Paris

Erica Jane Schuder English 385, Section 5 Clemson University December 7 , 2000

Bemelmans, Ludwig. Madeline's Rescue. New York: Viking Press, 1953. One day, Madeline, the smallest and most daring girl in a French boarding school, falls in the river and a dog, Miss Genevieve, comes to her rescue. Each girl in the school adores Miss Genevieve when she comes to live with the girls. The headmasters unfortunately find the dog in the girls' room during an inspection and Miss Genevieve must leave. After a long search for the dog with no results, the girls return home disappointed, and to their surprise, Genevieve shows up with a new litter of puppies for the girls to share. The whole book intrigues and keeps attention because of the way Bemelmans has designed the images and pictures. The book itself relies on the illustrations that accompany the text. Starting with the title page, the title shown in large letters at the top of the page. The author and illustrator's names appear smaller at the bottom of the page. The first and last pages of the book show a picture of the girls' school in a frame, as if we were looking in from the outside. The frame around the outside focuses attention on the center of the page. Bemelmans uses yellow backgrounds with people and objects drawn in black outlines for of the book. Yellow contrasts well with the black used in the outlines, and this makes yellow a good bright background color. A couple of the pages have other brighter colors. These pages have darker, deep blues and reds. They are used for the sad times in the story, like when Madeline falls in the river and is sick and when the girls are looking for the lost dog. One full-page picture in the book centers on a part of the story when Madeline jokingly, falls in the river, and the dog first comes to her rescue. The whole story actually begins at this exciting event. The words and their placement in the book also have an important position in the story. All the words run along the bottoms of the page, where the eyes naturally read. The sentences all flow together because of their placement. The story does not become choppy, as if the words jumped all over the pages. Also, the words rhyme, which makes the story more fun and natural to read. At one point in the story, the words do not rhyme: at the introduction of Miss Genevieve. Maybe the author is trying to point out the introduction of another main character. The reader should realize that special attention should be brought to this detail. All together, the words and illustrations in the book work together to make a natural, flowing, fun story. They help to point out the importance of certain events in the story.

Madeline's Rescue is about a little girl named Madeline who lives in a shelter with 12 other girls. She was not afraid of anything until one day she fell in the water, and a dog jumped in and saved her. They decided to keep the dog and name it Genevieve. And the struggles in this story teach kids to stand up for what they believe in even if other people think that you are wrong. Its for kids about 3-7 because its just one of the many wonderful children's books that is a great bedtime story because it never gets old!

If you were to walk up to the first person you met on the street and asked, "Are you familiar with the works of Mr. Ludwig Bemelmans?", you would probably get a funny stare. If, however, you were to walk up to another person on the street and said, "In an old house that was covered with vines lived twelve little girls in two straight lines", you might still get a funny stare but at least they might be familiar with darling "Madeline". Though its author hasn't received much interest over the years, the Madeline books have garnered a great deal of love from many members of the literary world. And of these, the only Caldecott winner was "Madeline's Rescue".

Just as they do every day, the little girls attending a French boarding school (run by the pleasant nun Miss Clavel) take a walk across the Seine. On one day in particular, however, the feisty Madeline (who beyond her near drowning gets short shift in this book) falls into the river and nearly drowns. Thanks to a plucky mongrel nearby, Madeline lives and the dog is adopted by the school. To the dismay of the students, however, several trustees coming for an annual inspection are chagrined that such a dog (a mixed-breed undoubtedly) would be allowed to live in one of their schools. Genevieve (for such is the dog's name) is cruelly turned out into the streets and it's up to the girls to rescue their faithful pup.

The book is ostensibly for children, but I suspect it is far more loved by Paris-adoring adults. As the little girls search for their doggy they walk about a variety of well known Parisien sights. Here they search amongst the patrons of the trendy Deux Magots. Yonder you can see them in a breathtaking search across Le Pere-Lachaise. I ask you, in what other picture book are you likely to see a full quote on Oscar Wilde's tomb (not to mention nods to Chopin, Moliere, Balzac, and more)? Bemelmans has a lovely lilting ear for his own prose as well. Just consider the line...

"Miss Genevieve, noblest dog in France,
You shall have your VEN-GE-ANCE!"

You just can't beat it. On top of that are some wonderful illustrations. Though most of the book is black on white with yellow, there is always the occasional full page spread that is deftly colored in deep greens and dark blues. On the whole, there is much to love in this book. Beloved for more than fifty years now, it shall continue to be just as loved for centuries to come.

