France Books

My wife and I have used this wonderful publication throughout France, and highly recommend it. When in a city, we find that it's sometimes helpful to contact the local tourist informtion office, if local B&B's are not shown in the referenced book. In both cases, we've had great experiences using these resources.

Traveling independently has its rewards! I feel compelled to share some of the B&B's that we have stayed in as a result of this book. When we look back on our trips, we remember the warmth of the hosts who shared their home with us and waved goodbye as we left.

# 359 en route to Lourdes. I felt like I was staying in a doll house. Everything was PERFECT! The hosts were lovely people. The evening meal was excellent.

# 334 just south of Toulouse. The owners will enchant you in this lovely farmhouse. They make sure that everyone has GOOD TIME at the evening meal! English is not necessary! The owner's have hosted guests from all over the world!!!

#386 Normandy. This a a perfectly lovely half-timbered farmhouse. The owners will make you feel like family!

We will be using this guide again for the 4th time this September. So far, I have chosen # 567, #672, #336 and #334 (listed above). I will keep you updated! I always choose B&B's where some English is spoken. I always look for comments concerning the hosts hospitality. You can spend as little as $. and take home memories that will last a lifetime!

...If we can help .... Spain or France???

...julie and gordon foster

"The best guide for the finest kind of vacation." Elle Magazine

"This series has long been respected as one of the best of its kind. Each book contains detailed color maps and a listing of accommodations by area. They include color photographs, the address and phone number, a star rating, amenities, price, and a brief paragraph describing the property. Newly revised and updated, these excellent guides to accommodations in Europe are highly recommended for all libraries." Library Journal

"This series has long been respected as one of the best of its kind. Each book contains detailed color maps and a listing of accommodations by area. They include color photographs, the address and phone number, a star rating, amenities, price, and a brief paragraph describing the property. Newly revised and updated, these excellent guides to accommodations in Europe are highly recommended for all libraries." Library Journal

What a great book! I actually am a lover of Paris and photography, and of course who can resist a dog, let alone two? I really hope the authors make this into a series, maybe London, Florence, Venice? The book reads like a childrens book, but the target audience does seem to be aimed at adults. Whomever reads this book, it's enjoyable and one of my favorites!

This book is a charmer. The pictures are delightful and some are hilarious. It is a perfect gift for anyone who (1) is a dog lover and (2) has a sense of humor. They did a wonderful and creative job.

Being a good friend of the family, you can see how hard Malyszko and Huges have worked on this terrific book. The photographs are sure to go down as wonderful photos and the short poems are nice and 'crisp'. If you want a fantastic book to look at, read, learn a little French, or just have on a coffee table for guests to marvel over,this is it! It is a splendid and interesting book. I highly recommend it!

This book was a gift from a friend who knows our love for dogs and Paris. My wife had just returned from the city of lights to our four "children" when the book arrived. What a delightful remembrance of the city seen trhough the keen photographic eye of Michael Maylszko. The text is complementary to a fault. A truely seamless product.

This should be enjoyed by anyone who understands the mind of a dog or who has been to Paris. It will be especially pleasing to those who appreicate both

The dogs on their own are adorable, the words on their own are wonderful, the sights of Paris are beautiful - but put them all together in this lovely book and you get the dreamy package that is "Betty & Rita Go to Paris". Excellent work! I look forward to Betty & Rita's next adventure.

Everything I have cooked from this book of recipes turned out great! It's all pretty easy to follow, and yet, at the end, everyone thinks you're a master chef for turning out such fabulous dishes. A few of the recipes are a bit more involved, however. But this could almost be called French Cuisine for Dummies.

After making most of the recipes in this book, we've decided it's one of the best we own. Everything we have made from this book has been exceptionally tasty and original, and many are relatively easy. We use it a lot during the week when our time for cooking is very limited. Don't let it's slim size and pretty pictures deter you -the illustrations are helpful and enticing, and the porportion of recipes worth making repeatedly is very high.

