Europe Books

Reading this book, I got to share a fascinating life with people who lived adventures I never dreamed of. I wouldn't have considered going to Moscow State in my early 20s! I have followed international news over the past 40 years, sometimes more closely than other times as "life" allowed. And I was aware of Russia, but my images were formed by tne nightly broadcasts from Moscow....only to learn, duh, what a huge and diverse country Russia is and was.

Naomi's rich descriptions of sparse student lives, charming (who knew?) villages, life as an expat, and the bravery of the U.S. diplomats is captivating. Regardless of one's interest in Russia, this is a fascinating story told by a keen observer and skilled writer.

Her book and story is too important (now I know that) to call an "airplane" or "beach book" but it is that engrossing of a read.

The book makes the whole experience come alive. The best part was the parallels between the changes in Russia and the changes in the author. And I liked the way Ambassador Collins' chapters provide a context for the work at the beginning and end.

This review was just sent to me in a letter by another American in Moscow who does not use Internet.
"I have just finished the book and am in awe of the writing. The book masterfully conveys the multi-textured Soviet experience over changing decades as well as evoking the challenges "wife of" has to surmount. Once I picked it up, I couldn't stop reading. It transported me to living in the days of the Soviet Union."

Naomi Collins helps the reader walk the tightrope between the private and personal life of the individual and the massive presence of the Soviet/Russian state. It is both a personal diary and a political essay that takes the reader through the recent past as perceived by a talented and sensitive observer of her world. The personal narrative creates the focus through which to take hold and grasp major events of our time. The author's willingness to share with us thoughts and emotions originally intended for personal journals and close friends and family is a gift to her wider audience. It is beautifully written. Her poetry, written during periods in Russia, is truly evocative of time and place.

Invite Naomi Collins to your home. Ask her to relate her experiences as the wife of a Foreign Service employee who eventually becomes the Ambassador to Russia. The night before her arrival prepare some bifstek and kvas so that she will feel at home. Be sure to listen intently to her every word as she shares the last 40 years of her life in and out of Russia. If she is either too busy to visit or you cannot make or purchase kvas, do the next best thing and pick up a copy of her book "Through Dark Days and White Nights". I assure you that her story will captivate and fascinate you as if she were sitting in your living room. Her style of writing is as natural as her speech. Her observational skills and her careful documentation of events help to paint her story with passion and realism that could only be matched by someone traveling along with Naomi. I shivered as she described the winters in Russia and cringed at the description of the putrefying matter found in the unkempt bathrooms. You need not be interested in Russian history or politics to enjoy this book. The 4-decade memoir transitions from life as a student at Moscow State University, to wife of the American Ambassador to Russia at the Spaso House. It is a quick read and disappointing that it ends so soon. I await the writing of another book by Naomi Collins.

My Father (a WWII veteran) and I made an extraordinary trip with Cavanagh through the Ardennes in 2005 and we both have re-lived our trip with the aid of this book many times since then.

No one knows the Ardennes battlefields like Will Cavanagh ... No one. "A Tour of the Bulge Battlefield" makes that very evident.

If you have any interest at all in the Battle of the Bulge, I would highly recommend allowing Will Cavanagh to guide you, either in person or by way of this book.

I was a battlefield tour guide in Europe for over three years. One of our most popular tours was the Ardennes Offensive aka "The Battle of the Bulge". Since we only had a day, we would drive up from Luxembourg City, paralleling the 3rd Army's relief route, and tour the Bastogne perimeter. If I had this book, I would've recommended this to my customers who wished to visit other sites of the battle. "A Tour of the Bulge Battlefield" is designed for the tourist who wishes to tour the battlefield(s) for himself/herself. Well researched and written, one could almost use this book as a secondary source in itself. The six chapters cover the entire battle, from the north around Stavelot, to the south in the Ettlebruch/Diekirch area. Each chapter is in itself an excellent capsulation of the battle and movements, both German and American. However, this is not a guidebook in the traditional sense, there is nothing about lodging, and very little regarding food, and other questions most tourists have. Also, what few maps there are inadequate, surprising considering this book is designed for auto-touring.

If you get several maps, the excellent Michelin series comes to mind, plus a traditional guidebook, and some `net research regarding transport, renting a car in Belgium/Luxembourg/Germany, this book would make for an outstanding historical vacation.

