France Books

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

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

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

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

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

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

I bought this book with some hesitation because I felt the title sounded like a "B grade" movie. My fears were totally unfounded because the book was excellent. The author follows a small group of soldiers during a relatively short period of time during the campaign in Southern France. In the early parts of the book he does a good job quickly and clearly putting the campaign, and the battle that will become the later focus of the book, into their historical context. He also introduces the soldiers and civilians who will be the main characters in the story. He has a real gift for bringing the characters to life. He deftly describes their pre-war backgrounds, World War II experiences, and the jobs that they are expected to perform in the upcoming battle. Once the table has been set he gives a detailed acount of the battle in and around the village of Allan. He describes the battle in such a way that you can follow what happened at the same time that you can appreciate the confusion that the soldiers must have felt. His description of the destruction of the tank in which his own grandfather was killed was stunning. It happens so suddenly that I had to re-read the passage to be sure of what I had read. I think this reflects how the people who experienced the events must have felt. Anyone who is a student of WW II will enjoy this book.

Jeff Danby has done a masterful job of story telling. His book revolves around a small-unit action--essentially an American rifle company and a handful of Shermans and M10 tank destroyers--that lasted but a day and a night. Danby creates believable portraits of his real-life heroes, and weaves together the tales of the American, German, and French participants as they all plunge unknowingly toward the moment they came together in Allan, France. His prose is evocative, and once the action begins, absorbing. This is a great book!

very well written and enjoyable book.ready for the authors next!you will not be disappointed.similar to the ambrose style in that he does an excellent job giving the "big" picture as well as making you feel like you were in the foxhole with the infantry but reads more fluid than ambrose. jeff danby is sure to be a name familiare to all of our bookshelves.

Day of the Panzer is unlike any other WWII book I have read, and I have read hundreds. In a nutshell, it explores the invasion of Southern France after D-Day, and the thrust inland, following (more or less) a few select unit and individuals as they drive fatefully toward their destiny in the small farming town of Allan, where veteran German infantry and a Panther tank await them.

The result is a focused, tightly wound series of chapters about the battle that erupts there. The author follows the men (and many locals) on their experiences, which includes grenade attacks, tank-to-tank battles, POW issues, executions, and heroics you have never heard of before. If you enjoy small-unit tactics--think Band of Brothers in Carentan, Episode 3--you will love Day of the Panzer.

This book also includes wonderful photos you have never seen, and great original maps--and a cool original drawing by the author of a German Panther. Buy and read this book. You will not be disappointed.

(By way of disclaimer, I read the initial manuscript and helped provide guidance and developmental editing for the author. I have never met Jeff Danby, and do not profit from the sale of this book. tps)

This book made me understand the real struggles all impressionist artists had to live with to have their work accepted by the people, and how much they helped each other in their time of need. The author has brought real-life meaning to a story told many times! Brilliantly written. I enjoyed once again his hard facts and real characters. Irving Stone definitely is a master.

This is another good book by Irving Stone, who also gave us Michelangelo in The Agony and the Ecstasy and Van Gogh in Lust for Life, both of which were made into major movies a half-century ago. The movies were good and had great actors, but the books were even better. This book would make a pretty good movie too, probably a psychological drama.

Stone's books are a chance to see great artists up close and behind the scenes. Since he is doing historical fiction, Stone takes you right into Pissaro's home and right up to his canvas as he is working, and right into his conversations with Monet, Renoir, and the rest at the local pubs. You are even in his head as he creates his art, which is a bit risky, but seems to work. You are there at the birth of Impressionism. It was exciting, at least for me, to get close to these legends.

Surprisingly, it was Pissaro who was the prime mover for the Impressionists exhibitions as a means to expose and educate the hostile audience of that day. The word Impressionism was like a dirty word in those days when the public only wanted clearly executed, classical or romantic paintings of such artists as Delacroix or Courbet. It's really hard to imagine today what made the critics and the public so angry in those days. Was it a bad idea to be innovative? Was it worth almost rioting over? What was the deal with being creative or a little different with your expression?

