Paris

One of my best friends, and as it just so happens, one of my cats, Adam, "bought" me this book for Christmas, 2001.

I think he's trying to tell me something...

I didn't have a clue what this book was about, and almost didn't read it. I'm glad I did, because once I started, I didn't stop. The Cat Who Went to Paris is now one of my favorite books.

The star of the book is Norton (sorry, Peter -- but you're a close second!), a Scottish Fold who, as his human Peter Gethers (who also happens to be the author) describes him, is "an extraordinary cat."

Cat-hater Peter receives Norton as a gift when he's still a kitten. Seeing this cute little kitten, it's ears folded over, and he's suddenly converted to cat-addict. They develope a close bond -- maybe too close. Peter takes Norton everywhere, carrying him around the streets of New York in his jacket pocket as a kitten (as Norton gets older, he gets a shoulder bag to sit in). They fly across the US to California, go on dates together, and eventually, to Paris, where he meets Roman Polanski and Harrison Ford.

The Cat Who Went to Paris is as much about Norton as it is about Peter, and we, the reader, become so close to them, we're left feeling like old friends. Over the course of the book, Peter brings us into his personal life, and most significantly, the death of his father -- something I had to read through watering eyes. It's this closeness which makes this book so incredibly powerful and enjoyable and personal.

This is a novel of life (with a cat), and all the laughter, pain and love that goes along with it. If you own a cat, snuggle up with him or her and give this a read. Trust me, you'll want your little purring friend close while reading The Cat Who Went to Paris.

The book, The cat who went to Paris was both heartfelt, and funny. It was especially wonderful because it is about a real cat, I adored this book and I think that it would be liked at many ages My favorite part in the book was when Norton, the cat, went walking around in New York in Peter Gether's pocket, Norton sounds like a great cat, and I hope that Mr. Gethers got his wish and Norton lived to be 22(that's in the second book) The part that I almost cried at was when... you'll have to read the book to find out! (Annoying huh?), and I hope you Like it! It was GREAT!

This book is one of the most delightful books I have read in the past year. It is a charming book that has heart, and I have already ordered two more of Peter's books! I highly recommend this book, even if you think you hate cats.

Since my last trip to Paris, I've been desperately searching for a great book on french patisseries. I remember looking through the windows of Fauchons and wondering if I could create some of these beautiful and tasty confections at home. This book offers some of those guarded recipes and I'll definately try them. My greatest search has been for the mouthwatering french macaroons in all the different flavors of raspberry, chocolate, coffee and a number of different ones that I had tried there. And also some of the unique and architecturally designed pastries that not only look good but tastes soooo delicious. We just don't have those patisserie's here. The sad story is that I found only one recipe for macaroons and it was the plain almond ones, there were no recipes provided by the variety I saw in the book. This book offers plenty of pictures, but not the recipes for some of them. I was very disappointed. I was also hoping for more pictures and recipes of the desserts I saw at Fauchons. But all in all it's a nice book and it does have some good recipes.

I returned to the States from my first trip to Paris in June, after only having been there a week. Definitely not long enough to try all of the delicious looking pastries in every boulangerie ou patisserie. I am still truly homesick for Paris--but this book is wonderful and full of delicious recipes. I can't wait to try almost everything in this book, the nice thing is that it shows pictures of every recipe, so there's no suprises as to what it should look like. I also suggest Paris Bistro by the same author.

I have been using this book for years and have made most recipes. All have been wonderful and are authentic. It is fun to read to!

This is standard Sheldon fare - cutthroats and graphic albeit cliche bedroom scenes. Same old story.

Set during the 1940s, this book contains all of the ususal Sheldon fare including some poor editing. An example of poor editing was in the case of a character named Israel Katz, who had an amputated leg. Early in the book, it was his right leg and later in the book, his other leg was identified as the amputeded limb. Inconsistencies like that are inexcusable.

Dramatis Personae

Catherine - a silly, starry-eyed girl who has pie in the sky hopes like her dreamer of a dad. She has a crush on a boy in her senior class and when he somehow manages to convince her to spend a night with him, she makes bizarre comments and kills off a possible conquest.

