France Books

This book was written in 1959 by a young French Jewish man who fought with the French resistance, was himself imprisoned, and somehow survived the holocaust. Mythical and artistic and touched with a bit of magic realism, it is the story of the persecution of the Jews in Europe in the context of history dating back to the eleventh century. The basic premise is a fictional Jewish myth of 36 just men, one from each generation, who absorb the burden of humanity's suffering so that mankind can survive.

The first third of the book relates one gruesome story after another, all the in the context of Jewish persecution as it moves through different historical periods, with some of the stories even including a bit of humor. It gave me the feeling of the inevitability of Jewish suffering and how long it has been going on. Once this concept is firmly established we are soon in the beginning of the twentieth century and are introduced to a family in the Polish ghetto. Each one becomes an individual and I was drawn into the personalities, especially the courtship and marriage of a young couple who later figure prominently in the story. We watch them move from Poland to Germany and then to France, each time hoping for a better life. We meet their grandchild, Ernie Levy, as a child in Germany, suffering the mental and physical violence of his schoolmates. Later, we see him as a young man in France, as the Nazi war machine moves in. Always, we are aware of the realities of history and the horrors that still await him as he gradually realizes his fate as the "last of the just men". Eventually he and the woman he loves await death in a concentration camp surrounded by Jewish children who have all lost their parents. I shuddered throughout at the awfulness of it all. But I just couldn't stop reading.

This book is a small masterpiece and a literary gem. Yes, it is sad. It is very sad. And yet, there is beauty in it too, and love and courage. I will never forget the impact it had on me. I give it my highest recommendation. It is a true work of art.

An immensely illuminating and personal history of the Jewish people. It educates and elicits emotional response. Brilliantly written. Essential for anyone interested in Jewish history.

The Last of the Just
THis novel ,in my opinionis the greatest,most moving and most unllifting book about the holocaust ever written; about a jewish boy ,a just man ,in the midst of NAzi Germany and finally the concentration camps.The belief that there a a finite number of Just men ,who keep the balance of goodness in the world, in any given generation and the holocaust ,by killing them tipped a cosmic balance is a powerful . I first read it over 20years ago and I have never forgotten it .It is one of the world's great books .
I have just replaced my copy { my old one stolen by book lover]because it bears a re read often to remind us all of us may be "just men/womenTHe world can then will be a better place . Read this book to remind yourself of your humanity and that of others who suffer .

My father got me this book and it took me a few years to get around to reading it. After I did, I found "The Last of the Just" to be quite a memorable story, to say the least. Once you get a couple of chapters into the story, it becomes emotionally gripping as you begin to get to know the characters. The story weaves together fiction and legend against a historical backdrop. The writing is poetic, haunting and beautiful. To me, the spiritual and emotional depth of this novel is unmatched. I plan to read this again some time, after taking some time to digest the entirety of this story. This book is definately a first-class work of art in my opinion.

This book is a deeply personal account of a Jewish family in the 19th and 20th centuries. Part of it's power comes from following the lives of the family well before the holocaust began... thus showing that anti-semitism was not only a Nazi trait and making the continually worsening conditions even harder to bear in contrast to their lives before. Ernie Levy, our main anti-hero, is so real. Every moment of his roller coaster of life is so charged with real emotions and desires that you cannot help but be 100% invested in what happens to him. The paragraph on the final page is possibly one of the most powerful in all of literature. I finished this book two days ago, and am already ready to read it again. It is a cleansing, miraculous experience.

The part that most struck me was when he wrote "Before the war would end, little Austria would supply nearly half of the staff of all Nazi concentration camps and death camps." and the story he tells of being a boy in Vienna in March 1938 "when Hitler entered the city and found a quarter of a million people rapturously cheering him". He says his cousin Sonja still lives in Vienna "where the citizens now call themselves victims....hoping to keep their secret from the rest of the world". Hitler was an Austrian and so was the head of the Gestapo Kaltenbrunner and many many other Nazi's.

I just finished this book, I coulnt beleive the outcome of it.It was so shocking to hear all of this. I couldn't put it down. Im very interested in the Holocaust, even though im not a surviver, but it is so interesting on how people were back in WWII, it amazes me that people had to go through all of this..I would diffently reccommend this. Thanks to Leo and Michael, to share such a tragic story and a big and unhumian peice of your life, a peice of history..Best Wishes

an incredible story about the human spirit and the will to live against all odds.

I've read several books about the holocaust,whether their authors were survivors of the death camps, survivors on the run, or even non-Jews who helped others survive by hiding them. This book was an incredible story. His escapes were brave and amazing. I'm always looking for more stories such as this, it is amazing to me, there are so many stories, I want to know them all. If you have any other recommendations, e-mail me at Stacy1212@aol.com. Great book, must read.

Well, the writer is my Grandpa. I am 10 years old so I read it early. My mom helped me out a lot. But thats not exactly a bad thing! Everytime I came to a word I didn't know she would tell me. My mom really could help because my mom was even the one who read it and edited it so she was one of the first, and that really helped because she knew the whole story. I first thought it wasn't such a bad tradgedy of what he did, but after I accually read it, I really changed my mind! If you have not read it, you really got to. Even if you are ten like me, try and you will really like it! Expeccially read it if you like biographies and autobiographies, cause this is an autobiography! Even if you don't like non-fiction, read it anyway! This is so cool that it sounds impossible, and im it sounds impossible it's as fiction as any other book!