Anyone who wants to enjoy fast, easy and authentic French cooking in the comfort of their own home should definitely buy this book. The recipes are simple and well explained, and readers will enjoy success after success. Planning an entire informal French meal is easy, as courses are divided into sections in the book.

Most of all, the recipes are delicious and truly French.

I just bought this cookbook last week, and was astounded at the simplicity and beauty of each recipe. The directions are clear and concise, and unlike a lot of French cooking, you don't use every pot and bowl in the house. I liked especially the way the book was formatted - appetizers, soups, main dishes, desserts - you can form a complete menu for a special meal and never need to leave the book! The glossary in the back spells out some of the obscure or unknown techniques employed in the recipes, such as the easy way to roast and skin peppers. The tone of the writing helps to inspire confidence. There's no assumption that you should know all about the intricacies of cooking; just have fun! One caveat: This is not a cookbook for those on a low-fat diet. But, in moderation, each recipe can be enjoyed.

I LOVE this cookbook. As opposed to some cookbooks which I use for maybe only one or two recipes, I use many of the recipes in this book; they have almost always been successful. If I had to choose just four books from my fairly extensive cookbook collection, this would be one of them!

This book epitomizes the very essence of great French cooking. Whilst I cannot purchase most of the ingredients used in the recipes, the recipes themselves are classics!! Us ing the recipe as a guide, an experiened cook can re-create almost the same results. Truly Monsieur Bocuse is a genius in the culinary arts!! A real must have for the serious cook!!!!!

From the cover one is in for a treat, both to the eye and palate. The photography in this cookbook is simply gorgeous. How can one take a shot of a man holding a rooster in front of a bin of corn and make it look like a million dollars? It's here.

The recipes are the best of the tradition which the French are world famous for. Here are stressed the best in ingredients, cooked lovingly with patience and care and technique to bring out their succulence from French Regions.

Feast on such as "Cod and Vegetables with Garlic Mayonnaise" "Stuffed Breast of Veal" "Lyon Style Onion Soup" "Veal Stew" "Pears in Beaujolais."

Truly Bon Appetit.

Bravo Monsieur Bocuse. Finally, an authentic French Cuisine Book. The recipes are simple and truly traditional. The ingredients are available at your corner grocery store and THAT is a refreshing change. The only French Cookbook you will ever need.

This book by Paul Bocuse, arguably the most distinguished French chef alive today, translated from the French into English, is akin to Stephen Hawking's writing a popular work on the history of physics. Unlike similarly formatted works by Joel Robuchon, this book aims at presenting relatively straightforward instructions for preparing classic French regional cuisine. What is missing are the details of proper selection and handling of seasonal ingredients. This is replaced by a very high level tour of the major culinary regions of France.

I am surprised that such a distinguished culinary figure would do this kind of book, but I am supremely delighted that he did. The book includes literally every traditional French dish I can think of, with recipes that are quite easy to follow by the average American amateur cook. The book includes recipes for pot-a-feu, cassolet, crepes, coq au vin, salade Nicoise, Vichyssoise, onion soup, stuffed cabbage, Provencal fish stew, Burgundy Beef, tapenade and aioli. The list of recognized classics goes on and on. There is even a gratin recipe for macaroni and cheese and a confession that it was the Romans and not the Lyonnaise who invented macaroni.

I confess that some ingredients, such as the Lyonnaise sausage with pistachio may be a little hard to find, but the author graciously provides several serviceable substitutes for each ingredient not commonly available in American markets. Kielbasa, for example is an acceptable substitute for the saucisson pistache.

I am simply delighted with the simplicity and clarity of the instructions. The potato and sausage salad dish is French to its core yet the author succeeds in making the recipe read like something out of a Martha Stewart book. The instructions are clear, unpreachy, and workable. Aside from the sausage, there are no unusual ingredients and no unusual equipment needed. No trace, for example, of a food mill, china cap, or bain marie. The same can be said of almost all recipes in this book.

