France Books

Excellent read !! There are many books about Therese. This one stands out because it presents her profound spirituality in light of the progression of her extensive illness of Tuberculosis. There is much to learn about both the effects of illness on the spiritual life and the almost ideal response to illness of one seriously seeking God.

Most books gloss over the last months of St. Therese, possibly because up until the last 40 years TB was so common that nobody really needed to hear an in depth discussion of it. After reading this book you will be deeply moved. St. Therese went through a long dark night of the soul and body and although physically crushed she spiritually soared above it. I would definitely say that this book belongs in your collection of works on the Little Flower.

This book provides a clinical report of the last agonizing months of Therese of Lisieux's life. The research is meticulous and the medical details are easy to understand. It is a complement to the Saint's writings because the reader can trace in this book her physical trials which help to understand her spiritual trials as well which were plaguing her at the time. My only criticism is that the second part of the book is a bit redundant to the first.

Rich in detail of Therese's last months; a powerful framework for Last Conversations.

My sister and I recently returned from 2 weeks in France. While in Paris we visited several of the recommended patisseries and totally enjoyed the wonderful offerings. We actually planned some of our sightseeing and shopping around the location of a few of these. Good idea for Paris!

This is a lovely little fairy tale of a book, and whether you are a foodie, an armchair traveler, a world traveler, or someone who needs romance, this book will supply it in spades. When you see the book, you will notice that it is small, designed to look like a box from a patisserie or chocolatier, and the colors are muted and soft, like a 21rst century impressionist painting seen through a layer of clouds. I loved the writing. It is intimate, honest, amusing, and charming, almost like having your best friend talking to you, and filling your head with incredible pictures. You will almost be able to smell, taste, and hear the sounds of the places you are reading about. I will probably never go to Paris, but I fell in love with France in high school when I studied the language, so I love reading about all things French. If you are lucky enough to go to Paris, a quick perusal of this book will tell you the best places to eat, see, and experience. I do not recommend a quick perusal, however, because this book at it's best, is like a fairy tale in food. It is charming, concise, anecdotal, and romantic, because hey! It is Paris. When your head is filled to bursting with wonderful imagery from the writing, take a moment or ten or twenty to enjoy the beautiful photographs. The really lovely thing about this book is that the writing and the photos go together so well. One does not detract from the other, but it enhances and completes the other. I must say again how much I loved the writing. I really enjoyed the behind the scenes aspect of some of the shops, and especially "A Day In The Life of a Patissier". I can not recommend this book highly enough. It is absolutely wonderful, and I feel as though I have just had a blissful experience and not gained an ounce! The word evocative comes to mind; I can almost see myself sitting at one of those darling little tables, looking chic, tragically beautiful, and sharing sweets with a devastating French actor. That may not be your dream, but it is mine, and I won't say what happens after he pays the bill, and looks soulfully into my eyes, and warns me not to touch the last croissant.

A fun guide I finally got to see at the British bookstore, W.H.Smith on rue de Rivoli. The luscious pictures and detailed descriptions make you want to run all over Paris and not miss a single patisserie. Sadly a few places have since closed like Carette. Why any pastry shop should ever close in Paris is beyond me!

This cocoa-dusted treasure hits that mythical sweet spot between practical, trusted travel guide and gorgeous, dreamy (if petite) coffee table book. Full of the kind of beautiful photos and evocative lyrical prose that you'll never find in any guide and jam-packed with all of the actionable, expert advice that's missing from all those exquisitely photographed gift books, this one has it all. Organized by arrondissements, you're meant to flip to the neighborhood you're visiting to find the author's recos for the best macarons, tartes or baguettes nearby. If I were visiting France soon, that's just what I'd be doing. Cramming bookmarks between the pages, grabbing a map and taking off before the sun came up. But for now, curled up on my couch in New Jersey, I'm literally reading this like a romantic novel. Cover to cover. Dreaming of Paris...

Set approximately 1300 years ago, this historical novel is about Charles, born of an illegitimate relationship. His father, Pepin de Gros, is Mayor of the Castle in Cologne (the real authority), and Plectruda, his wife, is past childbearing age. Charles is born to Alpaida, one of the servant girls. Plectruda is irate, and even though Charles' claim to the throne is tiny, she makes sure that he never gets anywhere near it. Growing up, Charles is teased and tormented about his parentage by the other children. Always called Pepin's Bastard instead of Charles, it gets to the point where he might as well make that his legal name.