Joseph Balkoski's book on Omaha Beach is a great historical resource like his book Utah Beach. Omaha Beach tells the story of when largely untested American troops assaulted the German army's Atlantic wall. This is a great read covering the events of the day almost minute by minute. It reads like a great documentary. This is not written in the format of a memoir. Balkoski relies mainly on primary sources such as after action reports, unit journals, and citations to create his blow by blow narrative. He includes the invasion's diplomatic and strategic context. Omaha Beach is the closest the modern reader can get to experiencing the Normandy landings firsthand.

Sprinkled throughout the battle account are the accounts of those in the battle. It is a classic. It is a must for any D-day library. It also included comprehensive lists of all Medal of Honor and Distinguished Service Cross winners at Omaha Beach. It has: the Order of Battle, unit casualty list for the first twenty-four hours, unit organization of a 30man assault boat unit weapons, and equipment carried in the assault by a typical soldier, and a series of detailed maps allowing the reader unparalleled insight into the minute-by-minute combat on Omaha Beach.

I read the book several years ago, just prior to visiting the Normandy Beaches. Bought it to have my own copy and read it again. The book's great strength (drawback for some readers, maybe) is its huge volume of detail. It is thoroughly researched; written with clarity; tells the story fully. The human side of this Day In History is also illustrated in meaningful detail; descriptions of unbelievable heroism are numerous; only three Medals of Honor were awarded;many DSCs. Issue: General Cota should have received the Medal of Honor; saved many lives; inspired leadership. A really fine and exciting book.

I am not going to go on at length since there are already some well written reviews here. I just wanted to add my vote that this is a great book. I think it is the finest book on Omaha written, including Ryan's and Ambrose's. I also recommend Bernage's work for the graphics and photos.

This is a great "you are there" description of D-Day on Omaha Beach in Normandy. Joseph Balkoski has done an excellent job of presenting the official and personnel accounts of people who were there that longest day of the war. The descriptions by the veterans take you into the landing craft, onto the beach, and up and over the bluffs that overlooked the beach. His telling of the story dispels the usual belief that the soldiers were stuck on the beach all day and only got off the beach near the end of the day as depicted in the movie "The Longest Day".

I would recommend this book to anyone wanting a real detailed story focused on this one beach of the D-Day invasion. I would really recommend it to someone who is a wargamer such as myself since reading the stories makes me want to recreate these small firefights as well as the overall battle. I am sure there are many people who feel that way.

Balkoski's style of telling history is very well done and he has done an excellent job of bringing the materials together so that others can follow in the footsteps of the brave men of that day.

I can't want to read Utah Beach!


Utah Beach: The Amphibious Landing And Airborne Operations On D-Day, June 6, 1944

I decided at first to write a long review of this book, but upon reading the other reviews here I trimmed my review to simply this...

I own and run a battlefield touring company in Normandy and have read many many books on the fighting on Omaha Beach on D-Day. There is no better book than this one, that's it it's absolutely the definitive book on the subject. The author has lived overlooking the beach, he's from Maryland - home of the 29th division and he has studied the units involved for thirty years. This book will never be bettered. I cannot sing its praises loudly enough.

I received my first copy of And There Was Light in 1977. The book was out of print at the time and members of my spiritual group had to resort to copying it for study. I'm grateful that it's back in print and Jacques Lusseyran's life and work are receiving more attention. Regarding the subtitle, I wonder what Jacques would say about being called a hero? Perhaps he would just laugh and shake his head since he conveys so clearly in And There Was Light that he was just an ordinary person who trusted his heart in a world gone mad. I think the best compliment I can pay the book is it makes me long to be better myself.

As others have said it's a book about blindness, coming of age, WWII, the Holocaust, the French resistance, etc. What is truly unique about it though cannot be easily described, and is best appreciated in the reading. Just get a copy and read it.

This is a very unique perspective that has a miriad of themes. Keep in mind that this book has been translated from french. The semantics and verbage is somewhat awkward at times, but the message remains clear. This meling pot of personal experiences encompass: blindness as a youth, minds-eye interpretations of a blind individual, internal strength, the occupation of France during WWII, the French Underground, detailed brutality of the Nazi Party, prison camp conditions, and repatriation. Once again, I will stress that the themes are broad and this is a translated text, yet it still succeeds in painting a well orchistrated picture of each theme. Most importantly, the theme of hope and strength solidify the foundation and triumph in the end.

This is a beautifully writen book. Read it for yourself. You will really enjoy it.