Organizing anything among this wild group of Impressionist bohemians was almost miraculous, but Pissaro possessed exceptional people skills (always a rare quality, then as now) that made it happen. It is very unlikely that anyone else at the time could have done it. At the same time he and his family were living hand-to-mouth, and you have to wonder how his wife put up with him (just barely, I think).

Almost a century after his time, Pissaro finally gets his due, at least in this book.

A fascinating portrayal of Camille Pissarro. I knew little about this genius before reading this book and afterwords I felt as though I were an expert in impressionism. One of the best books Ive ever read!

Of the three books about artists by Irving Stone, this was my favorite (and Pissaro is my favorite artist as well). Stone kept me interested through-out.

Lord is a consummate garden photographer, and here we will find many of his best rose photos. For roses one would use in the landscape, this may be the best source of photos.

In this book he takes us through a kind of history of the way roses have been used in gardens. The nice thing about a history such as this is that we get introduced to a number of old design ideas which today may be out of favor. In some cases they are out of favor for very good reasons - as Lord explains: After WW1 the cost of labor went up significantly. One could no longer afford to have a gardener spend half a day training a long-caned rose onto an onion shaped frame. Yet even the oddest of the old ideas will frequently suggest some interesting or useful contemporary practice.

Of the gardening books I own - about 15 shelf feet of them - this may be the one I have spent most time with just reading through. This is high praise, indeed.

Any person who wishes to integrate roses into the design of a garden would do well to read this book. It has a lot to say on garden structure and how various roses occupy the diverse structural niches in a garden.
It even explains why Christopher Lloyd eschews the rose at his world famous gardens at Great Dixter. Now that is something that every person planning a rose garden must read and understand.

The garden: it's not just a bed or roses. Lord helps us understand this.

This is a wonderful book with gorgeous color photographs of rose gardens that will make you drool. Although most of the gardens are in England, any gardener can gets ideas from this book. It is basically a "coffee table" type book and is one that you can get lost in on a rainy day. I would highly recommend it!

I received an advance copy of Tony Lord's new book, "Designing with Roses". Besides being a wonderful rose feast for the eyes this 185 page book has some great ideas for various types of gardens and gardening techniques. This versatile offering has chapters lovingly decorated with lush photography of 'Roses for Structure', 'Roses as Punctuation', 'Roses in Mixed Borders' and 'Roses for Wild Gardens'. At the very end of the book is a wonderful listing of roses for special purposes that Mr. Lord describes as Pick of the Bunch. Here is a marvelous grouping of roses for ground covers, bush roses (short & tall), shrub roses, climbing, roses for arcades, pergolas, and catenaries, roses for autumn color, roses for bedding,roses for colored foliage, roses for conservatories, roses for cutting, roses for fences, roses for fragrance, roses for hedges, roses for pillars, roses for shade, roses for standards, and more. Thirteen pages of detailed information listing color, hardiness zone and class. Roses that have received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit as plants of excellence and easy culture are also indicated. In 185 pages I counted only about 10 pages that didn't have at least one picture on them. There are many double pages of photography that makes you feel as if your face was pressed against a window looking out into a wonderland of roses. Breathtaking close-up photography makes you think you can actually smell these beauties. The Pick of the Bunch alone makes this book a worthy addition to any roseaholic's library. If you are a Consulting Rosarian, these lists make it a lot easier to suggest roses for special purposes when you are asked by other rose growers.

This book has a lot of gorgeous 'rose porn' photographs, but the text is also very informative and gives good, specific suggestions for maximizing the beauty of roses in the landscape. I was able to get ideas on how to incorporate roses in beds of mixed perennials in a sophisticated way. I found the section on the history of the use of roses also very interesting.

I highly recommend this wonderful, beautifully presented cookbook, filled with amazing desserts and witty, insightful quotes. It would be a great gift-something different and thoughtful. My friends and guests are always flipping through its pages, looking at the photos and reading the quotes. They're shocked to find a cookbook so interesting!