She drops out of college to work and becomes involved with one William Fraser, who is the only likable character in the book. A truly nice man, he has her interests at heart.

Larry - a cruel, indifferent man. He manages to convince Catherine to marry him instead of Fraser. He would later jilt her for one Noelle Page after making attempts on her life so he can remarry. An erratic pilot, he is sacked from several airlines and mail runs before being hired as the private pilot for a Greek tycoon.

Noelle Page - Catherine's foil; her opposite number. Noelle is a ruthless barracuda who was encouraged to believe she was born into a noble gentry. Instead, she was born in a fishing village in Paris, the daughter of another barracuda and an unknown sailor. The man she recognizes as her Papa sells her when she reaches puberty. She then goes on to seduce men and sharpen her teeth and claws.

A Greek tycoon named Constantin Demiris who bears more than a passing resemblance to Ari Onasis takes in interest in the young barracuda. He woos her after a callous pilot named Larry who jilted her.

These three lives collide. Larry supposedly kills Catherine and is executed in a trial after her disappearance; Noelle and Larry reconnect and Noelle meets a grim fate as well. A tale of revenge and excess, this one shares a place with other Sheldon novels. This is just too trashy for me.

I realize I'm blowing all credibility by admitting this, but I have always adored this book. Before he turned to penning purple prose, author Sidney Sheldon was an Academy Award winning screenwriter in the 1940's and 50's, and he not only knows how to keep a story moving, but how to milk big, melodramatic scenes and plant great twists in the plot.

Fabulous is the only word to describe this tale of lust, revenge and murder...there's even a little Nazi intrigue thrown in for good measure. Face it, most of us don't have very exciting lives, or at least they're not exciting 'round the clock. Well, not so with Sheldon's duo heroines Catherine Alexander and Noelle Page. You have the choice of identifying with either French movie star Noelle (she of the blonde hair, violet colored eyes and awe inspiring sexual technique) or spunky career gal Catherine (the sharp brunette with great legs and comebacks). Noelle is the ultimate mistress, shrewd and inscrutable, while Catherine is the ultimate wife, determined to hold her man by any means necessary.

There's always been a snag in the plot that's bothered me, though, and I've spent far too many years obsessing about it. (Do not scroll further if you haven't read the book.) Larry -- dashing, decorated pilot Larry -- meets young Noelle in WWII Paris and they have a blissful affair. When he has to ship out, he gives her money to buy a wedding dress, promising to return in a few weeks time. Needless to say, he doesn't. But if Larry had no intention of seeing Noelle again, wasn't there an easier way for him to ditch her? Raising Noelle's hopes by sending her off to buy a WEDDING DRESS makes Larry seem sadistic, when he's only supposed to be a devil-may-care type rogue. It also bugged me that when the lovers cross paths years later, Larry can't even remember luscious Noelle, or her now famous violet eyes. (The whole point about Noelle is that she's not like you or me, but unforgettable!)

Anyway, this little snafu aside, "The Other Side of Midnight" is pure, spun candy perfection. It's surprising that the 1977 movie version was so weak, because the plot is blazingly widescreen, both physically and emotionally. (The clothes, by "Mommie Dearest" costume designer Irene Sharaff, and Susan Sarandon's performance as a brisk Catherine are the best things about it.) Sarandon complained in an interview at the time that the story was only soap opera, and yet the producers were treating it as if it were Chekhov. Yes, Susie, it's soap opera...but it's the ULTIMATE soap opera, bar none! Read it and weep, then continue the spree by running to the library to check out "The Two Mrs. Grenvilles" by Dominick Dunne...

This book is awesome. Sidney Sheldon's absolute masterpiece. I've read it countless times and it grips me every time. And considering the fact that I actually saw the movie first, (which was awful) that's really saying something. I felt for Noelle. It explains why she is so cold and uncaring to men. You really get in her head. And Catherine is easy to like also. Creating empathy for two rival women is a tricky thing to do, and Sidney Sheldon delivers with a punch. He is one of the greatest novelists ever. Don't pass up this book. The part where Noelle helps her friend who is a leader of the French Resistance will keep you on edge. This book is a great ride. I can't praise it enough.