This is the autobiography of a blind hero of the French Resistance during WWII. Lusseyran lost his eyesight as a young boy through an accident at school, caused by a bully. But instead of sinking helplessly into darkness he gradually developed his other senses to extraordinary capacity.
When seventeen,while interviewing volunteers, willing to join the Resistance, he perceived colors when they answered questions. These colors revealed to him whether they could be trusted or not. Once, however,his friends disagreed with his recommendation. They all were taken prisoner and sent to the Concentration Camp.It was there, that the 18 year old found his second calling: Poetry. Reciting poetry by heart, he assembled the prisoners daily. The imagery had life-sustaining quality for them and a moment of renewal to all that participated. His experiences and observations there, later led him to choose to study philosophy and literature at the Sorbonne.He lectured at the various American universities until his death.
recommended additional reading by Lusseyran: "Against the Pollution of the I"

A classic study in overcoming adversity and finding hope in hopeless situations. If it were a work of fiction, we would doubt the author's credebility - but this is not fiction, this is the real life of an ordinary individual made extraordinary by the light of his saviour. It is an inspirational book and adventure action novel all in one. Rarely do we find a hero so authentic and humble as Mr. Lusseyran - and only he could share the story because only he has access to that light so necessary for the complete telling.

Therese's words (the author uses italic print to indicate direct quotes) and thoughts as presented in this narrative of her life experiences have encouraged me to reflect on, and pray my own life experiences. I would recommend this book along with the author's 2008 revision of his earlier work entitled "Praying Our Experiences".

I just finished and am going to start over and read it again. Brother Joseph Schmidt has captured the psychological and spirtual dynamics at work over the lifetime of Therese as only a self-reflected person could. Considering Therese is a "modern-day" saint, I especially liked his explanations that put her psychological/spiritual insights in the context of how we have come to understand the limitations of our ego and the gift of grace available to all of us to live as fully as Therese did in Love.