It would also be great recipe source for both the novice (like myself) and experienced baker. The recipes are not overly elaborate, and the photos are helpful.

Can't recommend Desserts with Character highly enough, especially at the price.

Desserts with Character is more than desserts. I found that the book really represents a lifestyle based on comfort, style, warmth, family and friendships. Don't just think recipes - think of a beautiful book for yourself, or a gift to share with those you care for...or also a nice gift to give to friends or clients for that special occasion. I highly recommend.

I really enjoyed this book. The recipes are fantastic and unique
-- not like what you'd find in a traditional cookbook. This is
southern-style charm at its best. It's kind of like your own
grandmother wrote a book to pass on her recipes and wisdom.

I now plan on buying a few more to give to friends for
Christmas(maybe I can encourage my family to try some new
desserts for Xmas) since the book makes a nice coffee table-type
gift as well as a dessert book.

I have purchased this book as a gift item for 10 of my closest friends and relatives. Yes, it is a cookbook and we all have more than enough cookbooks. However, I doubt many people will ever even use it in the kitchen. This book is beautifully done, and I mean beautifully. The front cover is awesome and looks great sitting on my coffee table. I have another one sitting upright on a plate holder in my china hutch. I have more people notice the book than the [expensive] plates in the hutch. Each person I have given it to has loved it. The most frequent comment has been "I've never seen anything quite like it." It's an original. I highly recommend it as a gift, or for your own enjoyment.

Most of the suggestions from the book seem reasonable to me as a means to improve blood sugar. The main problem with the book is that is dated and in need of an update. For example the book says that Splenda would be very hard to find which is hardly the case anymore and does not mention newer products such a PGX for blood sugar control. Otherwise most of the suggestions are probably valid. I would have given 5 stars but for the out of date issue.

I was surprised by the simple straight forward approach to the problems that must be addressed to live well with diabetes. This book contains clear sound approaches to nutrition, life style and overall health issues related to the diabetic condition.

After hunting through many diabetic books for a gift for a friend of mine, I finally chose this one. My friend called me immediately and said it was the best gift she had ever received -she had read it backwards and forwards and had even highlighted it. She said it was extremely helpful (she is dealing with her diabetes naturally after experiencing prescription side effects) and is putting it's advice and recipes to use daily.

This book was a quick and easy but valuable read.
It addresses diabetes in understandable terms, explains the glycemic index, discusses nutrition (diet), excersise, and the useful addition of nutritional supplements in the diabetic diet.
It notes a group of what the author defines as 'Super Foods' which can have profound positive bearing on the diabetic status, and includes a small selection of recipes.
The book also contains a very useful section that address 25 different sweeteners; basic and comparative information I have sought after for some time - all nicely compiled in one place.

I feel the information provided in this book on nutritional supplements, sweeteners and 'Super Foods' make it a valuable resource for anyone with diabetes or anyone responsible for providing meals for diabetics.

This is one of the best books for the introduction in Computer (Literacy, MIS, CS, IT, etc) and my choice textbook.

Great if you know nothing about computers. Easy to read and understand.
Great as a refresher if you DO know something about computers, you may even learn something new

Not a lot of depth in any one subject but a great overview. I'm using it to teach an Introduction to IT class to undergrad students.

I have used and continue to use this textbook as the core text for a computer/info tech and society course I teach to community college students. The text is up-to-date (revised yearly), informative, well illustrated, and extremely well supported by the publisher through supplementary teaching, learning and testing materials and website support. My students are initially horified at the price but, as the semester continues, realize that it is actually a bargain and, by the end of the course, many have told me that they have found it to be a valuable addition to their personal library. I don't teach the textbook, I assign the chapters for weekly reading, test the students on the reading assignment at the beginning of class, then discuss the content and supplement it with other material which focuses on the history, development, use and consequences of information technologies. By assigning the chapters for reading and testing each week, I try to ensure that everyone is commonly prepared with the foundation knowledge required for further learning and discussion in class.