This is not to say there are no interesting recipes in the book. While there are so many classic dishes here, many have a special twist which is not due to the invention of the very talented author, but rather due to the author's using a recipe which is closer to the original roots of the dish rather than the dish's most famous incarnations. The recipe for onion soup, for example, is quite unlike the dish I had at Les Halles in Paris at 5 AM. Bocuse's recipe is from the Lyon area where, as he says, they put onions in virtually everything.

There are only two minor complaints about the book. First, this is a book about foods from specific geographic regions, yet there is no map to assist one in visualizing where in France these regions occur. While many foodies may be familiar with the location of Provence, is probably the rare American who knows that the Alsace is in the East, bordering on Germany. This explains similarities between food in the Alsace chapter and common German dishes such as sauerkraut. Second, as the author states himself, there was much Procrustean lumping together of different geographical regions to form a single culinary identity. The author blames this on his editors. I am willing to believe this, and register my complaint to the editors that I am really surprised that they could come up with only six culinary regions (Lyonnais, Provence, Bordelais, Perigord, Brittany-Normandy, and Alsace).

These two complaints aside, this is hands down the very best introduction to French cuisine I have seen for the casual reader. Be sure to read Julia Child and Elizabeth David and Patricia Wells, but read this book first. It will clearly whet your appetite for those other classic authors.

Very highly recommended.

This wonderful and important book, give you the most authentic recipes and background on many famous dishes from the regions of France.
If you follow the recipes and ingredients exactly you inevitably bring authentic refined flavors of French cuisine to your kitchen.
There is no use of stocks and other base recipes, the sauces are made along the dish preparation, this can take longer but sometimes it's better for home cooks.
Try this book "Basque-style chicken", the "Nice-style Salad", the "Macaroni and Cheese", and you will be surprised to find how these simple recipes capture the delicate nature of French cuisine.
Note: the "Bouillabaisse" recipe has a mistake - add the "soup" fish to the pot after the onion step.

Arrived in wonderful condition in a timely fashion. Brand new.

I loved this book- it had beautiful photographs and good descriptions of the plants used. It was helpful to have the seasons and preferred exposure of the plants included in their description. There are also several good sample garden plans. My only disappointment (if it can be so considered) was that many of the featured plants are not hardy in my zone 4 garden (Ms. Raven's garden is in Britain).For anyone who loves contrast in their gardens, this is the book to inspire you!

Are you afraid of too much color in your garden? Do you fall into the trap of conventional landscaping rules of lumping similar colors with each other? Then, take a bold step and challenge your visual senses. The Bold and Brilliant Garden is an invaluable addition to any gardening library. Sarah Raven presents the use of beautiful color combinations in a very naturalistic manner. She outlines the use of different types of plants and color combinations, and she supplies us with a wealth of vibrant color photographs.

I have found this book very inspiring. The pictures are great and the text is full of practical knowledge. Although I am from another zone (Zone 9) I found that the guidelines, the concept in the designs, are so well described that is easy for anyone to adapt them to their own zone. It is not a book for "just copying designs" but to learn how to manage color, texture, scale and develop you own creativity.

I LOVED this book. Ms. Raven is a woman after my own heart. We have the same color sensibilites and I naturally gravitated towards this book. She is a proponent of using bright,saturated colors and deep,rich colors in the garden,in contrasting groups as opposed to soft pastels and whites-the "wedding colors" as she calls them. She also is fond of using bold,architectural foliage. I couldn't agree with her more. I loved the two page layout of the "floral pallette" she uses,they are all of the colors I love(and I love color). The photographs are beautiful and I really liked how they took photographs of flowers,with their colors and blended the pages into a kind of pallete. I do share the dissapointment of one reviewer-that Ms. Raven's garden is in another zone from mine,and so therefore many of the plants she grows will not survive in my zone 5 Chicago garden. And I don't even think I have ever seen a wallflower here in my life! The text on plant culture is informative and helpful,but not casual reading-it can get a little boring. Use it as reference. The strongest point in this book is the photographs,as it should be. This book is about color in the garden so visual strength would be the only way to go. This book is a great combination fo informative and practical and visual and inspirational. This book really inspired me and I highly reccomend it-now on to order some spring bulbs!