There is much that is good about Thomas Nevin's book on St. Therese. As the notes on the dust jacket report, he does offer new readings and even new material concerning the "little flower" (as Therese is known). He begins the book by offering the reader a glimpse into the France of Therese's time: the cultural situation and currents of thought during the late 19th century. He moves on, helpfully, to consider the correspondence of Therese's mother, Zelie Martin, and extrapolates from the letters many insights about Therese's family life and her own development. Another chapter places Therese in the context of the Carmelite tradition, and specifically how the French Carmelites supported and formed her. Nevin also brings Therese's plays and poems to the fore as few others have done (most biographers have preferred to consider only The Story of the Soul and Therese's correspondence), and he summarizes the major themes and ideas of her writings. Perhaps the most interesting chapter focuses on Therese's illnesses and the treatments she received. One gets a good sense of French medical practice in the 19th century, particularly in its treatment of tuberculosis, which allows one to appreciate what Therese suffered during the last year-and-a-half of her life. Indeed the reader begins to marvel at the fact that Therese was composing Manuscript C, letters, and poems during her final illness.
What is surprising about Nevin's book is that despite the evident scholarship employed in writing it, the book takes a decidedly acrimonious and polemical turn in the last two chapters. The catalyst for this change in mood is what Nevin calls Therese's "sense [of] the non-existence of heaven" which he says she experienced during her dark night (297). If he had stopped here, with the use of the word "sense," then he could have maintained an objective point of view. Anyone who has read The Story of a Soul or Therese's correspondence knows that she experienced the loss of any consolation or good feeling connected with belief in heaven. Nevin even quotes one of the sisters living with Therese, Sr. Teresa of St. Augustine, who reported Therese's "disbelief" in heaven. What Nevin fails to add is that Sr. Teresa also reported that Therese spoke of this "disbelief" as a temptation. In other words, Therese knew it was false, despite her very strong and very real temptation not to believe. Therese herself wrote on numerous occasions that although she did not have the feelings of faith, she did the works of faith (she said the same thing about love; there was a particular sister that Therese was not attracted to, but she chose to treat the sister with charity).
But Nevin goes beyond Therese's words and says that she no longer had any faith or hope in heaven. He writes about St. Therese's "disbelief" so relentlessly (the last chapter never leaves the topic and is 39 pages long) that one begins to sense that Nevin has lost sight of Therese and is concerned only with his thesis. He begins to sound like a crazed defense attorney, anticipating objections and piling on evidence. He takes pot-shots at ecclesial authority figures, creedal formulations, and even works in a slam against President Bush for invading Iraq (if you can believe it). Not content with disbelief about heaven, Nevin also says that Therese did not believe in hell either, but he provides no citations for this claim.
The book began as a helpful guide to the times and seasons and idiosyncrasies of Therese's world, outside and inside the Carmel. It ends as a diatribe against dogma (even though Nevin himself can write dogmatically). Anyone who has read Therese's manuscripts or letters or poems knows intuitively that Therese had a deep, down faith (to borrow Gerard Manley Hopkins words). Nevin could have stopped with his notion that Therese rejected the common understanding of heaven at the time; one can readily agree to this. But to say that she no longer had any hope or faith in heaven seems obnoxious at best and subversive at worst. For example he never considers Therese's often indulgent use of exaggerations and exclamation points in her writing and how such a style might affect meaning.
Nevin says that what motivated Therese was the search for truth and love of God and neighbor; she was not satisfied with anything else. However, if Therese had discovered that heaven did not exist, then why would she continue to speak to her sisters and write to others about heaven? Is this love or respect for the truth: to allow the beloved to remain in ignorance? And why would Therese refrain from speaking about her dark secret in order not to blaspheme if she really believed heaven's non-existence to be the truth? To blaspheme is to say something contrary to the truth, is it not? (In other words, Therese knew deep down that her sense of the non-existence of heaven was blasphemous and, hence, false.) Why would Therese offer her last communion for the soul of a lost priest, if not to help him to heaven and to avoid hell? Finally, Nevin writes constantly of Therese's "testing." What testing? Was God testing Therese's love for him? Nevin says no; Therese's love for God was constant and was the very virtue that carried her through to the end. So what could the testing consist of if not faith and hope?
What's most disturbing about Nevin's strange turn at the end of God's Gentle Warrior is that he calls all writers who disagree with him whitewashers (300). They, Nevin contends, are trying to sanitize Therese's loss of faith and hope. On the contrary, they are not trying to use Therese to advance their own theses. A case in point: Joseph Schmidt's recently published meditation on St. Therese's life, Everything is Grace, is very much aware of Therese's dark night of the soul during which she lost the consolation of faith. Yet he reaches a very different conclusion from Nevin. Schmidt--basing his opinion on the same sources as Nevin--says this of Therese during her time of trial: "In love, with all the power and courage of her mighty will, she clung to faith" (279). He also supports his opinion with this quote from Therese herself: "[God] knows very well that while I do not have the joy of faith, I am trying to carry out its works at least. I believe I have made more acts of faith in this past year than all through my whole life" (279). And Schmidt, when he is writing about Therese's dark night, provides many other quotes from Therese to show that her will was engaged regarding the existence of heaven even when her feelings were not.
Whereas Nevin's book concentrates on the outside influences bearing upon Therese, Schmidt focuses on the heart and mind of Therese through a close reading of her words. Therese states at the beginning of Story of a Soul that she wants the reader to understand how the mercies of God have shaped and formed her, and Schmidt offers a compelling monograph in Everything is Grace that follows Therese's spiritual growth from birth to death. And Scmidt is no whitewasher or fawning admirer; he looks at Therese objectively and lovingly. In 46 chapters that are arranged chronologically to match Therese's maturation, Schmidt reveals her weaknesses and strengths, her obstacles and advantages. Schmidt argues convincingly that Therese took everything she was given--family, culture, personality, faults, and natural abilities--and learned over time how to filter all through God's grace and, thereby, become grace-filled herself. Another way of saying the same thing is that Schmidt uncovers for us through Therese's writings the development of her little way, a spirituality that depends on God's grace and is open to everyone to emulate.
The value of Schmidt's Everything is Grace is that the reader is better able to see Therese as a real, flesh and blood, human being. Therese had to acknowledge, accept, and assimilate personal, familial, and cultural influences, and she did so thoughtfully, prayerfully, and most importantly, through God's grace. The influences were both positive and negative, but Therese was able to integrate them all through her relationship with God. For example, the positive influence of an intimate and loving family gave her the stability and foundation to develop her relationship with God. At the same time, her close-knit family life meant she had to struggle to leave the safety and comfort of home and open herself to new relationships in the convent, even to other women for whom on a natural level she had no attraction whatsoever. Part of Schmidt's objective is to show that Therese really had an ordinary life, full of the same kind of feelings, activities, fears, and hopes that all men and women have. She had her daily chores; she had to persevere in prayer; she struggled in getting along with others--and during her ordinary life she was trying to yield more and more to God. In other words, Therese is like us. And as Schmidt details the development of Therese's life, the reader gains many valuable insights about living with God. Therese is an ordinary woman, who accepted God's grace in an extraordinary way. Schmidt says that we should not be awed by this achievement of Therese, but heartened because--as Therese knew--her way is open to all.
Both books are very helpful in appreciating St. Therese (with the exception, in my opinion, of Nevin's last two chapters). If the reader wants to know about Therese, then read Nevin's God's Gentle Warrior. If the reader wants to know Therese, then read Everything is Grace. Or better yet, read both, because coming to know Therese better will lead to her stated goal in life: to desire and to love God more and more, and to live only by his grace.

I had to make a decision: to read "Everything is Grace" from cover to cover in one sitting (it's that captivating) or to savor each page and relish each chapter. I chose the latter and discovered my spiritual life deepening day by day. Brother Joe Schmidt, FSC, brings together the richness of his background in psychology and spirituality with his internationally proclaimed love for Therese of Lisieux in this magnificent love story.

Need healing? Need grace? Need to let go and let God? Need some joy or more joy? Buy this book! It will help you to get to HEAVEN and who doesn't want that?
In "Everything is Grace" you will see and feel Therese come to life in a way that will touch you profoundly and you will love her and know she loves you. Most of all you will feel God's love for you!
You will pray with her and companion with her,find healing and consolation,and be inspired by the saint for our times. Through Therese we come to understand that we are allowed to be imperfect and remain joyful as she did. Her "Little Way" is the only way to Him who is "THE WAY".