The reason I am giving this book at least 2 stars is because Bob Paris' intentions are definitely good. However the workout routine seems to be somewhat intense and a lot of work for a gym routine. I fear that most people who follow this workout will give up before they reach their goal. Compared to some more recent workout books, this one seems somewhat outdated.

I purchased this book 10 weeks ago and read it cover to cover in the days that followed. After 10 weeks of strenuous work I am finally done and I am so glad I started his program. Bob Paris is so supportive and he makes you want to go to the gym and work hard towards the body you want. His book is not like the Arnold books and other books filled with men jacked up on steroids and with 50 pages on how to flex your forearms. Instead it is a book rooted in reality where there is no need to take dangerous supplements in order to accomplish your goals. Other books like "Body For Life" base their entire program on chemicals, and for me, that was not the way I wanted to train. His book has beginner, intermediate, and advanced workouts. I chose the intermediate workout and followed it completely. This workout plan took me about an hour and a half to 2 hours to complete on average. The main thing I loved about the program is it forced me to work the whole body, not just the arms and chest like I used to find myself working before I used his program. I now work calves and abs just as often as I work bi's and chest. I made a great spread sheet with the exercises in the book and I used it each week and brought it with me to record the reps, sets, and weight for each exercise. This is the only thing the book did not include. They work great. There was also a few odd exercises like Donkey Raises and Good Mornings that the book did not explain but were mentioned in the weekly plans, but through the internet I was able to find all these exercises and the correct way to do them. Also, each week was a little different being the number of sets, reps, or exercises so I never got bored with the program. Instead I was excited to see what the next week will bring. I hope this review proved useful. If you have any questions about the book or you want me to e-mail you the day by day planner e-mail me at ollie526@aol.com

GO FROM FAT TO PHAT WITH THIS BOOK! It contains a ten-week training program for your fitness level (beginner, intermediate, or advanced). Want to look your absolute best in ten weeks? Follow the program for your level religiously and be amazed! I am 35 yrs. and wish I had this book when I started working out at 18 yrs. Then, I followed Arnold's Encyclopedia. By contrast, Paris' book focuses on putting you in the best shape possible without living in the gym and on steroids. I started several of my friends on these programs and they have had amazing results too. Do yourself a favor: buy this book and get off the net now.

P.S. Bob, who did your hair? It's perfectly puffy...even as you get out of the pool on the front cover! WOW!

'Six Armies' is a great discussion of the pre-invasion preparation before Normandy, through the beach and hedgerow fighting to the Liberation of Paris, telling the history and actions of six different armies who were involved. The amazing part to me was how he discussed the history of the US for example and smoothly flowed into their part in the war and then just as smoothly started his discussion of the history and part of the next army. In the end you have a very comprehensive discussion of the War in Europe from June through August of 1944. He discusses events such as Dieppe and the Polish Home Army siege and the previous exploits and disasters of the individual armies and tells about the unique qualities that each army had. Keegan writes in a very english/philosophical manner and therefore it is not as quick a read as some of the unit histories but is still packed full of info and action and is a very good book!

This book is an easy and enjoyable read. Keegan details several leaders involved in the Normandy Campaign, which began with the preliminary parachute assaults by the US 101st Airborne Division and ended with the "Free French" liberation of Paris. Not necessarily a "comprehensive" account of the Normandy Campaign, it details some of the highlights of lesser known British, Canadian and Polish actions with eloquence. At 360-plus pages, the maps are excellent, although the photographs are sparse, and worth the sticker-price for a Keegan classic.

Keegan is one of the foremost military historians of the present. Masterful writing and detailed analysis as in his _Six Armies at Normandy_ is one example of why he is so highly regarded in the field. Keegan examines the military build up prior to the invasion, but spends much of the book discussing the British and Canadian landings, with less attention to Utah (and much less attention to Omaha) beaches. Of particular interest was his discussion of the Polish brigades in the battle, which I had previously never heard of, and his excellent treatment of the Falaise Gap.