A Bright Sun and Long Shadows is a marvelous book for everyone who even considers leaving the culture they grew up in. Being a foreigner anywhere is not easy. I'm fortunate in that the Thai general citizenry adore foreigners, which is not the case in many countries . . . but a foreigner is still all that I am. Because I don't speak the language I believe it is assumed I don't have a brain. Because of my accent (when I do attempt to speak for myself), I'm treated like I'm a two-year-old learning how to speak . . . much the same way my Thai husband, Jit, was treated speaking English in the United States of America for twenty-eight years.

I'm jealous of Val and Linda's ability to communicate in the language of the land. I'm also jealous of their home. The descriptions in the book attest to the entire house being really beautiful, but oh, the work involved to get it that way. Our home is a far cry from even remotely attractive. I comfort myself with it does provide shelter and that's the original purpose of building. Clearly the authors are not one iota lazy while I am just the opposite. I gave up probably the first year we lived here, a privilege I could afford being married to a Thai. Val and Linda are living proof that what one truly wants is attainable . . . but often at a very high cost, not only monetarily but mentally.

There is no comparison between living in France and living in Thailand but the similarities of some situations seem to be universal.

A Bright Sun and Long Shadows is a wonderful piece of work.

This a refreshingly direct book. For anyone who has read any of the scores of ex-pat books about setting down roots in a new country, this will be a welcome and loving splash of cold water. The authors' depiction of life in a small French town gains so much from their refusal to see things other than as they are. We see real people in real time and I suspect that my reactions would be very much like the authors.

But there is more to this book that a how-to survive with the French. The authors' sometimes painful honesty points us to deeper questions about living in the mess of life with a direct and honest passion. I have returned to this book several times and always gained from it.

My husband and I read this book aloud to each other, and finished it within a day of arrival. It is a compelling, true account of a planned move to France, international renovation/restoration, and many personal reflections on the process - and the people involved. It was fully engrossing. I completely recommend this book for any student of French culture, or person considering international living in retirement. I feel it would be helpful for any person considering a domestic relocation in retirement as well. (note: I spoke with Val today, and am happy to report that they are well, the guests are coming, and the neighborhood children have aged a bit!)

I have read most all the travel essays on expats travails, from Mayle to Mayes, with their moves to foreign homes and usually only hear about the "Bright Sun", but seldom of the "Long Shadows"! As my wife and I continue our search for a property in France, it was refreshing to hear the realities of adjusting to a new culture and the difficulties in accomplishing everyday tasks.

We stayed at Val and Linda's wonderful B&B in Florensac several years ago, so it was fun to read about all the "sweat equity" required to get their most beautiful, La Petit Jardin, habitable.

Val's candor and transparency is rare and confirms one's suspicions that, the French la bonne vie, the good life, is not always on the green side of the pasture.

This book really lays out, that despite extensive planning, retirement (anywhere) is not the bed of roses that many think it should be. Of course, retiring to another country (or even geographical area of the U.S.) would/could exacerbate things considerably, the book illustrates the many emotions/reactions that I've heard from others who have retired. And, if you are a Type A person it can be really difficult to make such a switch without some modification of behavior and expectations.

As a future retiree, I'd recommend this book to others who may being making that change in the not too distant future.

C'est la Folie was a non stop page turner of priceless and vast entertainment yet very informative proportions!
Michael, you have done what I and many others passionately aspire to. Your delightfully descriptive passages, brimming with tales of your courageous and at times hilarious lessons in bravery as well as the joyful experiences from the birth of the lambs and chicks to finally bringing your beloved piano and Luscombe home to France, have inspired me to leave no stone unturned in my personal quest of moving to France to learn to be brave (amongst many other things), too.
I was alongside you as you painted your shutters and wacked that viper twisted around your basin taps, I shed a tear when you had to bury Emil and rejoiced when the first chick pecked his/her way into this world.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful life and for inadvertantly encouraging me to find mine. I look forward to the next labour of love that will be forthcoming from your pen. In the meantime I continue to follow the goings on at La Folie in your column in the Telegraph.