What a wonderful story! I was amazed that the author is a man. The character of Sheila Redden is so believable and your sympathy is with her even though she is about to leave her son. Ordinarily that would lose me as far as any compassion is concerned. I really enjoy Mr. Moore's style of writing and plan on reading all of his other books.

Wonderfully romantic reading, but not sappy or "unreal"......I loved this book from page one until the end.........a woman's awakening to her life. Highly recommend it.

Wow! What a book! I don't usually read romance novels, and I'm still unsure as to what compelled me to buy this one. But whatever the reason, I'm glad I did!

Had someone handed me this book to read, stripped of its cover thus leaving me no clue as to whom had written it, never in a million years would I have guessed the author to be a man!
Brian Moore should be commended for his impressive ability at bringing to life the totally believable female character portrayed in this book. Few male writers can successfully execute on paper such a vivid and candid depiction of a middle-aged woman in turmoil--the revealing of her innermost thoughts about herself and the world around her as she grapples with the sensitive issues of aging and sexuality.

Anticipating her husband's arrival in France to celebrate their second honeymoon, Sheila Redden dreams of rekindling the passions and excitement once present in their stale, sixteen-year marriage. However, disillusioned by his many excuses for not showing up to meet her, Sheila soon becomes painfully aware that her husband's busy schedule with tending patients takes precedence over her happiness. Lonely and deeply hurt, Sheila does what I guess many emotionally-neglected wives would do--she has an affair. I don't think that she intentionally went out looking to get laid--it was just something that happened quite naturally given the vulnerable state of mind she was in at the time. What starts out as a seemingly innocent enough chat with a handsome young American in a Paris diner, suddenly magnifies into something far more serious. Riddled with guilt, yet driven by the desire to walk away from her loveless marriage in favor of a more independent life, Sheila confesses to her husband (over the phone!) that she is in love with another man. What follows Sheila's confession is an unexpected train of events that will drastically change the lives of all of those she touches.

As I've said before--Wow! What a book! This is one of those
'once upon a time' fairy tale romances, but one in which no one at the end rides off into the sunset happily ever after.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to just kick back and enjoy a good ole' fashioned, brilliantly-written romance novel. But be forewarned--some of the lovemaking scenes are quite explicit.

TWO THUMBS UP FOR THIS THOROUGHLY ENJOYABLE NOVEL!

Smart, quiet, shy, too tall, Sheila had never been on her own. She went from dependence on her parents to dependence on a husband. After 15 years of marriage, a long-planned 2nd honeymoon sets into motion the chain of events which leads her away from her safe, ordered, boring existence, and awakens a desire for autonomy.

Moore's cool, precise, detached prose steers the reader through an emotional storm. If anything, this coolness enhances the intensely erotic scenes in the story. As always with Brian Moore, the tale seems to be driven by its own internal workings, and the personalities of its characters. Yet the ending is neither staid nor predictable. You will not be able to put this book down easily, or to put it out of your mind until long after you have finished reading it.

What a great story - dogs from actual paintings in the National Gallery in London having one night a year, "special night out" to run around free in the Gallery.....and then get mixed up and go back in the wrong paintings. My kids LOVE this book - it sets their minds racing! And hey, next time you're in London, why not take your kids to check out the paintings? (And see if the dogs are back where they belong!) This is a fantastic book... everyone (not just dog-lovers and lovers of art)will enjoy it.

There are so few kids books that make both the parent and child feel the wink of knowing what is going on while characters in the story do not. This is one of those rare rare books that succeeds on so many levels - the story unfolds visually and in the text as you gather what is going on. You aren't told - the dogs jump out of the paintings. You infer it. You aren't told the dogs re-enter the wrong paintings. You see it as various museum patrons react to the strangeness of paintings they thought they knew. And how wonderful is it to introduce grand masterpieces to kids in a way that is so much fun! My daughter loved this book, insisted we go to the art museum afterward and find dogs in other paintings. She imagined what would happen if other animals jumped off paintings and secretly partied after hours in the museum. 'Cats night out' 'Horses Night Out', etc. Run and get this book. You will be delighted.