The only criticism I have is that it is a military history - and as such, is written in a style that may be off-putting to some. Furthermore, it is much more detailed than many books on the Second World War, which is both a boon and a burden - for those who are interested in the minutiae of the Normandy landings and the immeadiate aftermath, I cannot recommend another book more highly. For some, however, it may be a bit much, in which case I recommend "A Short History of World War II"

One of the things I really like about Judith Merkle Riley's books is that she always puts in little details that add humor, make the setting come alive, or just make the characters more human. I'm not really into writing technically analytical reviews, I just mention what I like. I liked The Oracle Glass because the mixture of humor and court intrigue is engrossing. It's a good book to while away an afternoon with. The romance in this book is a little weak to me, partly because you can see how it's going to fall out. Also, you'll have a good idea of how it's going to end halfway through, but it's interesting and likeable enough to finish. It's not rocket science, but it's fun, with some good historical touches, and it made me want to do more research on the historic event that the novel is based on.

This book is wonderful and has a flesh and blood element to it. It's about a girl who has to survive, so she uses her gift of fortune telling to earn a place to sleep and eat. Her skills scare her as they develope, and the evil people around her use her handicap to lure customers. This is all set in France, in the pre-Naploean era, the book gives a insight into a rich history of france and the super naternal going ons of the time.
I couldn't put the book down, I love all of Judith Merkle Rilyes books. The Oracle Glass sort of makes this bound between you and the heroine. In real life not everyone is beatiful, and what I like about this book is that the heroine finds an alternative skill to better her life.

Judith Merkle Riley is one of the best writerrs of historical fiction working today.
As an historian, I am always impressed by Riley's ability to recreate the feeling of a period. The Oracle Glass does a wonderful job of re-creating the world of seventeenth-century Paris where magic and science were uneasy bedfellows.

The story focuses on Genevieve, a young girl who pretends to be an aged crone (very aged---she admits to being well over a 100!). Genevieve works for the famed witch, Catherine Montvoisin but she is also a follower of the new philosophy (science).
Underneath the persona of an aged wise woman and fortune teller, Genevieve remains a young girl. And like all young girls, she is in love---first with a conceited fop and then, finally (!) with a man who is her intellectual equal and who loves her more than he loves himself.

This is the kind of book which you will love to read late at night (preferably a cold winter's night). There is a touch of the supernatural in the story---but it is Riley's mastry of the romance novel which really makes this book great reading for late at night!

Thad Carhart has written a charming story about his love-affair with the piano which should appeal to both amateur and professional musicians. An ex-patriot American writer raising a family in a more remote corner of Paris' Left Bank, he daily passes a quaint piano shop while taking his children to school.Curiosity leads him inside, only to be abruply dismissed by the grumpy owner. A later attempt fares better, when he is be-friended by Luc, the younger man in position to take over the business. He politely informs Carhart that to do do business with them he needs an introduction from one of their customers! As startling as this seems to Americans reading this slim volume, it sets the stage for more than just buying a used piano from a venerable old Paris shop: it proves an introduction into a totally different Parisian way of doing business. Carhart is gradually drawn into Luc's workshop where pianos of all ages and condition repose, waiting to be drawn back to life. Carhart is seduced by the stories the instruments have to tell, and by Luc's uncanny ability to revive them to play again for a new generation. How Carhart finds his own instrument will warm the hearts of all pianists. A long list of characters float in and out of the shop, including a burly delivery man who casually plays a piece by Couperin (standing up!) while waiting to finish his business, to the strange young Dutchman who tunes for Luc, and spends his nights sleeping in railway coaches at various Paris train stations. The story contains alot of technical information about pianos that most professional pianists should know (but probably don't!), and it should prove interesting for others who know little about the actual workings of the instrument. There is a charming restraint about the work, especially about getting to know people slowly and letting the personal information about themselves mature along with the friendship. It proves a valuable insight into the daily life of Parisians, and explains many of the stereotypes about the French being cold to outsiders. All you need in an introduction!