In 1985, I journeyed from Aachen to Namur, Liege, Dinant, and Libramont on the way to Bastogne. I made the journey without a guide book and so spent considerable time just wandering around Bastogne and sort of stumbling upon things in that area. What a boon it would have been to have had Cavanagh's outstanding book for reference.

This little gem is full of outstanding text and some really great photographs not found in other books on the subject. This book deftly combines period photos with contemporary ones to bring the reader in. Appropriate and detailed unit maps accompany the text and make this book a bit more than just a tour book.

In fact, this book is really one of the better overall texts on the Battle of the Bulge. It is truly one of those books that you enjoy poring over again and again, as you learn something new each time.

Really, can't sing it's praises enough. Sure wish I had had it back in '85.

I recently followed the trail of the well-known 'Kampfgruppe Peiper', with the help of this amply illustrated guide, from the then frontline in December 1944 at the German border to La Gleize/Stoumont in the Belgian Ardennes, about 60 kilometers from its point of departure. With the help of this guide it turned out to be a fascinating experience. The reader gets a very good picture, by surveying the terrain and reading this text, of the heavy fighting which took place in this area in this fateful period that took its toll on civilians and military alike. This guide provides not only an excellent description of the route Peiper and his men took but also contains much interesting background information. It also provides descriptions of the routes taken by the main German formations in other sectors of the front during their failed push to the west. A plus of the book is definitely that it pays lots of attention to the German perspective on what happened. This aspect is often neglected in other English language literature on the subject, e.g. in the Toland volume on the Battle of the Bulge. A minor point of criticism on this book in my view concerns the maps. The book contains maps, but as the author himself says in the introduction, the reader needs the relevant Michelin maps of the area as well to complete this otherwise very useful battlefield guide.

This is a must read for anyone interested in the history of the Battle of The Bulge. Will Cavanagh's latest book is a fascinating account of the battle. Take a ride in the Tiger Tanks of Kampfgruppe Pieper, feel the enthusiasm as they go on the counter offensive. Stand with the exhausted Americans, feel their terror and dread as they defend against the onslaught. All this is accomplished through numerous first hand accounts, told by the participants. The book is complete with many maps and numerous photographs of the participants. Most of the photos are from the authors personal collection.

I have traveled with Will Cavanagh and listened to his lectures. No one knows this history better.

Its full of knowledge and many interesting rarely seen historical photos. I have learned much more information that I ever knew before about Ukraine. Excellent book that I would recommend to everyone.

This book covers the history of "Ukraine" from time immemorial until the late 20th century, laying out all the important dates and leaders. It is without doubt the most extensive and lucid English-language account of the development of regions and peoples which constitute today's Ukraine.

Its crucial fault, however, is that it fails to overturn or even question the nationalist mythologizing of Ukrainian history. It assumes the permanent historical unity of the Ukrainian nation when in fact no such unity existed until at least the early 1900s. It marginalizes the role of Poles, Russians, and even Germans in laying rival claims to the territory and peoples now called Ukraine. It leads us to believe that Ukraine was destined to exist in its current form, when in fact the creation of Ukraine was highly contested and its current shape anything but pre-determined. This book presents the genealogy of regional figures and struggles which have been appropriated into Ukrainian nationalist mythology, but gives little sense how or when Ukraine actually came to exist, nor how its history fits into larger European narratives.

Mr. Subtelny's "Ukraine: A History" rates a notch above Mr. Magosci's. Well-written and very readable. This is the volume one reaches for when facts on the Ukrainian history are required.

First published in 1988, Orest Subtelny's Ukraine: A History has again been newly updated in a third edition. This 736 page volume spans from the earliest times to the modern day, covering everything from ancient Greek colonization to the recent Ukraine diaspora. Orest Subtelny (Professor of History and Political Science at York University) goes into extreme depth and detail with a text that is significantly enhanced with maps, tables, and the occasional black-and-white photograph. Highly recommended for its lucidity, meticulous attention to detail, and scholarly precision, Ukraine: A History is a "must" for anyone who wants to learn about this fascinating land and its people.

Orest Subtelny's book on Ukrainian history is intelligently written and very readable, among the growing number of books on Ukraine. It's at the top of the list. A must for any Ukraine enthusiast!

I'm not a sailor nor intend to be after reading this wonderful adventure book but, I love adventure stories especially true ones where someone goes off on their own and let's nature do what she will.