I love Sandra. No one has put in as much legwork as she in finding smaller spots, (perhaps that are marketed mainly to other Europeans) that are in the middle of everything and are reasonably priced. I have used this book twice, and (GASP) I gave it to my mother to use! Everything worked out splendid. If Sandra says a price and location in her book is as good as it gets, believe her. If some decry that her cheap sleeps are not so cheap anymore, this may have to do with the fact that Europe in general is reaching dollar parity with the U.S. Let the reader blame the tanking U.S. dollar for the fact he can't stay in Paris for 22$ a night anymore. I guess I have reached an age where I do not want glitz, or fashionable place anymore. What has become important is little of what the Irish call 'craic' and some measure of authenticity. When Sandra says the owner is delighful, or a quintessential Frenchman, she aint kidding. And believe me, you will remember the little things of your trip, such as what Sandra can lead you to, then the big things. Use her book without reservation!

To the reader in Michigan: stop dissing Sandra Gustafson. She's entitled to congratulate herself a little for all her good work!

The title _is_ misleading, but the book is very helpful for anyone looking for a good, reasonably-priced hotel.

The thing about this guide is the quality of the research. General guidebooks don't really devote a great deal of effort to tracking down the best hotel deals, even though accommodation is the largest expense on holiday, while other Paris hotel guides seem to concentrate more on old-world charm than simply finding a nice room at a good price - which is Cheap Sleeps' forte.

The descriptions are very detailed and she finds some wonderful, but heroically obscure, hotel choices. I stayed at one which offered simply fantastic value for money, yet was listed nowhere else. The book more than paid for itself in the first night. If you're going to Paris, you'd be mad not to buy it.

Cheap Sleeps in Paris is wonderful.

When I travel in the states, I usually go away for a long weekend, and I'm able to take advantage of weekend rates at hotel chains I know. It doesn't take much know how to get a good room in a Hilton, for example. We have lots of companies that try to keep up a consistent level of quality, and rooms tend to be pretty much the same in different cities.

But in Paris, that strategy doesn't work. My stays are longer, and I just can't afford to spend 8 nights in the same kind of place I'd choose here in the US. Most of the hotels in Paris are small and ideosyncratic. It's not just that there are differences from hotel to hotel -- there are even differences from room to room within the same place. The quality of your experience depends more upon the individuals running a specific hotel than it does here in the states, where there are companies that try to maintain a culture of quality that you can count on in different cities. In Paris you're often dealing with someone who owns and operates one hotel, and the quality of the place depends a lot on that person's attitude.

I found Gustafson's book to be very helpful. I went to Paris twice last year. The first time I didn't use her book, and I got an awful place in a marginal neighborhood and I wasn't able to dial out with my laptop (which I need to do for work), despite the fact that the hotel's web site said that I could. "Oh, you need an executive suite for that, they cost 3 times as much, and they're all full."

The second time I did use this book, and I got a place in a much nicer neighborhood, for 2/3 the cost, with a very comfortable bed and very nice bath with shower. And I could actually dial out with my laptop. That doesn't sound like much, but I had a very hard time finding a place that would let me do that. Although it's not a focus of Cheap Sleeps, she does mention a few places that are net friendly, and that was important to me. Most people will obviously have other priorities. But I believe this book will help them as well.

I've just requested another reservation at the same place for the fall. I've read some reviews here that complain about the places not being cheap enough. My room will be $68/night, in the 16th (ie., a yuppie neighborhood), on a quiet street, and it comes with a nice bath, shower, and television with cable. Not to mention the all important phone jack. I know the Franc is weak now, but when I compare that to what I pay in New York, San Francisco, London, LA, or what I'd have to pay here in Chicago, it seems pretty cheap to me.

The important thing, though, is that it's not so cheap that you wouldn't want to stay there.

Here's the bottom line: how much are you spending on your trip to Paris? This book is cheap. It will probably make a real difference in the quality of your trip; I know it did for me. If not, what are you out, compared to what you're spending already?

In this most paradoxical of all novels, Destiny takes revenge on the ungrateful cousin Bette, eptihome of ugliness of soul. Wonderful tale of unfaithfulness, deception, betrayal and lust, as well as hatred, set in middle Nineteenth century Paris, in the world of high finance and politics. The Hulots are a wealthy family. Hortense is Bette's cousin, who has made a fortunate marriage (to Bette's beloved, though). Hortense is good to her cousin, bringing her to live with them in a beautiful house. The Hulots are good to her, but she only wants revenge. And so, she tries with all her might to destroy the family. She has many chances to do it, because the Hulots are flawed, especially the men, who are womanizers of the highest sort. Intrigue is Bette's favorite sport, intrigue with meanness and cruelty. But no good comes from bad deeds, and life, the always ironic life, will not allow Bette's deeds to accomplish her revenge. She does accomplish much evil and disgrace, but the unfolding of events prevents her from triumph. Fortunately, since the good characters get to go on with their imperfect but mostly rewarding lives. This novel is one of Balzac's best (and there are many good ones). It belongs to the best canon of Western literature and will stand the test of time, once again because it touches on the universal features of human soul, ungratefulness being one of the most pervasive. Highly recommended, not least because the reader enjoys all the back-stabbing and the ultimate defeat of the ugly lady. Indeed, we see that envy is one of the worst sins.