I just finished the book last night. I truly loved it and found it very entertaining. I love Michael Wright's style of writing. This book is a must for those who love travelling and exploring different places.

"C'est la Folie" is the story of a Daily Telegraph literary critic/ journalist who threw up his life in the concrete jungle of South London, to take up the challenge of becoming something different, no longer commuting to an office in the City, but with his own hands and spirit, opening up new frontiers for him in a totally new scenario, in a small village in the West of France.

Michael Wright leads us through all stages of his transformation, from the longed-for re-location of his piano and airplane, the painfully slow renovation of his house, from his acquisition of Martha, Mildred, Mary (his hens) to the Breton sheep, all which he transported with the aid of a friend, in his car, to his little though rather primitive haven of La Folie.

Michael introduces us to his local friends, and the acceptance of him after the standard six months, is proven by them even accepting a meal à l'anglaise - a great mark of respect by the Gallic gastronomes.

He relates the occasional tragedies, when one of his young sheep passes away after illness, when Silent Mary the hen, also leaves away. But also more hilarious events such as with his macho cockerels, or his cross-country race to catch Gaston, the little Breton ram who wants to make amorous advances to much too large white and woolly sheep.

And when we finally leave Michael surrounded by his power tools, his cat on his knees, regarding his sheep and the beautiful region of France he has chosen, our initial sadness turns to joy, when we hear that we will meet him again - in his next book.

The book is structured in numerous short stories, told more or less chronologically, each a gem in itself, but they cross-link to the whole picture of his experiences in this beautiful country.
This is a must read for all of us who in our humdrum lives, dream of something else.

Superb - Peter Mayle for grown ups.
Whilst there are endless books about moving to France this one is truly moving dealing with the joys, pitfalls & sheer courage of one mans attempt to find a more fulfilling way of life. If you are seriously thinking of living in France this book will fill you with both apprehension & an immediate desire to follow in Michael Wrights footsteps. Michael went looking for his hero & I found mine.

First, a disclaimer: I haven't seen the book version of Michael Wright's dispatches from rural France. But I have been reading his column avidly in the online Expat Telegraph since he decided a couple of years ago to move from England to an out-of-the-way village in the heart of the Limousin. His self-deprecating style and gentle humor drape lightly over a solid framework: his insights into the joys and frustrations of rural existence and the complexities of adjusting to a new way of life in a foreign country are both keenly observed and deftly written. As a fellow pilot I also appreciate his occasional detours to the local airfield, explaining for a general audience the magical allure of messing about in small planes.

Here's how Michael Wright begins his tale: "My plan was a simple one. I wanted to go and live in France with a cat and an aeroplane. My London life had become too comfortable, and I wanted an adventure. I wanted sheep, manly power-tools and the challenge of living entirely alone in a foreign land."

This book is bound to be a delightfully satisfying read for any native English speaker who's ever visited 'La France profonde', as well as for those who have dreamed of chucking their urban existence for a bit of land, an old farmhouse, a few sheep and some neurotic chickens.

If you want a travel book with lots of tips, a great deal of history, and -- most of all -- loads of humor and wit, these are the authors for you. This is third travel book by Dana Facaros and Michael Pauls I have read. Each is a gem -- worth reading cover to cover -- and that is very rare in travel books. I always search them out for my trips -- once to Sicily and another to southern France. Now I am planning to go to Paris this fall, so I was really pleased to find this guide to Paris. The core of the book is walking tours of the city, and each page is packed with opinionated history and unabashed commentary. The French, no doubt, would be shocked, but I love it. I highly recommend any book by these two. The three I have read -- Sicily, Southern France and Paris (2nd ed.) -- are first-rate literature. They are also "guide books" -- and that makes them rare gems, indeed.