I cannot imagine trying to read Proust's Everest of a novel until I've had enough life experience to be able to identify with his insights. How on earth was a man who died young and was confined to a bed for so many years able to learn so much about life and common human experience, emotion and perception? I don't know how, but I thank God that he was.

For modern readers, Proust is definitely an acquired taste that rewards patience. I never thought reading the works of one author would make those of others seem so much easier to read. But such is the case with Proust. Nevertheless, one shouldn't regard his writing as therapy or medicine; it may read like self help at times, with its frequent use of the first-person plural, but it is a story first of all. His writing is just more detailed and insightful than that of all but a handful of modern novelists.

Within a Budding Grove is a primer on patience and perception, one that will probably make you a better reader, perhaps a better writer, and certainly a more interesting human being. Struggle on patiently. You will get used to the labyrinthine sentences, paragraphs that run on for pages, and gargantuan chapters (if they can be called that) that don't really begin or end anywhere tidy. Eventually, you will likely come to enjoy it.

My only criticism: at times one does get annoyed by the slow pacing. For instance, I knew that this is the volume that introduces the reader to Albertine. But it did take about 600 pages for the narrator to meet her! That said, there are plenty of tasty morsels along the way. Read it, not so much for the simple story or the minutely detailed descriptions, but for the numerous insights and the astounding wisdom.

Montcrief's translation, is the quintisential Proust. The, beautiful, florid prose is reminiscent of a time and a place that no longer exists, and captures the French aristocracy in the advent of WWI -- full of old-world trappings, yet abounding with subtle reminders of the globalization that was to follow. Proust's style and vision are directed admirably towards his artistic goal of appreciating art through sublimation, and express his idea that a true understanding of art comes first through appreciation, and then expression through a medium. This volume is full of Proust's own philosiphies on art, life and the people who abound in both. His observations, pointed and amusing, keep this volume relevant. Considering the wave of expatriate and existentialist writers who propogated Paris after the Great War, this book is truly the last in a line of works that view life in a grand, sweeping and elegant manner. Within a Budding Grove brought Proust fame and acclaim in his own time, and in ours can be seen as a masterpiece reflecting a time past, yet glimsping assiduously into the future. For those "in search of lost time" this is truly a great read.

How can anyone summarize even a single volume of Proust's massive six volume novel? Within a Budding Grove (sometimes translated as In the Shadow of Young Girls in Flower) is the second installment of In Search of Last Time. We find the narrator perhaps marginally older on vacation with his grandmother living in a luxurious hotel in Balbec off the coast. This volume, paired with the first (Swann's Way), is really the introduction to the work entire if you can believe it. In it, the narrator perhaps matures slightly; he cultivates his keen awareness of art, meets new people, and ultimately falls out of love with Gilberte and falls in love with Albertine. His relationship with his grandmother is certainly expanded, and the reader comes to learn that the narrator is not merely motivated by a trivial pursuit of pleasure and bourgeois charm. He is in fact, a truly full human being, complete with fear, love, desire, and ambition. He meets one of my favorite characters in the whole book, the impressionist painter Elstir, a character clearly based Monet, Manet, Pissaro, and others. He introduces the narrator to Albertine through his paintings, and teaches him about the joys of life and art. There are some passages in this section of the book (the latter half) which I just can't resist from quoting,

"I could never have believed that I should now be dreaming of a sea which was no more than a whitish vapour that had lost both consistency and colour. But of such a sea Elstir, like the people who sat musing on board those vessels drowsy with the heat, had felt so intensely the enchantment that he had succeeded in transcribing, in fixing for all time upon his canvas, the imperceptible ebb of the tide, the throb of one happy moment; and at the sight of this magic portrait, one could think of nothing else than to range the wide world, seeking to recapture the vanished day in its instantaneous, slumbering beauty" (pg. 657).

also (how French is this?),

"For a convalescent who rests all day long in the flower-garden or an orchard, a scent of flowers or fruit does not more completely pervade the thousand trifles that compose his idle hours than did for me that colour, that fragrance in search of which my eyes kept straying towards the girls, and the sweetness of which finally became incorporated in me. So it is that grapes sweeten in the sun. And by their slow continuity these simple little games had gradually wrought in me also, as in those who do nothing else all day but lie outstretched by the sea, breathing the salt air and sunning themselves, a relaxation, a blissful smile, a vague dazzlement that had spread from brain to eyes" (pg. 669).

I certainly cannot add any insights into the greatness and profundity of this work which has not already been said by Edmund Wilson or Vladimir Nabokov. Within a Budding Grove is a deeply felt, beautiful and fleeting segment of one of the finest novels of the last century, I urge you to read it.

This is a great copy of Vol. 2 of A la recherche du temps perdu [In Search of Lost Time] or [Delving into Things Past]. Each volume in the septrology may be read individually as an independent novel. This is, of course, the very best translation available in English; probably the very best that will ever be available in English: certainly the next best thing to reading the original French.

Note: Proust is not quick reading, and one who tries to read too quickly will just as quickly lose the tread of the narrative. This text has its own time scale, and the reader must adjust his/herself to the text--not the other way around. In this stream of consciousness narrative, the narrator (/author) digresses as he speaks (/thinks): he digresses, digresses, digresses; and then, he returns, returns, returns to the point where he began. One has to follow his line of thought: this is the art and beauty of the text.