Luc is the central figure in this story of the pursuit of excellence within the microcosm of pianos and piano lovers. He runs a workshop where old pianos are restored and sold. By weaving together the tales of Luc's clientele and his own story of renewing interest in playing the piano for pleasure, Carhart depicts life in the small Latin Quarter neighborhood in which he lives. He expatiates on piano construction, the preferences of Chopin and Liszt, his piano teachers, falling in love with a small grand piano, parties in the shop on Friday nights, music wafting in his office window, piano tuning, and the Schola Cantorum, which teaches students to learn for the joy of playing. Such commentary on the piano and its players and lovers captures the essence of a slower kind of Parisian life, in which people stop to hear impromptu concerts filling a street from an open window. Curl up with this book on a sunny afternoon and observe the denizens of this melodious corner of Paris.

Thank you, Thad, for so beautifully capturing the vast range of emotions that pianos stir in their aficionados. What a gem! This book will become a classic, just like the classic pianos that mysteriously show up and pass through Luc's atelier. I greatly enjoyed Thad's command of language, his keen and affectionate observations of his French collegues (only in France would Thad be viewed as an American, in any other culture a person with such an in-depth understanding of the culture and fluency of language would have been adopted as a local), and the manner in which he conveys the feelings pianos evoke in him. I also enjoyed the growing familiarity between Thad and Luc and the evolution of humour in their discourses. And despite the tragedy of the situation, had to laugh when Thad - with utmost sensitivity - points out how the unfortunate alcoholic Jos would wake up in train stations across France.
My preferred piano is the Sauter - I love the warmth and richness of its song - and most generously my mother gave me the piano that once brought much joy to dad. Just like Thad observes so well, one is often greatly attached to a particular instrument because a loved one who has since passed on used to play it. And hearing music come alive again, music that was once played by someone who no longer is alive, can cause strong emotions to surface. Shortly after my father passed on I attended an Evgeny Kissin (sp?) concert, and when EK started playing one of my father's favorite Chopin pieces, I could no longer control myself ... (I guess in a quiet concert hall you just try and quietly blow into a handkerchief). I also remember piano lessons I took as a child in France, and reading Thad's desciptions brought back memories. The teacher I had back then was not as gifted as some other ones in other countries at drawing out my enthusiasm for this wonderful instrument. Thad's logic when looking for an appropriate teacher for his children made a lot of sense.
The Piano Shop on the Left Bank is a most evocative book and a must-have for anyone who is affected by the sounds of a piano as well as the beauty of language.

In his semi-autobiographical work "Down & Out in Paris and London", Orwell first takes us to Paris in the late 1930's where the narrator (who bears a striking resemblance to Orwell) is living in squalid hotels and desperately trying to get by. Unable to find work as a writer, he gets jobs in hotels and restaurants, working long hours as a plongeur/dishwasher. His accounts of what occurs in the kitchens and back rooms of fine dining establishments make one think twice about dining out. The narrator shares accounts of others he meets living a similar life and how they survive by continually pawning their belongings to buy scraps of food. In the second part of the book, the narrator, sick of life in Paris and longing for the familiarity of Britain, moves back to London to begin a job. The job does not begin immediately so he spends time as a tramp moving from shelter to shelter. The system and policies of these shelters was very enlightening.

I personally enjoyed the Paris part of the book more than the London part. The writing in "Down & Out in Paris and London" is simple yet wonderful and sharp. It is a relatively easy read and highly informative. As you read the book you begin to understand what it must be like to live a life of poverty.

I don't recall what possessed me to buy George Orwell's Down and Out in Paris and London after reading no Orwell since 1984 (which I read in 1987). It was probably one of the online recommendations, and if so, a very good one it was. As a young man, educated but out of work, Orwell found himself in Paris with frightfully little money. Thus began his adventures through the Paris slums and the shady underside of life there.

This was not, apparently, an attempt on Orwell's part to go out and discover how the other half lives. It is not discipline but rather simple helplessness that sometimes forced him to go days without food, to pawn virtually everything he owned for a paltry few coins, and to live in desperation. Likewise, when work came, it was by necessity that he worked the hideously long hours at menial work in order to earn a living. So it was with at least in part the eye of the truly poor that he put to print what he experienced there. In true Orwell style, he manages to find the story in everyone he meets, and his powers of observation are exceptional.