In his early teens, he is sent to a faraway castle, run by a man named Dodo, to learn how to be a soldier. He spends his winters at the monastery at Metz to learn reading, writing and arithmetic, a rarity. He marries, and starts a family, knowing that if Plectruda gets her hands on any of them, their life span will be very short. Charles rises through the ranks at the castle, becoming Captain of the Guard. Meantime, the throne in Cologne keeps changing hands, usually through assassination. One night, Charles receives the wife and teenage daughter of Grimwald, the latest occupant of the throne and one of Plectruda's sons. They tell a harrowing tale of fleeing at night, with just the clothes on their backs. Charles and the daughter have a child and get married, almost wrecking his marriage to Rotruda, his wife, but there is a reason for it.

Around the year 700, the Franks in northern Europe were a bunch of disorganized tribes, constantly attacking each other. Charles unites them under his banner, and takes the name Charles Martel (Charles the Hammer). The book ends with the first battle with a heretofore unknown group, the Muslims, coming from the southwest.

This is a gem of a book. As much as possible, it is based on historical fact. The author can trace her ancestry back to this time period, to a man named Pepin the Vain (read part 1 of this trilogy). It's interesting, very well done and recommended.

Diana Johnson does a great job of blending history and fiction in this book. She has brought Pepin de Vain's family tree to life and has woven the events that surrounded these lives into a story line with lots of intrigue and excitement. Anxious for the next book!!

Pepin's Bastard: The Story Of Charles Martel is Diana M. Johnson continues her series of historical novels arising from the era of that great medieval king, Charlemagne. But Charlemagne's empire still lies some distance into the future when Charles (the bastard son of Pepin de Gros) is born out of wedlock. Pepin's wife Plectruda is jealous of Charles and will stop at nothing to secure his death so that the power of kingship will be secured for her own legitimate sons. Pepin's Bastard is the thrilling story of how Charles survives, only to face the Muslims who are pouring over the Pyrenees Mountains and waging jihad (holy war) against the Christians -- seeking to exterminate or covert them and thereby dominating Europe as they had mastered the Middle East.

Having just finished Destiny's Godchild, I was eager to read Diana Johnson's sequel. Her knowledge of history and love of her subject is remarkable. This book is a fictional story that brings to life many characters from history who helped to form our destiny long before Charlemagne's reign. One of the most heartwarming characters is Charles Martel (Charles the Hammer). Ms. Johnson takes you from his unwanted birth to the heart stopping war where his army of foot soldiers defeated the well-trained Muslim horsemen under extremely unequal circumstances, thus saving Europe for Christianity.  You will marvel at the fictional character Egar's wisdom and insightfulness as he mentors Charles' wife throughout her life. Charles' strong character and unyielding integrity will give you a real-life hero taken from the pages of history. Definitely a must read!!! Val Middler Middlebrook, author of "Val's Victory: Defeat was NEVER an Option."

As a PhD student in theology with a background in medieval French history and literature, I've long been a fan of both Abelard and Heloise. Waddell's treatment of their tragic lives is nearly as timeless as they are. I like the fact that Waddell knows what she's talking about--her grasp of Abelard's revolutionary theological ideas (especially at the very moving close of the book, when he's working out his theory of atonement) is the furthest thing from superficial. It's precisely because of her scholar's knowledge that she's able to create a richly-woven setting for her two protagonists. This is something I've not found in any other treatment (especially *Stealing Heaven*, which is ghastly). She doesn't attempt to sensationalize the love story, and there's nothing in the way she presents things that's either anachronistic on the one hand or stilted (in that self-conscious, I'm-writing-medieval-dialogue way) on the other.

I didn't find her Heloise at all bloodless; in fact, quite the opposite. I was pleased that Waddell lets us see Heloise's brilliant intelligence and intellectual fervor. (Abelard fell in love with her mind as much as anything). It's a shame this book is out of print here in the States. For anyone with an interest in the story of Abelard and Heloise (or even for anyone who simply likes good prose and well-done fictionalized history), this is a book that sould not be missed. It's a lovely, sometimes stunning read.