Proust's achievement is one of the greatest edifices of Western art, perhaps comparable only to Wagner's Ring cycle.

It's my experience, reading this novel, to be perpetually grateful for the miracle of Proust, grateful, too, that he waited until his maturity to write; as someone who's spent time in writing workshops, I can only imagine the dissipation of his energies into anemic prototypes had he been persuaded to publish prematurely. Lovingly written, every word endowed with love of life and maturity's distillation of life experience, it is a novel (which reads like a memoir) of a life devoted to the connoisseur's pursuit of pleasure-how can that not alienate? Proust is consciously writing for an elite of mental or temperamental sympathy. To say that reading Proust has helped me through hard times is true-yet how can I-someone who has, to paraphrase a T-shirt I saw recently, a blackbelt in keepin' it real-not resent a courtesan with three ladies to aid in her toilette-however tenderly rendered?

The mature Proust's vision of love-in this novel at least-is adolescent and self-absorbed, and there is no sense of a selfless or mature love, such as that of a parent for a child, which contains a dying to self as opposed to an expansion of self. (One thinks here of the authorial contempt for the too-giving parent, Vinteuil.) I pity Marcel: to lose oneself-the burden-to lose time-sometimes-is very refreshing indeed. Mired in the adolescent and egotistical point-of-view, without benefit of even the illusory counterpoint of an adult lover's (Swann's) point-of-view, the narrative does sometimes suffer from too much Marcel. Coddled, effete, he finely calibrates the shades of disillusionment that possession as opposed to reflection offers-the "psychological impossibility of happiness"-after having his wildest fantasies (Berma! Bergotte! Balbec!) fulfilled time and again. And he universalizes his singular temperamental trait, that inability to live in the moment.

Proust is only too conscious of his weaknesses, and as a result, we get his poetics: "I am aware that this is to blaspheme against the sacrosanct school of what these gentlemen term `Art for Art's sake,' but at this period of history there are tasks more urgent than the manipulation of words in a harmonious manner," Norpois says, and one is laughing out loud with pleasure at the dissonance between Marcel's lofty musings on Berma and the cold spiced beef jiggling in its cubes of aspic, the delicious conflict of temperaments.

He gives me back to myself-it's a long time since I've felt the sole inhabitor of my consciousness and had the leisure to puzzle out my sensations. Usually my mind is full to the brim like this: "Mommy-mommy-mommy-here comes little bear! What does little bear say?! Mommy-mommy-mommy-mommy-moooooommy! Here's little bear! Little bear is talking!" So that I don't have mental space or leisure to process even the simplest sensation, how the sun feels on my shoulders, for instance. Visiting Proust's cool room of mirrors and ocean waves returns that feeling to me, and that is precious. There is something precious in his extremity-his lack of apology for a sensitive and aesthetically-driven nature that is anathema to middle-class American values. And that rhythm like ocean waves! It gets in your head, lowers your blood pressure, no doubt alters brain wave patterns, the chemicals in neuropathways.

There is something so extreme (admirable!) in Proust's sensibility-the extremity of his pursuit of pleasurable sensation intellectually reorganized and savored-that one feels-paradoxically-something dehumanizing in his gaze. His musings on the protoplasmic nature of young girls frankly chills me! Yet I see it as part of the "green fuse," the life force pagan and repugnant at times. So, what happens in Vol.3? I can't wait, yet at the same time I hope for something I may not get.

This is a real jem. Well written, fast paced, and a must read for visitors to Paris.
Prepeare to be rivited!

Bob McCallan

This is a very moving story of courage and heroism in the face of overwhelming odds. It is evident that the authors did alot of research on the story. It helps that they are both journalists by profession. One thing I would like to see is how the major players lives turned out since. Perhaps in the next edition. I bought the movie on DVD at the same time as this book. Reading the book adds so much to the movie watching experience as well.

The liberation of Paris was a coup de grace for the Allies. Paris did not suffer the fate of Berlin or Stalingrad, to name a few cities, in becoming a contested battleground. Nor, as the book pointed out, did the German commander follow Hitler's orders to destroy the city's major monuments, bridges, and other sites. It is interesting to note his actions in view of other German officers' claims that they were "only following orders".

However, this book is written by two journalists rather than historians, so it does not have the academic research nor analytical insight that a serious work might have. Cornelius Ryan comes closer to the style of writing that might have made this a heavier book. This is understandably difficult, in some ways, given the relative sparcity of combat and drama; or so this book would suggest. Again, a better writer and researcher would find more material to include.

Some material that might be considered, for example, are Allied intelligence estimates, Axis intelligence estimates, operational orders, etc. It is not clear to me, for example, how the German commander could fail to execute Hitler's orders in August 1944 when the Gestapo and SS were omni-present, especially after the failed July plot on Hitler's life.