When he manages to make it back to London, the book enters its second half. I found the London portion less insightful and entertaining. Learning that his waiting job is postponed a month, Orwell becomes a tramp, and travels through the various lodging houses and what passed for shelters in 1930's London. It was here that the text also becomes a bit dated and colloquial. Whereas in the Paris portion, presumably the dialogues have been translated from French into Standard English, in the London portion Orwell mimics street talk: "Want a kip? That'll be a 'og, guv'nor." I've always thought this sort of thing just slows down the reading, does nothing for the story, and contributes to the inferiority of traditional English literature (American too, I'm not being a snob here). I also found the London bit more depressing and the characters less colorful and less sympathetic.

Actually, this is a point on which Orwell's future political leanings start to show. If his portrayals of some of these characters are correct, then I wouldn't want half of them working for me, either. A little professionalism, or just lack of criminal intent, can go a long way. Nonetheless, this book is meant more as a travelogue to the slums than as a deep analysis of societal problems. As entertainment, it is first rate, and as a look at a real aspect of life for many, it is a bit dated, but still first rate.

This 1933 book is an enjoyable, informative, humorous book, based on Orwell's actual experiences. The book portrays the pressures in the lives of impoverished people, oppressed by the systems existing in 1930s Europe, in the daily ordeal of trying to get by and survive, working long hours on low wages or unemployed, many of them going hungry.

On page 5, Orwell sets out his mission statement for the book: 'Poverty is what I'm writing about.'

-----

1. (Chapters 1-8) The book portrays the lives of the poor in 1930s Paris, living in shabby bug-infested accommodation, desperately trying to find work and then eke out a living working long hours, to pay their rent and avoid starvation.

(page 3) 'The Paris slums are a gathering-place for eccentric people - people who have fallen into solitary, half-mad grooves of life and given up trying to be normal or decent. Poverty frees them from ordinary standards of behaviour, just as money frees people from work. Some of the lodgers in our hotel lived lives that were curious beyond words.'

(page 16) '...For, when you are approaching poverty, you make one discovery which outweighs some of the others. You discover boredom and mean complications and the beginnings of hunger, but you also discover the great redeeming feature of poverty: the fact that it annihilates the future. Within certain limits, it is actually true that the less money you have, the less you worry. ...'

-----

2. (Chapters 9-23) The book portrays aspects of life working in the hotel and restaurant business in Paris, where Orwell worked for a time as a plongeur alongside his friend Boris: first, a month in the foul kitchens of the up-market Hotel Lotti; second, a fortnight at the newly opened, badly run and down-market Auberge de Jehan Cottard in '....an atmosphere of muddle, petty spite and exasperation', a job he left with great relief.

(page 78, on the Hotel X) 'Roughly speaking, the more one pays for food, the more sweat and spittle one is obliged to eat with it. ... Dirtiness is inherent in hotels and restaurants, because sound food is sacrificed to punctuality and smartness... The only food at the Hotel X which was ever prepared cleanly was the staff's...'.

(page 114, on the state of the kitchen at the newly opened Auberge) 'Looking round that filthy room, with raw meat lying among the refuse on the floor, and cold, clotted saucepans sprawling everywhere, and the sink blocked and coated with grease, I used to wonder whether there could be a restaurant in the world as bad as ours. But the other three all said they had been in dirtier places.'

-----

3. (Chapters 24-38 - chapters apparently written much later than the Paris material, after a shorter book on the Paris material alone had been rejected by several publishers) The focus of the book switches to England. Orwell gives up his job at the Auberge and returns to London, only to find that a new job promised him through a friend, of caring for an imbecile, was delayed a month. Almost penniless, and rather than seeking out alternative work for that month, the Orwell in the book (the chronology has been altered in fact) decides to adopt the life of a tramp for a month. He lives in 'spikes' (one night accommodation for tramps) and in lodging houses, among the poor and the down-and-outs of southern England, trudging from place to place mainly in the company of an Irish tramp, Paddy. Orwell observes in detail the lives of English tramps in the 1930s ('...the most docile, broken-spirited creatures imaginable...'). He continues this impoverished life for that long month, until Orwell's carer job finally materialises.