A well-written tale of two historical characters. Lovers of romance fiction and of great fiction in general should not miss reading this book of the tragic and enduring love between abelard and heloise. Sublime.

I've always been an admirer of the philosopher Abelard, and like everyone else, I found the story of his love affair with Heloise very touching. So naturally, I jumped at the chance to read a book like this. And I was not disappointed. This book was very well written. Rather than painting Abelard as an egotistical, condescending, self-absorbed brute as some writers have (I'm pointing a finger at the author of "Stealing Heaven"), this book portrays him in a more sympathetic light. In this book, he is more accurately depicted as a deep and insightful man. Helen Waddell builds on what we know about Abelard, rather than making a bunch of wild guesses. Her writing style, too, is vivid and eloquent. "Peter Abelard" is a must for anyone who is into the story of Heloise and Abelard or anyone who likes a good book. I highly recommend it.

(But whatever you do, DON'T blow your hard earned money by buying "Stealing Heaven") :)

This book was recommended to me by an utterly fascinating, extremely well read man I met in India. Just the fact that it is his favorite book convinced me to read it. The beauty of the prose is breathtaking, haunting. Even as someone who is decidedly not a Catholic, or even religious (making it an opportunity to learn about medieval Catholicism), I found Abelard's spiritual journey profoundly moving, particularly in the end when his faith is restored. It is one of those books, like most of Nabokov's and many of Turgenev's, that is so beautiful it cannot be absorbed in one reading. A note on the story: as the title implies, this book is first and foremost about Abelard. His famous love affair with Heloise is treated as but one aspect of his remarkable life. Even so, it is well worth it, even for those with little interest in the man himself.

Este libro cuenta con magnificas ilustraciones de las pinturas. La información sobre el artista es muy detallada y el libro es de buena calidad en cuanto a material y estructura.

WOW! What a collection in this book!

For any Renoir lover, student, artist, teacher or simply someone who wants to see a fantastic collection by one artist in one book.

Unsurpassed as a coffee-table conversation piece.

"A Dream of Harmony"!

I'm in love with The Impressionists in general and with Auguste Renoir in particular.
His palette is full of light; soft pink, greens and blues are a joy to watch time and again. As most Impressionists Renoir paint wonderful every day scenes, mainly outside as his magnificent: "The Luncheon of the Boating Party" (1881), "The Swing" (1876) and "Le Moulin de la Galette" (1876), whose careful reproductions are shown here.
He was an artist that loved life and wanted to reflect it as he perceived: full of little moments of simple joy and relax.
He was also a masterful portrayer as you may see from his "On the Terrace" (1881) in the cover of this book or "Two Girls in Black" (1881).
Another subject that attracted his fancy was the dancing couple, which he depicts with tenderness and accuracy. It doesn't matter if the dancers are from the high class as in "City Dance" or commoners as in "Dance at Bougival" both from 1883.
At the end of his life his paintings evolve and produce for our delight: "Seated Bather" (1914) and "The Nymphs" (1918).
His life and works are described and commented by the author with keen penetration and endearment.
Reproductions are awesome and do justice to the Artist.
Do not miss this book!
Reviewed by Max Yofre.

Auguste Renoir (1841-1919) represented by far, one the lofty painters of the second half of the XIX Century. His enslaving talent allowed to make a true sweep through the most diverse tendencies. His visible influences received from Courbet, Van Gogh and Delacroix, did not leave on him, a perennial trace. The presence of Cézanne and Monet irrupted strongly in the necessity of rejecting the conservative patterns and raid in new stylistic proposals. He was not only a notable Realist artist but also crossed the Impressionist threshold, in an untiring process of self renovation and fervent conveyance.

"Nowadays there is a tendency to explain everything. But if I could explain painting, it would not an artwork. Must I tell you what qualities constitute to my judge, the true art? It must be indescribable and inimitable...The artwork must captive the watcher, bundle him, drag him. Through it, the artist communicates his passion; it is the current that emits and through includes the watcher in itself:" Renoir.

Admirable and compelling biography that it will catch you from the first page.

In this VOICES IN POETRY title, Berry's biographical sketch of the reclusive 19th century American poet Emily Dickinson is interspersed with some of her poems. Each poem is chosen to illustrate important aspects of her life and character, which are still something of a mystery to this day. Stermer's illustrations effectively complement the tone and subject of both the poems and Berry's own text. For both young people and casual readers, this is a beautiful and useful introduction to Dickinson and her poetry.