This book had me laughing out loud as I think our boy here bit off more then he could chew at the start . seemed like a good idea at the time I suppose : ) altho he did manage to become learned about the nautical jargon thru trial and error . buy it, borrow it ...have a laugh .

A friend shared this book with me, hoping I'd enjoy it as much as he did. And I did. Being familiar with the country and the people - but not the rivers, I loved every mile of Jack De Crow's journey, laughing at almost every page at the impossible conditions that Mackinnon found himself in. As I knew they would, Mackinnon and Jack De Crow rose above it all.

I grew to love that little boat. In turn I shared with friends and family.

If you like sailing small craft and mini-crusiers and camping out, you will love this book. Most entertaining, humorous and well written.....good work Jim McKinnon !

Sandy Mackinnon sets out from Shropshire in a tiny sailboat and sails and rows himself and his small boat across England, across the Channel, and across the canals and rivers of Europe to the Black Sea.

This is a fascinating journey and Mackinnon is a brilliant and charming storyteller. Although his voyage involves many privations and even humiliations, he is always optimistic, happy, and carefree--well, almost always. Mackinnon's joy and love of adventure, people, and the outdoors is highly infectious. No one will come away from reading this book with anything less than a lighter heart and a brighter outlook on life and its tribulations. Jack de Crow is witty, entertaining, and edifying. It is one of the best sailing adventure books that I have ever read and I have read very many. I highly recommend this book to every reader whether or not you are a sailor or boater. You don't need to know anything about boats or sailing to fully enjoy this wonderful book.

I have one important and heavy dissatisfaction with the book that I must air. I almost broke ranks and would have been the first reviewer to give it fewer than five stars. Mackinnon from start to finish depends on the kindness of strangers to get him through tough spots. His journey, and even his life, is saved several times by other boaters or people along the shore who give him shelter, a tow, make repairs for him, etc. etc. He simply would not have gotten more than a few miles on his own. Of course, this is part, and a central part, of the whole story and journey--trusting to your luck and to the unanticipated and unpaid assistance of strangers. Mackinnon is basically a good natured and kind hearted screw-up. He really doesn't know what he is doing or how to do it, but goes on anyway. Well this makes for a good story as Mackinnon recognizes--no screw-ups, no stories.

But I favor a tradition that values self-reliance at least in things nautical. A watery voyage requires proper craft, charts, equipment in good order, and the ability to navigate and conduct the voyage on one's own. The only excuse for seeking or accepting help from others is dire and unavoidable life-threatening emergency. Mackinnon violates these basic principles of boating, often to his peril, sometimes to the peril of others. I cannot respect this. I believe that Mackinnon should not have made this voyage, that he was morally irresponsible, and that despite the wonderful book that resulted, the overall effect may be detrimental.

One other minor problem with the book is that readers should be aware that there are many many references to English children's literature and other works that are obscure and will not be familiar, and there are no notes or explanations. This comes off as a bit pretentious and puzzling and somewhat diminished my enjoyment of Jack de Crow.

Sometimes Mackinnon can be insensitive. He glows over the beauty and wealth of Vienna--Europe's greatest city (his description). Mackinnon describes with excessive enthusiasm Vienna's glorious history, but never mentions the most important event in Vienna's history--the anything but glorious Kristallnacht. I quote from Wikipedia: "Events in Austria were no less horrendous. Of the entire Kristallnacht only the pogrom in Vienna was completely successful. Most of Vienna's 94 synagogues and prayer-houses were partially or totally destroyed. People were subjected to all manner of humiliations, including being forced to scrub the pavements whilst being tormented by their fellow Austrians, some of whom had been their friends and neighbours." I find it hard to share his insensitive enthusiasm for Vienna.

But in the end I suppose that Mackinnon is some sort of genius, a genuine free spirit, and true eccentric and cannot be held to the same standards as the rest of us.

This is my favorite sailing book. The combination of humor, insight, warmth, fascinating places, interesting people expertly sketched, odd experiences, wrecks, near death experiences, coupled with the pure joy of traveling by water, make for a very memorable book. Not only is it hard to put down once begun, it is hard not to immediately restart once finished.

Venice for Pleasure is an off the beaten path sort of guide, filled with anecdotes, character sketches, and historic photos. Links takes his readers beyond the famous facades and brings the "theme park" to life. Fun to use then to keep and reread for reminiscence afterwards.