(page 149, the morning after Orwell is let out of his first tramps' accommodation, or 'spike') 'How sweet the air does smell - even the air of a back-street in the suburbs - after the shut-in, subfaecal stench of the spike!'

(page 152, on Paddy the tramp, Orwell's pal) 'He had two subjects of conversation, the shame and come-down of being a tramp, and the best way of getting a free meal.'

(page 158) 'Paddy and I had scarcely a wink of sleep, for there was a man near us who had some nervous trouble, shell-shock perhaps, which made him cry out 'Pip!' at irregular intervals. It was a loud, startling noise, something like the toot of a small motor-horn. You never knew when it was coming, and it was a sure preventer of sleep. ...he must have kept ten or twenty people awake every night. He was an example of the kind of thing that prevents one from ever getting enough sleep when men are herded as they are in these lodging houses.'

(p.168) '[Bozo] avoided religious charities, however, for he said that it stuck in his throat to sing hymns for buns...'.

(p.215, end) 'My story ends here. It is a fairly trivial story, and I can only hope that it has been interesting in the same way as a trivial diary is interesting. ...At present I do not feel I have seen more than the fringe of poverty.
'Still, I can point to one or two things I have definitely learned by being hard up. I shall never again think that all tramps are drunken scoundrels, nor expect a beggar to be grateful when I give him a penny, nor be surprised if men out of work lack energy, nor subscribe to the Salvation Army, nor pawn my clothes, nor refuse a handbill, nor enjoy a meal at a smart restaurant. That is a beginning.'

-----

Generally: This is a simple and straightforward, interesting and informative book to read, with short chapters. The book is not quite perfect (e.g. weak humour in some places, and a partly illogical rant in Chapter 22), but the book is well worth reading. It might put the reader off eating in cafes and restaurants, however.

If you enjoyed this book, you might wish to read Orwell's observations on the lives of ordinary working people in north England in the 1930s, written in a similar style, 'The Road to Wigan Pier.' (1937).

I expected, because of Rick Steve's reputation as a budget traveler, more tricks on good deals. I found better tips in Fodor's book of Paris. Actually, the Fodor's book was better overall in terms of descriptions, a quick historical explanation, and opinions on personal experiences.

Rick Steve's Paris book does have a few good tips, but little or nothing that I didn't get from Fodor's. The book also is contradictory to his website. In the book, it says not to bother booking a trip yourself, but to go with a travel agent (I looked into this, but the agent wanted $1000 more, and offered a lesser hotel!). On the website, it suggests looking for deals yourself online.

I found the book to be a little too self-promoting, suggesting you buy additional items of his, either more travel guides or actual tours, or travel gear. I disliked the feeling I was being pitched to.

There are, as others have noted, political references. And the museum guide, while written in language accessible even to the most novice of art-visitors, does have some strange, off-color remarks.

It's not a terrible book, but there are far better books that give more information and offer more venues for finding bargains and saving time.

The one thing I did appreciate about the book were the frank explanations of what is not worth bothering to see. There's a ton to see in Paris and you can't see it all. Many tour books list all attractions, describe them all as wonderful, and you don't know which ones are best to see.

Overall, though, the Fodor's book is far superior. I wouldn't really recommend this book for anything more than taking a peek at it while in the bookstore, or borrowing it from the library.

One of the great things about travel is the chance to get away from the pounding of ordinary, everyday life. It's something that can be universally loved and shared, despite whatever other differences we may have. Put a Michigan fan and an Ohio State fan in a football stadium and they're bitter rivals....put them thousands of miles away in a far-off destination and they're fellow Midwesterners.

Rick Steves is a fine travel writer. The Paris 2004 book, like Rick's other books, is a must have for anybody looking for the best deals, the hidden gems, and the keys to a memorable leisure trip without breaking the bank. His museum reviews are outstanding and insightful. And he's careful to pick out the hotels, restaurants, and sights that will appeal to his kind of reader. In short, he does a great job of separating the wheat from the chaff.