We took four guidebooks over to Paris for our trip (my third, her first). It ended up being the only guidebook we used. The city walks made exploring the city a breeze.

Be prepared. This book definitely has a British persepctive, is very opinionated, and has very few pictures. But, it gave a great sense of persepctive and made it much easier to get context when we were there.

Without a doubt, this is a great book to use if you will have the time to explore the city. We have already purchased several more in the line for our honeymoon,

This guide, like others in the Cadogan's range is chock full of information, and not photos. If you are looking for maps (other than a Metro and RER railway map inside the back cover and the walking maps) and colour pictures you are advised to look elsewhere.

After opening chapters looking at `Paris in a Weekend' ,practicalities, history, art and architecture and several short pieces on topics such as dog poo and modernism (well worth reading - very entertaining, but make sure your spectacles prescription is up to date - the print in this section is very small!), the guide really gets into its strength.

The bulk of the book is built around 11 different walks, in 11 different neighbourhoods. All are thoroughly described with an accompanying easy-to-follow black and white map. Each walk has an indication of how long it will take (excluding museum visits), suggestions for restaurants and cafes on the route and comprehensive information on the sites.

This makes the book perfect for a visitor spending an extended time in Paris, who wants to discover the city the best way possible, or for the repeat visitor who has the good fortune to be able to return to Paris time and again.

After the Walks, the museums of Paris are listed and cross-referenced to where they occur in the Walks text. The Louvre and Musee d'Orsay are described at length. A section then follows on peripheral attractions - lying further afield than central Paris. There are listings for restaurants, accommodation and nightlife venues.

The writing in Cadogans tends towards the opinionated, witty, slightly ironic (but not smart-alec) and drily understated British style. It appeals to me in the same way as Rough Guides do.

This is not a book for the first-time short-term visitor intending to see the "Top Five" and then move on. There are plenty of other guides catering to that market, and fulfilling their brief admirably (try Rick Steves, Let's Go, Frommer, Lonely Planet for example). But if you want a book with some substance and detail which will be just as rewarding a read back at your hotel as accompanying you on your on-foot rambles around this beautiful city, then I can't recommend it highly enough.

Opinionated, controversial, occasionally intolerant, sometimes jarringly critical, but always possessing at heart a deep affection for the city, this guide will point your gaze towards places people, places and events that may well be unknown to the majority of born and bred Parisians.

It is deeply learned, but never stuffy, memorably describing the decor of one church and "cold potatoes", the descriptions on the walks ensure that once you arrive at a given site, you are aware of its historical and architectural context.

Previous reviewers have referred to the guided walks in the book, and these are indeed its jewel. It will absolutely make so much more of your time in Paris than you could have believed possible if you make the effort to follow as many of them as you can. They are not arduous treks, they can be leisurely strolls and the book makes sure that you know the very best places to stop an eat (or drink) on the way.

Buy the book, read the history (also humourous, but quite bloody) on the way, use it whilst there, and relive your Parisian peregrinations on the way back by rereading the walks you had a chance to follow.

You will want to go back

The walking tours in this book are incredible. Fun, interesting, perfect directions (even for those of us who are directionally challenged!). The history, art, architecture sections are also well worth reading and opinionated just enough to make them truly interesting and unique. I plan on buying as many other travel books by this couple as I can find.

Fabulous book. If you want to understand the French, this is a great book to read. It is amazing that such a cultural country took so long to come into the 20th century. I recommend this book highly.

As a frequent vacationer in France, some customs -- especially in the countryside -- bewildered me. Ms. Tindall weaves details of country life into an exquisite tapestry (tapisserie) that explains much that was confusing. She moves her readers back in time and gently brings us to the present.

I took this remarkable book by Gillian Tindall on vacation and enjoyed it very much. It is quite an impressive bit of social history scholarship. Tindall has really raked the public records to reconstruct this history. I had a bit of trouble keeping the villagers straight as time passed and new villagers arrived and departed the scene. But that does not matter; I grasped the overall picture. Even Celestine, whose letters first interested the author in the project, becomes but another character and the real subject of the book emerges as the evolution of rural France in the 19th century.