Terrific read for those intent on seeing the Venice that lies beyond Piazza San Marco and the Rialto Bridge. Whether you follow the author's routes on his strolls thru the sestieres, or just use his walks as a source of inspiration (as we did), this book is an indispensable addition to the library of anyone planning a trip to Venice. Thanks in large measure to encouragement offered by this book, we ventured into some of the nooks and crannys of this amazing city... we'll see St Mark's Basilica next time we go.

What a strange and wonderful little book!

Venice for Pleasure is essentially four walking tours told in a charmingly conversational style by an author who is clearly in love with Venice. Stopping in a Venetian cafe to read a passage is like having a friend leaning over your shoulder to recall the local history and gossip, point out fascinating details that you probably wouldn't have noticed, and make you smile with his dry wit.

We did all four walking tours and thoroughly enjoyed Links' companionship along the way; I can't recommend it highly enough if exploring Venice on foot is your aim. We also found the directions infallible.

Please note that this isn't a conventional guidebook, so you shouldn't expect logistical information.

If there is no such thing for you as having too much information, then think about buying this book. This book has walking itineraries including places to stop for rest and refreshment, and wonderful details on things to look at while you are walking and even while you are sitting down. This book is not useful for restaurants or hotels or hours that sites are open. Includes history, and comments on Venice from famous writers of the past like John Ruskin. It is to be savored.

Fantastic Book!!! I bought this for my wife as a memento of our 25th Anniversary trip to Venice. It was perfect. I highly recommend it to any armchair traveler who wants to "visit" the world's most romantic city. David

324 pages on the Viking Age, dealing with weapons, ships, Kings, kingdoms, sexual roles, slaves, weapons, language, runes, jewellery, archaeological finds, art, religions, trade and the settlements. The book starts on the history in Denmark, Norway and Sweden, but also expands into Scotland, England, Ireland, Greenland, Russia and beyond. If you liked the movie 'The 13th Warrior' or liked 'Eaters of the Dead' you will love this book.
BEWARE, most ideas you may of had about Vikings are WRONG! WRONG!

_The Vikings_ by Else Roesdahl was a fairly thorough if sometimes a little dry account of the Viking Age, a time that lasted about 300 years, from just before AD 800 until well into the 11th century. The Vikings were a tremendously influential people, playing a decisive role in many areas of Europe; their mark is still seen today in numerous loan-words in the English language; many place-names in Normandy and the British Isles; in Ireland, where they founded the island's major towns; and in Iceland and the Faeroe Islands, where they settled.

Roesdahl took great pains to show that the classic image of the Vikings as raiders, pirates, and plunderers was one-sided, a one-dimensional view that comes to us today from contemporary clerics in Western Europe (who may have been reacting more than anything to the pagan religion of the Vikings) and in tales that were elaborated on by medieval story tellers and historians, including among the Scandinavians themselves, such as with the Icelandic saga writers. Indeed in mainland Europe at least the author felt that the impact of the Viking raids have been exaggerated, and it generally made little difference if a community was plundered by the Vikings or by some other local faction. The Vikings were also farmers, merchants, poets, artists, authors, artisans, engineers, explorers (the first Europeans to discover Iceland, Greenland, and North America), and settlers as well as warlords and mercenaries (the latter notably in Ireland and in the Byzantine Empire).

The first half of the book dealt with the culture of the Scandinavians, going into great detail about their dress, jewelry, houses, cooking, food, language, writing, personal names, their use of slaves, the role of women, the role of children, rules of conduct, their politics, land transport, ships, monetary system, fortifications, warfare, religion (both the old faith and their conversion to Christianity), their art, and poetry. I would have liked more information about their ships and I found some of these sections a little tedious at times (basically like reading long lists), but there were a number of interesting things to be gleaned from it. There were many illustrations, photographs, and maps that were helpful in the text and in two inserts; I particularly liked the photos and drawings of Viking art and of their runes.

The second half of the book dealt with the Viking expansion, discussing the reasons for the expansion and their historical role in Normandy, Scotland, the Isle of Man, Ireland, England, the Baltic region, Russia, Byzantium, the Caliphate, and their settlement of Iceland, the Faeroe Islands, Greenland, and North America (for those interested in the Greenland settlement by the way I highly recommend Jared Diamond's _Collapse_ which had excellent, gripping coverage of that, much more thorough than what I found in _The Vikings_).

