Paris

The late George W. Oakes delighted in viewing the great cities of England and Europe, and takes you on walking tours through them with the charm of an old and wise friend. He tells you when to look up, when to cross the square, what alley to turn into and gives you a chance to see the history, the architectural and the people interest you always wanted to experience in your travels. Short tours and detailed walking maps guide you along; the book is almost pocket size so I would advise taking it with you when you visit the great cities next time.

I first read a sizeablbe excerpt of this in a Playboy edition a few years back ... A young British diplomat meets a young girl on her way to a French boarding school while crossing the English Chanel on arough and story voyage .... It becomes clear imeadiately that the young girl, although innocent, is looking to learn quickly about the finer things in life and was just a little disappointed that when she arrives at the school she can not be inducted into the senior girls lesbian society until she reaches her senior year.... Our young diplomat, Jack, being fast in mind and body then sets up a plan to take the young girl and a friend,since no one can leave the chool without a chaperone, on an afternoon trip of delights by posing as her uncle Jack ... The story then takes us through the afternoon of unbelievable carnal delights deliciously written and described...... The girls were certainly learners .... The book rates five stars and is a classic in erotic literature since the events are described in a most stupendous and gentle manner. Its probably one of the most expensive books however since it is after all a short story but a well worth addition to our erotic library...

I first read a sizeablbe excerpt of this in a Playboy edition a few years back ... A young British diplomat meets a young girl on her way to a French boarding school while crossing the English Chanel on arough and story voyage .... It becomes clear imeadiately that the young girl, although innocent, is looking to learn quickly about the finer things in life and was just a little disappointed that when she arrives at the school she can not be inducted into the senior girls lesbian society until she reaches her senior year.... Our young diplomat, Jack, being fast in mind and body then sets up a plan to take the young girl and a friend,since no one can leave the chool without a chaperone, on an afternoon trip of delights by posing as her uncle Jack ... The story then takes us through the afternoon of unbelievable carnal delights deliciously written and described...... The girls were certainly learners .... The book rates five stars and is a classic in erotic literature since the events are described in a most stupendous and gentle manner. Its probably one of the most expensive books however since it is after all a short story but a well worth addition to our erotic library... BTW .... You will probably find this book published in many different vesrions and compilations check ou the review of 'Lay of the Land' by Anonymous it includes Flappers and another bonus book ...

When I first received my copy of this book from Amazon.com, I leafed through it very quickly and wasn't impressed. However, when I started actually reading it, I quickly changed my mind! It isn't a traditional guide book such as Lonely Planet, Let's Go, or Time Out (though I heartily recommend all three of those, as well), but instead is completely categorized in a very easy-to-read fashion.

The categories are divided as such: shopping, restaurants and cafes, bars, clubs, gay scene, entertainment, events, sights, body and soul (beauty and hair essentially), games for a laugh, hotels, practical information, transport, phrasebook, and maps.

But in the front, you can also look up a specific arrondissement to find out which of the above categories are included. Thus, it's extremely user-friendly, so you can check out a category for everything in Paris or just one arrondissment. But the book doesn't just list the name, address, and phone number. It also gives some information about the establishment or landmark, which is very valuable.

What was surprising is that many of the entries are not the same old ones found in most guide books! I found some off-the-wall restaurants, clubs, and record stores that I may never have found otherwise!

I wouldn't recommend this as the only guidebook to read for Paris, but for those vaguely familiar with the most beautiful city on earth, it's a wonderfully refreshing bevy of treats.

Alice B. Tolkas was born in San Francisco. She eventually left the States to live with her love Gertrude Stein in Paris. Over twenty years after Gertrude died, Alice, who mourned her loss all that time, finally joins her beloved. Both are buried in the renowned Paris Pere-Lachaise Cemetery.

However, Alice fails to catch up to Gertrude wherever she is. Instead she learns why the cemetery seems to be a haven for stray cats when she is reincarnated as a feline. She soon realizes that other famous souls buried here have been reborn as cats, but alas none are her beloved Gertrude, the only person to light her fire. All she does is pass time, eats the food brought by Ondine the Spay queen, and avoids the sorcery of some of her spookier peers. For Alice is WAITING FOR GERTRUDE to join feline heaven.

Fans who appreciate a novel that is extremely weird but humorous and satirical will enjoy the odd WAITING FOR GERTRUDE. The two paragraphs above concentrate on the title player for review convenience (moi that is). However, there are several other subplots involving famous deceased that readers will be Wilde about lighting a funeral pyre and pitying poor Abelard, etc. The story line never takes itself seriously yet paints a strong message about positive relationships are important while long term quarrels, spats and everything ugly in life is a waste of time. Part romance, part fantasy, and part satire, the Monty Python crowd will be perfect for this insane look at the afterlife.

Harriet Klausner

Excellent way to tour bohemian Paris. Gertrude Stein owned a bookstore on the Left Bank in the early 1900s, which was the heart of the literary and artistic scene. This book includes 5 great half-day walking tours of the Left Bank. Among the sites on the tour are Helen Rubenstein's mansion which she had decorated with Picassos and Van Goghs, and which was ransacked by German troups in 1940; the bars and restaurants where Ernst Hemingway hung out, and scenes which appear in "The Sun Also Rises"; and the studios and residences of Picasso, e. e. cummings, Colette, Matisse, etc., etc. Each site is described in one or more paragraphs. I highly recommend experiencing Gertrude Stein's Paris. (This book was published in 1988, and is currently out of print.)

This book is a detailed military history of the crushing of the (fairly left-wing) Commune de Paris by the loyalist troops of Monsieur Thiers' Government, March 18 to May 28, 1871, after the French surrender to Bismarck's German Empire. Kind of the French 'Civil War'.

It relates the three phases of the struggle : the withdrawal of the Army to Versailles, the Second Siege of Paris, and the final street fighting, while the Prussians were watching from the Eastern suburbs. The account is well documented with a lot of footnotes and detailed order of battle for the Versaillais Army. It also covers the debates and hesitations of Thiers' government and MacMahon's staff in Versailles. Unfortunately, there is very little about the Commune and its troops of the National Guard (admittedly, the Commune left little archive and the main leaders were shot), so this book is probably best read in conjunction with a book about the political aspects of the Commune in Paris. There is an interesting chapter about the ensuing repression, although the political consequences are not covered.

Overall, a great read, I could not drop the book once I had picked it up.

The book is not a guide but it goives a lot of useful Information. It is a pity it is so difficult to obtain. Extracts from the book can be found under the travel section of the "Telegraph Online" a newspaper in London that has over 45 web pages devoted to the pilgrimage along with a complet FAQ. Search alta Vista or Yahoo for this newspaper.

The more than 11,000 quotes in this book, consecutively numbered, are listed under 900 subject categories, as for instance Bodies, Money, etc. Within a subject category, the quotes are ordered by the year of release of the movie in which they appear.

This book provides the reader with a massive collection of motion picture quotations.

I even found myself nodding off to the peaceful words spoken by the narrator... my two young boys ask for it at bedtime. I would definitely recommend it to anyone whose children become difficult at bedtime, whether they're afraid of the dark or too wound up to sleep - just pop in the tape and watch them drift off....