But he sprinkles all of his writings with pithy, often bitter, and sometimes smarmy political quips. Now, a reader's attitudes about such things are probably going to be largely determined by the degree to which they agree with Rick's points of view (he's a liberal). Agree with him and you'll probably nod approvingly, disagree with him and you'll probably find yourself slightly and unexpectedly (not to mention needlessly) offended.

My question to Rick: why? You're not Al Franken or Ann Coulter. If we were looking for some sort of critique of government policy, there are plenty of places to get it. And, indeed, if you wanted to write such a book, I'd encourage you to do so. At least buyers would know what they were getting. But a travel book? I'm looking for a good hotel and a memorable bite to eat...not some sort of out-of-place editorial.

We've got enough to divide us in this day and age. Can't something as fun, rewarding, and unifying as travel be free of that kind of stuff?

I just returned from a solo trip to Paris. I used Rick Steves guide exclusively to plan my agenda prior to the trip and as a helpful guide along the way.

Expect to find good tips about how/what to pack, restaurants, walking tours, history, etc..without a lot of boring and extraneous background. If you are on a limited time table and want to make the most of your vacation, get this book!

In my travels in Paris, I often saw American tourists with this book tucked into their bag, or their nose pressed into its pages, reading the history of the site we were at. I was amazed at its popularity.

I did not follow hotel recommendations as prescribed by the book because I got a package deal, but based on the accuracy of the other information contained within, I wouldn't hesitate to try one of Rick's recommendations next trip.

Another great feature of this book is its size. It fit right into my rainjacket pocket and wasn't very heavy. Eyewitness guides fail in that regard, as well as not being budget-conscious. When you do as much walking around in Paris as one must, this is a key consideration.

Once there was an old hobo named. The hobo lived under a bridge in Paris,France. One day the hobo went to the brige and he found three children and their dog. Then the hobo left the bridge. When he was leaving he saw the children cring.They wanted him to stay.He left but,soon came back.He realize thathe loved the children.Then the hobo got a job and a home for his family. The End... I give this book 5 stars. I really enjoyed this book. I recommend this book to be read to young children. The End...

"The Family Under the Bridge" is a book about a hobo. And in the beginning the hobo is mean and lives by himself under a bridge in Paris. And one day 3 red headed children come by and they stay under the bridge with the hobo until their mom comes back but the hobo doesn't like the homeless children nor their mother. He tells them to leave this is my bridge, and their mom says no it's not the bridge doesn't belong to anyone and he says "this woman has pride and pride and life under the bridge don't mix". Then when their mom went to work he gave them some of his food and when their mom came back she said " don't take his food we are not beggars I have a descent job at the laundry mat. And they said to the hobo "why are you letting us stay under you bridge" and he said " because I am a soft hearted tramp and then they asked why he let them eat his food and he said because he is a stupid soft-hearted tramp. Then he let them go with him to Halles one day and they sang for money and they used it for pancakes.
Then one day 2 women came by and said they would put the children in a home and their mom in jail. So the hobo took them to his friend said they could stay with them she was a gypsy and Suzy met Tinka and taught her letters and Paul played with the boys. The ending was really sweet.

"The Family Under the Bridge" is a book about a hobo. And in the beginning the hobo is mean and lives by himself under a bridge in Paris. And one day 3 red headed children come by and they stay under the bridge with the hobo until their mom comes back but the hobo doesn't like the homeless children nor their mother and he says leave this is my bridge and their mom says no it's not the bridge doesn't belong to anyone and he says "this woman has pride and pride and life under the bridge don't mix". Then when their mom went to work he gave them some of his food and when their mom came back she said " don't take his food we are not beggars I have a descent job at the laundry mat. And they said to the hobo "why are you letting us stay under you bridge" and he said " because I am a soft hearted tramp and then they asked why he let them eat his food and he said because he is a stupid soft-hearted tramp. Then he let them go with him to Halles one day and they sang for money and they used it for pancakes.
Then one day 2 women came by and said they would put the children in a home and their mom in jail. So the hobo took them to his friend said they could stay with them she was a gypsy and Suzy met Tinka and taught her letters and Paul played with the boys. The ending was really sweet.