It is really quite a fantastic story, and, of course, I was wholly ignorant of the backward conditions in the Berry region until well into the 19th century. I always thought of France as in the forefront of the industrial revolution, the enlightenment and the political changes in Europe. But I now know that that was pretty well limited to Paris and perhaps a few other urban centers.

The book makes clear that lack of transportation was the chief culprit. People did not have horses and the paths were largely for walking and did not accommodate wagons. And the distances were vast given the conditions. The villages had no stores, no inns, no tradesmen. Goods were mainly consumed by the farmers themselves with only a small surplus available in good years for sale locally. Money was not in use and French was not used until the 3rd Republic pushed schools and roads into these rural areas. Essentially, as the author points out, notwithstanding the revolution and the Napoleonic period, the Berry in 1830 was much like it had been in 1430.

The author also hints at the romantic myth that the French have bestowed on their rural areas. She does not go into detail, but hints that this view results in their inability to lessen subsidies to their farmers or modernize their agriculture. All these Frenchmen, especially those in the middle class, with summer homes in the countryside, are apparently convinced that way back their ancestors were peasant farmers with a deep love of the land. The English and we Americans certainly do not encourage this illusion: that we are the salt of the earth - or at least the descendants thereof. We have our own myths, but our agricultural subsidies are based on the fact that farm states have more representation in the Senate than their population would justify and the strength of the agribusiness lobby. In other words, no romantic notions, just good old greed and political power. This is easier to deal with.

I had in mind to get 'Celestine' for a long time when it presented itself to me on a 'bargain table' at the LA Times Festival of Books... what a treasure! It is a quiet and gentle diversion into another world and time. Beautifully and lovingly written by Gillian Tindall, the book speaks of the timelessness of the human condition, of loyalties and relationships, of loves and passions and hopes and dreams, some realized and some not. Truly, the more things change, the more they stay the same. I highly recommend this book.

Gillian Tindall shows a great deal of erudition in painting with great exactitude the evolution of a French village over almost two centuries, showing how the life of the village and its people were affected by the arrival of the railroads, the changes of political regimes, the influences of the wars. She has been able to capture the spirit of the french peasants of the Berry with a deep understanding and she gives the impression of feeling much affection for them. Her book is warm and " vivant " and wonderful

Good introduction for kids of all ages to viruses, germs, the body's immune system and consequently, the importance of good hygiene.

My 3 1/2 year old son loves this book! I'm forced to read it to him every day, and he now tells me: 1. "Lymphocytes are the smartest cells and make antibodies that knock out the germs...I want to be an antibody!" 2."Macrophages are garbage collectors" 3. "Virus turn my cells into virus machines" 4. "Fibroblasts pull my cut together"

He is still a little confused about the whole "blast" part of the fibroblast...thinking that they should somehow makes something explode...

I read this book for the first time when I was 3 or 4 and adored it. I explained to all of my friends how vaccines worked (because after it knows about the threat your immune system can build an to fight the real virus). It has fun and accessible metaphors.

However, don't assume that this is just a kid's book! I'm now a medical student, and I find this book useful to explain immunology to my classmates and patients. It is full of accurate and detailed information.

I bought this book for my ten year old son. He read it through in one sitting. Actually, he reread it 3 times on the same day. The simple yet interesting text and excellent drawings captured his imagination. It kept him thirsting for more! He wants me to order all of Dr. Balkwill's books which I did. What an excellent way to introduce science to the uninitiated. I hope Dr. Balkwill will continue to write more of the series!

Cell Wars is a great way to introduce science. It is written in a straightforward manner using easy to understand vocabulary. It describes, in a fun manner, the way the human body fights off bacteria and viruses and tells why we get vaccinations. The illustrations are colorful and fun. The pictures and the story make it fun for both young children and grade school students