I found the coverage of Viking hoards intriguing. Many hoards had coins from often quite distant regions, with coins from the Caliphate and Byzantium not uncommon. Hoards were generally not found in areas where it was more common to pay with silver and coins than with goods.

Much as has been found to be the case with classic Greek and Roman statues, many Viking items were painted. Many rune stones have been found with traces of paint on them, the usual colors being black, white and red but other colors were used including blue and green. In addition the Vikings painted shields, furniture, tent poles, and building timbers, often to emphasize decoration that had been carved in low relief.

There was a small discussion of the many loan words from Old Norse, originating from the long Viking presence on English soil (indeed from 1018 to 1042 apart from a period of five years England and Denmark were ruled jointly by one king). Everyday words such as cast, knife, take, window, egg, ill, and die come from Old Norse. Some grammatical elements, such as the plural words they, them, and their also come from the Scandinavians. Some English dialects contained a great many more loan words but they are disappearing along with the dialects.

Scandinavian poetry was often quite demanding and intricate. Scaldic poetry for instance had a complicated form, using the "heroic meter," with the lines linked in alliterating pairs, the first line of each pair with two alliterating syllables, and each line required to have internal rhyme. In addition, skaldic poetry frequently referenced stories of the gods and heroes, often by using riddles or complex and subtle references that only a knowledgeable audience would appreciate. Scaldic poetry is of course well known for the kenning, examples of which include "the sweat of the sword" (blood), "the feeder of the raven" (the warrior), or more complex ones that could only be understood with reference to their mythology.

Much has been made elsewhere about the Viking raids on Irish monasteries and Roesdahl does cover that, though the reader also learns that it wasn't just Vikings that did the raiding. The abbots of several monasteries were often the only national figures in Ireland until well into the 800s, with most of Ireland divided into tiny kingdoms struggling with complex dynastic rules. Owing to the monasteries' important economic and political importance and close ties with many secular rulers, plundering and burning down monasteries was an integral part of Irish warfare; indeed monasteries sometimes fought each other in addition to being plundered by rival kings. Further complicating things, Vikings were often employed as mercenaries in the endless wars in Ireland (the Franks on the mainland of Europe did the same thing, often setting one Viking group against another). Further, some rulers exaggerated the depredations of the Vikings to enhance their own glory (one work portrayed the Viking chieftain Turgesius as a sort of "pagan super-Viking" who among other things tried to convert Ireland to the worship of Thor, the work aiming to glorify the great Irish king Brian Boru).

Not a bad book overall, it was a useful though not especially gripping overview.

This book covers just about everything about the vikings from their language, art, religion, government, ships, clothing, expiditions all over Europe, weapons and warfare, homes and other aspects of these northern people. The author opens up your eyes to the fact that the vikings were civilized just as much as other people in those times which helps give you a new respect for these people. It's just amazing how these people went all over Europe, the Middle East and all the way to North America centuries before Christopher Columbus and spread their culture and in turn took apsects from other cultures back to Scandinavia.

There are maps which shows where the vikings travelled and there are a bunch of pictures of weapons, ships, burial mounds, artwork and rune stones. There are also two rune alphabets that they used for writing.

Some things I didn't like was that some of the subjects were rushed through and not too informative as they could have been like very little is mentioned about the military aspects of the vikings like offensive and defensive tactics whether it be about a king's army or raiding pirates. They also don't mention that much about the vikings in North America or the Middle East which I found to be very disappointing to say the least. I guess that there was so much to cover that the author couldn't fit everything in.

Overall this is a good introductory book about the vikings at a very low price. So if you want to read about the true vikings and not stereotypes about vikings being mindless, dirty heathen killers wearing horned helmets then you should get this book.

This was the firs book I have read on the subject and even though I was already familiar with some aspects of the Viking life it was very interesting and informative. The book deals with every thing in great detail, from the houses in which the Vikings lived in to the shoes the wore. Unfortunately the chapter about warfare was a little short and, in my opinion lacked many details and wasn't as comprehensive as I hoped it would be. Also, I think a few battle descriptions would have been nice.