I cannot think of a better way to introduce the poetry or Emily Dickinson than this small volume. The selection is excellent and of interest you the young reader. The commentary is quite relevant as are the pictures which accompany it. I find that often now, our young people go all the way through the early grades in school and many of them have never heard of Emily Dickinson,much less read their poetry. This was the sort of stuff my generation and the generation before it grew up on and cut our teeth on. I do not feel I am any worse for the wear. I am fearful that we are bringing up an entire generation (rightfully or wrong, although I feel it is the later) of young folks who will have no appreciation to this great art form and will miss a lot. This book helps. This entire series helps, as a matter of fact and I certainly recommend you add this one and the others to your library. Actually, it is rather fun reading these with the young folk and then talking about them. Not only do you get to enjoy the work your self and perhaps bring back some great memories, but you have the opportunity to interact with your child or student. It is actually rather surprising what some of the kids come up with. I read these to my grandchildren and to the kids in my classes at school. For the most part, when I really get to discussing the work with them, they enjoy it. Recommend this one highly.

As an adult, I didn't realize how much that I would appreciate this book. I wish that it had been available to me when I was younger. I believe that this book is definitely intended for children between the ages of 9 to 12. I think a child under that age may not understand the full impact of the poetry.

The introduction to this book gave a good synopsis of the life of Emily Dickinson. Also, I liked how some of the poems were mentioned by page number to check out in the book.

Visually, this book was on target. The illustrator was very detailed with the drawings. In one section of the book, Emily Dickinson writes some poems that were riddles. The drawings give you the answer to those riddles.

It was very helpful to find definitions at the bottom of each page for some of the poems that may have had more difficult words. I learned that a frigate was a medium-sized warship with sails and that coursers were graceful, swift horses or runners.

This book supports the ideas of reading and poetry. I will end this review with one of Emily Dickinson's poems, on page 44, to support those ideas:

There is no frigate like a book/ To take us lands away,/ Nor any coursers like a page/ Of prancing poetry/ This traverse may the poorest take/ Without oppress of toll;/ How frugal is the chariot/ That bears a human soul!

All the Poetry For Young People books are wonderful for all ages, for those who "want" to like poetry but just don't know where to start. Each has a biography of the poet, and the poems are guided by illustrations, background info, and helpful word definitions. So much better than opening a huge book of just words... this is such a gentle, approachable introduction!

I cannot think of a better way to introduce the poetry of Robert Lewis Stevenson than this small volume. The selection is excellent and of interest you the young reader. The commentary is quite relevant as are the pictures which accompany it. I find that often now, our young people go all the way through the early grades in school and many of them have never heard of Stevenson, much less read his poetry. This was the sort of stuff my generation and the generation before it grew up on and cut our teeth on. I do not feel I am any worse for the wear. I am fearful that we are bringing up an entire generation (rightfully or wrong, although I feel it is the later) of young folks who will have no appreciation to this great art form and will miss a lot. This book helps. This entire series helps, as a matter of fact and I certainly recommend you add this one and the others to your library. Actually, it is rather fun reading these with the young folk and then talking about them. Not only do you get to enjoy the work your self and perhaps bring back some great memories, but you have the opportunity to interact with your child or student. It is actually rather surprising what some of the kids come up with. I read these to my grandchildren and to the kids in my classes at school. For the most part, when I really get to discussing the work with them, they enjoy it. Recommend this one highly.

This small selection of some of the delightful children's poems by Robert Louis Stevenson is a real treasure. What will capture the fascination of all children (as well as adults like me!) are the illustrations by Lucy Corvino. This artist's beautiful illustrations are perfect for the magic that all children love in these classic poems. You keep returning to each picture, and always discover more fascinating detail. A lovely job - a lovely gift book for any small child, and for "grown-ups" like me who can't resist such perfect art work.

When I showed this beautiful book to a friend, she wanted one for both her children (so they can keep it when they grow up) and also one for her mother. The poetry is timeless--it takes you back instantly into your childhood imagination--and the illustrations are superb. These pictures are funny, mysterious, comforting, poignant, all at the same time, and filled with gorgeous soft color and intriguing details. As a child, I would have spent hours looking at them.

