men stick in the lead plane of his serial on D-Day in Normandy serving as a radioman to Brigadier General Maxwell D. Taylor, the C.O. (commanding officer) of the 101st Airborne Division. A total of 518 former paratroopers and glidermen have told their firsthand accounts to the author, today aged of 85 and living in Northville, Michican.

About the book from the backcover:

"A TRULY AMAZING COMPENDIUM." - Gerald J. Higgins, major general, U.S. Army (ret.), from the Foreword

"In the predawn darkness of D-day, an elite fighting force struck the first blows against Hitler's Fortress Europe. Braving a hail of enemy gunfire and mortars, bold invaders from the sky descended into the hedgerow country and swarmed the meadows of Normandy. Some would live, some would die, but all would fight with the guts and determination that made them the most famous U.S. Army division in World War II: the 101st Airborne "Screaming Eagles."

George Koskimaki was part of the 101st Airborne's daring parachute landing into occupied France that day. Now, drawing on more than five hundred firsthand accounts - including the never-before-published experience of the trailblazing pathfinders and glidermen - Koskimaki re-creates those critical hours in all ferocity and terror.
Told by those who ultimated prevailed - ordinary Americans who faced an extraordinary challenge - "D-Day with the Screaming Eagles" is the real history of that climactic struggle beyond the beachhead."

This book gives detailed information on each regiment and battalion of the 101st and its operations on d day. The storyteling is strictly informational, but keeps you excited. Some info and maps are very helpful, this book finally helped me to recreate the famous "jeep ride of Col. Sink", as it gives detailed maps of most important events of the 101st.
If your interested in the 101st or D day or in WWII in general, buy it, it is packed with information.

It was a vary good book telling about D-Day with the screaming eagles.

I stumbled onto this book after reading about the Normandy invasion. I think it's an interesting book in that it shows how effective French and English guerrilla operations were, and were not, against a very ruthless armored unit.

I wish more detail had been included about what happened to the Germans after they arrived at the battle of the Falaise Gap, other than to remark that 2/3 of them did not emerge from that battle.

When the crack SS division "Das Reich" was called upon to march from southern France to Normandy in summer 1944, it was asked to hose down resistance on its way. It was traveling through the forests of the Dorgogne area, where the maquis were strongest. Thanks to the bravery of the various resistance units - not to mention the stoicism of the French peasantry - the Germans arrived in Normandy bloodied and depleted. The French "victory" came at a terrible cost, as "Das Reich" razed entire towns and in one case, massacred an entire town's (Oradour-sur-Glane's) population by locking them in a church and burning them alive. I take issue with those who see Hastings as remotely sympathetic to the Axis: the Oradour massacre is laid out in unflinching detail, as are various other atrocities. While this is very much a military history, Hasting's broader purpose in writing is actually to illuminate one instance where France, in 1944 still a weak and divided country, was able to recapture its national honor. Some passages are not for the faint-hearted.

Hastings in no way glorifies the Das Reich's march to Normandy. He does a good job of pointing out the delays that the Resistance imposed upon the division because Das Reich first orders were to combat the maquis, not to march to Normandy. He is very fair to point out that some the "atrocities" accorded the Das Reich were actually within the rule of law. I find his comments about the execution of 29 maquis captured along the road to Gueret and the execution of a maquisard captured in Terrasson especially insightful in regard to today's GWOT.

His comment from John Tonkin of the SAS that 'I have always felt the Geneva Convention is a dangerous piece of stupidity, because it leads people to believe that war can be civilized. It can't' is also worth pondering in 2005.

If you can get your hands on this book, read it. It covers a small period of time, early spring 1944 - D-day, but is packed with info on the resistance in France (FFI, FTP, AS etc.), the British SOE and SIS, as well as the personalities of the Das Reich Division and their interactions ending in the massacre at Oradour. To me Hastings is not quite a David Irving, in terms of revisionism, but is more full of admiration for the Germans than say, John Keegan. This book belongs on any armchair historian's bookshelf.