Moreover, good research might show to what extent the Allies knew of Hitler's intentions. The Allies had significant intelligence capabilities, not the least through Ultra. And if they knew of the plans to destroy large parts of Paris, why didn't they send in commandos and special forces to disarm any explosives? Indeed, the French themselves seemed to put a higher priority on erecting road blocks rather than disarming explosives.

This is an easy, enjoyable read; and one of the few on the subject in English. However, it's about time someone else updated and added value to this book.

I just finished reading Is Paris Burning? by Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre. The book is the fascinating tale of how Paris evaded the fate Hitler envisioned for it at the end of the Second World War. It's a complex tale, , with characters including Hitler and his staff in his bunker, the last German military governor in Paris and his staff, the French freedom fighters in Paris (both the Gaullists and the Communists), de Gaulle himself, Eisenhower and Bradley and the various other members of the Allied command structure, the Swedish ambassador in Paris, and common people, in the armed forces and in the streets of Paris. The title is drawn from a question Hitler asked, when he found out that Allied troops were approaching Paris.

The tale starts with the uprising in Paris, and ends just after its liberation is celebrated in the streets. Hitler had hand-picked the last military governor of Paris, based upon his reputation from attacks against Rotterdam and Sevastapol, and he had the task of holding back the Allies at Paris, or, failing that, reducing Paris to ruins, much like Warsaw had recently suffered. The Allies had every intention of bypassing Paris and moving onwards, but the freedom fighters in Paris knew the Allies were nearby, and hoped to push things to their advantage. All of these things should have spelt disaster for the City of Lights, but opportunity and stubborn resistance and collusion and soldier's honour led to a different outcome.

The authors tell a spellbinding tale, based upon much research. My copy is a used copy, and dates back to the mid-1960s (bought it on amazon, used). There are a great deal of photos, documenting scenes from throughout the story. The authors, in my opinion, did a commendable job, and I would recommend this book to those interested in Paris, or in the Second World War.

This book accomplishes what many "popular" history treatments do not, in that it leaves the reader much more enlightened on its topic (at least capable of actively contributing to any cocktail party conversation on the topic) without requiring the reader to have had a lot of background on the subject first. This is not a comprehensive, academic-style study of the German occupation and surrender of Paris; rather, it reads like a collection of anecdotes and vignettes (mixed with generally known facts about the events) that weave together to present a reasonably clear picture of what sounds like a fascinating time. You don't have to know a lot about the war, Paris, or military strategy to enjoy and benefit from this book. Another comment: This made the liberation of Paris sound like the world's greatest celebration, and leaves one feeling sorry to have missed it.

As someone who works in a library I always check out books with a library theme and have to say Judy Sierra's storyline is one of the best I have ever come across.

Wild About Books is really well written, done in the style of Dr Seuss (which Sierra tributes in the actual story and after at the end as well). With lots of humorous rhyming verses this book is a fun read for all ages. The illustrations although children may well still enjoy trying to figure out and name each animal are a bit average at times, with many not resembling the actual creatures at all. Also a bit of research by the illustrator Marc Brown into what a mobile library looks like rather than just looking out his office window at the mobile lunch van in the car park, as well as visiting an actual zoo or wildlife park to base his drawings of on rather than using a factory would have been a good idea too.

Wild About Books is the tale of a mobile librarian named Molly McGrew who drove the library into a zoo. As she reads out loud a Dr Seuss novel the zoos various residents became enticed to read and write books as well. McGrew also teaches them how to look after library material and inspires them to open a run their very own branch.

A great story who if the publishers had found a better illustrator no doubt would have rivaled Animalia by Graeme Base and other wildlife picture books. Another great library picture book is Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen.

The Mom's Choice Awards® honors excellence in family-friendly media, products and services. An esteemed panel of judges includes education, media and other experts as well as parents, children, librarians, performing artists, producers, medical and business professionals, authors, scientists and others. A sampling of the panel members includes: Dr. Twila C. Liggett, Ten-time Emmy-winner, professor and founder of Reading Rainbow; Julie Aigner-Clark, Creator of Baby Einstein and The Safe Side Project; Jodee Blanco, New York Times Best-Selling Author; LeAnn Thieman, Motivational speaker and coauthor of seven Chicken Soup For The Soul books; Florrie Binford-Kichler, Founder of Patria Press, Inc.- an award-winning independent publisher and Member of The Children's Book Council; Tara Paterson, Certified Parent Coach, and founder of The Just For Mom Foundation(tm) and the Mom's Choice Awards®. Parents and educators look for the Mom's Choice Awards® seal in selecting quality materials and products for children and families. This book has been honored by this distinguished award.

I just love reading this book! I think it is fun and appreciate all the references in it. We first found it at the library and I had to own it! Also love all the pictures of so many different animals. My daughter really enjoys naming all the animals.

Wild about books is funny, well written and beautifully illustrated. It's clever and has a very smart story. Our son loves this book and can recite it from memory. Get this book -- it's a gem.

"It started the summer of 2002, when the Springfield librarian, Molly McGrew, by mistake drove her bookmobile into the zoo..." This fun book shows how enticing reading can be, for animals and humans alike. The animals of the Springfield zoo all find books containing stuff that is of interest to them, and the animals are all very different. The story shows that even though people are all different too, we can all still find some sort of book that would teach us something.