Overall, a great book and a wonderful introduction to a fascinating culture ! 4 out of 5

A very informative book, it covers nearly all aspects of Viking life, from government, literature, and warfare, through sculpture, gender roles, and burial practices. The book seems written for people who already have a working understanding of Viking life, as it makes a few assumptions about the knowledge you already have, but even if this is your first introduction to the Vikings you should be able to follow along with few problems.

So much good information. Can't wait to start walking! So many walks, so little time!

London is a wonderful city for people who like to walk. It's flat, central London isn't all that huge, there are gobs of beautiful parks and there are even some public toilets in the parks, benches and drinking fountains. "Walking London" is a fine guide to a series of multi-neighborhood walks and well worth buying. It would be better if it were available in an electronic form that could go on an iPod since carrying a book this size along on a walk detracts from the walk somewhat. Even so, buy the book and copy the pages for walks you intend to take.

I wanted to get to know the city in more than the typical touristy way, and this book made it possible. The walks were really the highlight of my four weeks of study in London; I met so many interesting, friendly people and saw so many things that might not have been destinations in and of themselves but were memorable as part of the walks. I was a college student (female) traveling alone when I used this book, and it gave me the confidence to explore many places that I wouldn't otherwise have ventured to, simply because I had some sense of what I could expect when I arrived. One of the most amusing moments was when I bumped into another walking tourist at the Portabello Road market...he also had a copy of the book and was following the Notting Hill tour on the same morning that I was.

This book is wonderful for doing walking tours of London on your own and seeing the neighborhoods close-up rather than just the gloss over the tour companies give. The variety of the walks in this book is excellent in length and variety of things to see. We needed to use another map to get us back on the walking tour in a couple of places but mostly that was because we were staring at the sights rather than following the tour directions properly. The times given for the tours are definitely at a leisurely pace that allows for plenty of time to look at the shops and sites along the way. Showing starting and stopping points at the Tube stops made the walks very easy to get to.

I used this guide while walking in London two years ago, and I'm taking it to London again this summer. The variety of walks is a joy. I did not see this book on sale while in London, and some English friends saw mine and wanted a copy for themselves. No wonder--it's that good. If you like to walk and do other exploring besides the usual London tourist things, then don't go to England without a copy of this book in your suitcase or backpack. My only suggestion to the author is to bind future editions of the the book in a way that the chapters can be removed and replaced. So I wouldn't have to carry the whole book along, I tore the pages out for each walk I did, and then taped them back in place afterward, but there must be a better way.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I am thoroughly enjoying this whole series by the Thoene's. It keeps me interested and I can't put the book down until I have finished it - usually over a period of days. I enjoy historical novels especially with a Christian background. The suspense of what the Nazi's will do next, the close escape of the heroes and heroines keep me glued to the pages. The authors catchy theme of their books is "Truth Through Fiction" - it's very true.

I just finished reading "Warsaw Requiem", the last book in the "Zion Covenant" series. It was wonderful, as are all the books in that series. The characters in the book will always be a part of my life.

I totally got absorbed in this book....trying to imagine what it would have been like living in the Jewish sector of Warsaw, waking up to bombs dropping and fighter planes zeroing in on children going to school!

This is one book in a series of 9, called the Zion Covenant. I am on Book #8 and my husband is a book behind me. We cannot quit reading them! A wonderful series on Jews, many Christians, trying to get away from Hitler in WW2. Your faith in the power of prayer is totally reinforced in these books. You see God's hand throughout....

Well, I'm a 16 years old girl from Norway. The reson why I read this book is because in my class we had to read a book and afterwords we had to write a review of it. So, I went down to the school library, there I took the first book I could find... But I have to say that this book was great! It shows how the jews lived and felt it during the second world war, and I have learnd so much from it! I highly recomand this book for all ages, but it requires that you know something about 2. wordwar...

This book - the whole series, in fact, are so filled with power it is amazing. It convicted me, inspired me, and moved me. I read a lot of books, and I mean a lot, but very few are in the calibre this book is in. The characters are very real and the way in which they relate to one another makes you feel as though you are a part of the action. I became so involved that at the end of the book I felt as though I had lost many friends. The writing style itself flows smoothly, never feeling stilted or cheap. The story-line was exciting, and the historical detail is so wound up in the story it becomes difficult to separate the two. All in all, I'd recommend this book to anyone, and I am sure that I will read it again and again and again.