As an elementary school teacher, I found "Poetry for Young People" by Robert Louis Stevenson, illustrated by Lucy Corvino, a wonderful book. It's a great way to introduce poetry to children because the poems are short and easy to understand. The illustrations have magnificently detailed illustrations without being overly complex or confusing. The children are drawn to the pictures, which heightens what is being read to them. They unanimously respond with great enthusiasm, and they eagerly ask for more. I highly recommend this book to parents, teachers and anyone who regularly spends time with children.

There's a living quality to the photos in this book, most of which are pictures of the land. A few photos of Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Inverness add the city sense but even those crawl to life with nature all about each picture.

The title may be Portrait of Scotland but the land is alive in this book.
Each page conjures a sense of the romance that the very name of Scotland invokes.

I do a little family history and wanted to know what the homeland of my possible ancestors looked like...Mr. Baxter makes me want to fly to Scotland and see it up close and personal. His photography is excellent and beautifully done and I couldn't be more pleased with the purchase.

Colin Baxter pushed his way up to the top photographers in my book when I saw this book! The way he photographs this lovely country is amazing! The love he has for Scotland shows in the way the photos are taken, printed, and arranged in this masterpiece of Scottish photography! It's one of my favorites in several books that he's published with his talent, definately on the top of the list.

This is a beautiful book which brought a lump to the throat of my Scottish husband (now living in the USA). This is the real Scotland that he and I (an English woman) both know and love. Highly recommended.

A most delightful book. Arrived in good condition and in a timely fashion. Thanks.

It must be pretty good, my wife liked it so much she got a couple more for friends.

This is a lovely piece of work. A wise and lively book filled with both verve and insight. The writer is a mature woman with an idiosyncratic ?lan who retains a girlish vivacity and whimsy. Her insights and observations are both fine and fun, serious and serendipitous. She tells about her two homes; the one she hails, and the one where she's staked a new claim -- one that made her who she is, and the other she is making her own. Her mounting passion for gardening and how she recounts her progress -- or lack thereof -- offers a full dollop of wonderful lagniappe. Her politics are honestly rendered; she is not out to preach or proselytize, they are just part and parcel of all her other wherewithal.

The price of water in Finistere is a book with dimensions from here to paradise. It can be read or eaten, or both.

I have read it as a manifest for breaking up, as an inspirig script for gardening, as an historical book and what not.

Bodil Malmsten has the gift of putting a glimpse of eternity in the everyday life. The language itself is a glimpse of eternity - the way she spellbounds the reader by using no other word but that which is just perfect. Her way of making a sentence by putting together the words you never thought you would see in the same context simply makes every second of reading an adventure.

Bodil M invites the reader into her private room without getting sentimental. She will laugh with you, cry with you - she even yells at you but never without blaming herself first and foremost. This is a book about what it is to be human, but without the scholarcrap. Read and proceed, cultivate your garden with The price of water in Finistere.

I really enjoyed this read.

Mr. Zollo has kept this story inside for a long time but it was worth the wait.

Beautifully written with real characters. If a novel can be more realistically set into history, I want to read it!

I thank the author for entertaining me with his modern memory of a difficult period in history.

"Prisoners" is a true story presented in a gripping fictional manner.

This novel will evoke both pride and shame in dealing with the dehumanizing effects of war.

It's a "can't put down" read.

Jerome Ferdinand

Talk about an anti-war book... I don't know if there exists another book that examines this fascinating yet horrific aspect of World War II; and, it does so by telling a story of the conditions and the near-hopelessness of the German POWs' situation -- without ever failing to remind us that the prisoners are Nazis.

I wasn't surprised to read that author has first-hand knowledge of the camps, as the story is told in oftentimes excrutiating detail -- but the type of detail that you hunger for. This is clearly a can't-put-down-until-you're-finished novel that tells a tough tale sensitively, artfully, and -- at times -- shockingly.

This is a wonderful novel on an aspect of WWII that is rarely read about, even in textbooks and is coupled with beautiful prose. The story is told gracefully and smoothly. Rarely, during the duration that I read it, was the book closed. Because of the books interested plot, story background and exquisite writing, this book is a MUST READ!