The dogs come out of the paintings in the museum one night a year for a party. One year the remnants of a human cocktail party lead them to eat too much food and wine, and when it is time to crawl back into their paintings for another year there is a grand mixup. The paintings are real ones from the National Gallery in London. Great book. We loved it!

With 7 grandchildren, I'm always on the look out for suitable reading matter for them. Today I found a really nice book for the age group 5 to 9yrs. Dogs' Night by Meredith Hooper, fits all the requirements.

The story is set in an art museum : One night of the year, all the dogs in the paintings, jump down and have a high old time, running riot in the museum, when the staff and the public have left. This time things were just a little different! The museum hosted an art lovers function and the dogs had to wait until it was over, before they could escape their paintings and have a good time doing the things dogs do. The humans hadn't cleared away the left overs, so the dogs ate, and drank *fizzy drinks*. When it was time for them to go back into their pictures, 4 of them ended up in the wrong ones! The dog from Jan van Eyck's Painting *The Portrait of Giovanni Arnolfini and his Wife, Giovnna Cenami* a cute hairy little beast, ends up in Gainsborough's *Mr & Mrs.Andrews. Their dog, a brown hunting dog with a white muzzle, goes to visit *Madame de Pompadour* by Francois-Hubert Drouais. Her cute little black dog with a wavy tail, finds itself down by the river in *Bathers at Asnieres* by Georges-Pierre Seurat! So...that leaves the red dog with the floppy ears from the Bathers, in the bedroom of the Arnolfini family!

Their mistake is discovered first by a little girl and then by the public. At first the Gallery staff think there is a theft, but realize that the paintings are the originals, with some very odd changes made. The media and the general public flock to the Gallery and it becomes the most popular one in the world.

A year later...it's Dogs' Night again. All the dogs in the Gallery paintings leave their pictures and run around madly doing dog things, but this time there is no *fizzy drink* to muddle them up. When it's time to climb back into the pictures, they all manage to end up in their original paintings. No one knows how it's happened...except the Dogs!

I thoroughly recommend this little book. The story is clever and well told in easy language. The illustrations are enchanting.Reproductions of the original art work have been used with permission from the National Gallery in London. It's a nice way to get kids interested in Art, even if it is looking to find the *dog* in the picture.

I'd give it a 5! Oh...and my *soon to be 5* granddaughter will have it under the tree waiting for her Christmas morning!

Vickie Bowman..Callahan's Saloon at Delphi.com.

Easy to use and carry with all of the pertinent information needed to Rx antibiotics. Well researched and up to date.

This is an amazingly useful and easy to use book! Unlike most other antibiotic guides this one gives you all the information you need when a patient with an infection is in front of you in the office. Not only the drug of choice, but useful alternative therapies, dosages (adults and children), common adverse effects and other helpful prescribing information. And it's so easy to find the infection you're looking for- since the book is arranged from anatomical top (HEENT)in the front to bottom (GU) in the back. There's a separate section for antimicrobials in addition to the one for the disease syndromes. The book fits perfectly into a lab coat (or shirt) pocket and is up to date and highly accurate. The best antibiotic guide I've seen.

A fellow medical student showed me this pocket book and I am glad I bought it. It is very easy to use and the print is readable. The best part of this book is the list of dosing for Peds. I don't have to look up the amount based on the kg of the child; its right there. Highly recommend for those of us who work or do clinical rotations in the out-patient setting.

This is an amazingly useful and easy to use book! Unlike most other antibiotic guides this one gives you all the information you need when a patient with an infection is in front of you in the office. Not only the drug of choice, but useful alternative therapies, dosages (adults and children), common adverse effects and other helpful prescribing information. And it's so easy to find the infection you're looking for- since the book is arranged from anatomical top (HEENT)in the front to bottom (GU) in the back. There's a separate section for antimicrobials in addition to the one for the disease syndromes. The book fits perfectly into a lab coat (or shirt) pocket and is up to date and highly accurate. The best antibiotic guide I've seen.