The poem uses many different literary techniques, including rhyme and alliteration. This adds to the funniness of the text and makes it that much more interesting for children. The poem is full of imagination and helps children to see reading in a new way. The purpose of the poem is just that, to give children a different way to look at books and reading. The animals in the story like reading so much, they actually build their very own library in the zoo! The author also describes how books should be treated, and what not to do with them.

The illustrations are very comical and in lush exciting color. They would be found delightful to children and really add to the text. The pictures definitely appeal to the senses, showing texture, color, detail, and sometimes even sounds.

All in all the book is a great one. Not only does it introduce many animals that children may not be familiar with, it also shows how books hold something for everyone. Learning is another thing that is highlighted in the rich text of this amazing book.

Bill Wallace writes this book as though it's real life. Once you start, you an hardly put it down!
Luke, a young city boy, is the son of divorced parents. he lives with his mom on his grandfather's farm. because his mom lost her job. Luke never wants to do anything at the farm because his mom made him leave all of his friends when they moved.
After a long summer, Luke befriends an old horse called Beauty. They share a special bond with late summer walks and secrets. But when a terrible accident happens, Luke does something that may break that bond.
This book is great for children and adults. It has adventure, suspense, and funny, laugh-out-loud moments, too. It shows that when you have a bond with a clase friend, keep it for it will become one of your greatest treasures. I give this book a four out of five star rating.

This book is really sad, when the horse, Beauty died. Luke's horse, Beauty were best friends, and were really close. Until one night when Beauty escape from her pen and went outside into the stormy night. Then Beauty accidently went into a trap, that made her cried out loud. There was no chose for Luke. He had to kill Beauty. So he shoted Beauty in her head where her star was. At the end there was anther horse that looked like Beauty, with a star on her forehead. A memory of Beauty.

Beauty is a great book. Other than Harriet the Spy it's my favorite book. It teaches relationships. When I started this book I was crying and when I ended it I was crying. At first Luke and his Mother move to Oaklahoma to live with Luke's grandpa. Now at first Luke hates him, but grows to love him. Luke's favorite horse Beauty gets caught in a corral and... well you'll have to read it for the ending. But by how I read it I think you'll think the same "It's sad but Good"

This book is one of my favorites. I think that ever kid needs to read this book. It sounds kinda like the way I got my first horse. The book is very sad. I even cried at the end. This book is awesome. So Read It.

my sister made me read this book in the forth grade. I wasn't in to books much then. This book changed my mind. I have read it so many times I know the book by heart. I have not had the chance to read it since like the sixth grade as none of our other librarys have it. I recomend this book to any and all age groups and to anyone who likes to read or doesn't like to read.

I loved this book! Perfect summer read. Plan to cook a lot after reading! The recipes are easy, but amazing. Will not disappoint! Ten years ago my husband and I sailed the west coast of Corsica. This was such a nice reminder of the trip of a lifetime. We did all our own cooking on that trip, but it was nice to see exactly what was going on on all those huge yachts that passed us by!

I have been to most of the places David mentions in the book. Last year in Portofino I watched a yacht like the Serenity dock and noticed the activity that took place in order for the owners and guests to come ashore for their lunch. They were seated next to me at the restaurant and, eavesdropping, I wondered what life on that yacht would be like.

I ran across this book on another Amazon book search and it looked so interesting that I bought it without knowing anything about the author. David brings the international food scene and the yachting scene to life in a down to earth and warm way. I traveled in my mind right along with him.

It is one of those books that I read slowly towards the end in order to savor the last pages before I finish reading. I highly recommond this book.

I felt like I was right there on the yacht, in the Med and tasting all of the wonderful meals. Once I picked up the book, I couldn't put it down. I have made a couple of the recipes in the back of the book and they were wonderful. A must read, especially if you like traveling, the beach, boating and cooking. Wonderful, Wonderful, Wonderful. I just can't say it enough.

Excellently written. There's the excitement of how David finds his provisions in each port. There's also the fear of whether of not a particular meal will "work" with the extremely demanding owners of the yacht. And the suspense of how a meal will be prepared (for sometimes over 100 guests!) within the confines of a yacht's galley. Then there's the thrill of some moments of real sailing ! All this along with the purely human adventure in following David's search for mastering his profession.

I particularly enjoyed the map of the journey included on the inside cover, along with the detailed maps preceding each chapter. This added the additional benefit of the adventure being a descriptive travel guide as well ! And top this all off with the included bonus 50 pages of recipes at the end. (And each of these recipes include very specific & detailed instructions for preparation.) Bravo. Bravissimo Davide.

Here are the totally engrossing true adventures of a young American who is engaged by a very wealthy Italian couple, to be the chef on their newly refitted luxury sailing yacht, 'Serenity'. The sounds, sights, delectable aromas and glamour of this Mediterranean summer leaps from each page. We experience with chef David,(or Daveed as la Signora the mistress of the yacht calls him when angry), the high and low moments of his very demanding job. There are laughs aplenty in this new book and plenty of material for daydreaming after the last page has been read.