"Beauty is the greatest of human powers. All autocratic unbridled power with nothing to counterbalance it, leads to abuse, mad excess. Despotism is power gone mad. In women, despotism takes the form of satisfying their whims". This remark engulfs Balzac's opera: To collate the audience with the obliterating debauchery society of 18th century France. Lisbeth Fischer aka Cousin Bette lurks in every chapter as a concealed beast coveting her prey (The house of Hulot) under the same roof. Perhaps Balzac's major achievement in this master piece, is to portrait a flauntering society feigned by its ostentatious opulence but immerse on a licentious and decadent life. "The savage has feelings... only the civilized man has feelings and ideas." Balzac seems to banter at Parisians with this idea: how civilized, civilized society can be. I strongly recommend this book if you intend to follow De Laclos work in Les Liasions Dangereuses. As an amateur reader I founded the characters difficult to identify at the beginning, however is an strategy smartly set by Balzac and very much appreciated as soon as you start to realize and pace through the richness of the narration.

If I had a time machine, I'd want to go back to 1840's Paris. Not the richly cultured Paris of Chopin, Berlioz, and Delacroix, but Balzac's Paris, a circus world where envy, avarice, and revenge drive passionate people to ridiculous extremes. One sin breeds another, and so an envious person can play off another's avarice in order to avenge a perceived slight. I sense that Balzac was essentially a moralist who felt that sins do greater service in comedy, but the sobering effect of tragedy is important for keeping balance.

In "Cousin Bette," the title character, Lisbeth "Bette" Fischer, is a plain, middle-aged spinster who has lived her whole life in the shadow of her pretty cousin Adeline. Adeline has married the Baron Hector Hulot D'Ervy, a high-ranking military and government official who nevertheless does not have much money and is an incurable womanizer, overtly keeping mistresses in spite of his wife's inexorable devotion to him. Their daughter, Hortense, becomes enamored with Bette's "boyfriend," a young Polish sculptor named Wenceslas Steinbock, and marries him, believing that his (rather unremarkable) art will bring in a fortune. At this point, Bette feels she has been upstaged one too many times by the Hulot family and resolves to take revenge.

One night Baron Hulot spots a beautiful young woman in Bette's apartment building and immediately plots to make her his latest mistress. This is Bette's close friend Valerie Marneffe, whose husband happens to be menially employed in Hulot's department. Bette gets the idea to use Valerie as a siren to entrap the men who have deceived her and enrage their wives. In short order, Valerie seduces Hulot, his friend and romantic rival Monsieur Crevel, and Steinbock, securing for herself large sums of money and eventually marrying Crevel, who is a wealthy retired businessman.

I've only scratched the surface of the plot, and yet to reveal any more would be beside the point of a Balzac novel because the quality of his writing is more in the interaction between the characters than in the events that advance the story. I've not yet even mentioned the excellent supporting cast, including Hulot's conscientious son Victorin; his wife Celestine, who happens to be Crevel's daughter; the Brazilian playboy Montejanos, whose fiery passion for Valerie endangers the lives of her and everyone around her; a sinister old woman who goes by a number of aliases and arranges "accidents"; and her accomplice, an elegant courtesan called Carabine. All of these characters fit together perfectly like pieces in a jigsaw puzzle and elevate the novel to exciting new levels of intrigue.

Convention would dictate that Bette's revenge be fulfilled and Hulot learn his lesson by the end of the novel, but Balzac has a more realistic outlook than to concede to a reader's expectations. He is a novelist with the dialogue-oriented sensibilities of a playwright and a knack for devising unusually complicated plots by making the most out of a minimal number of characters. If, as he states in the novel, inspiration gives genius its opportunity, then "Cousin Bette" must be the product of the highest inspiration because there is plenty of genius on display.

This map is crap. I mean it's really bad. Look at any Plan de Paris and you'll see they have one thing in common: they have a map of ALL of Paris, the ENTIRE city! This horrible map doesn't go any farther north than Sacre Coeur (strange), farther east than Pere Lachaise (not good) or farther south than Tour Montparnasse (absolutely, inexcusably whack). That's a huge swath of Paris wiped off the map, especially in the south. Now if you are just a monkey-boy tourist who will only be walking from the Champs Elysees to the Eiffel Tower and then maybe on to the Louvre (but definitely not to the Centre Pompidou, because you just don't 'get' modern art) then woo-hoo! Here's a map, and not only a map, but a laminated one! Let's buy it sweetheart! Oh yes darling, let's! I'm so very happy, love, are you happy? Oh yes, terribly happily! Let's go eat in this little bistro, only in Paris could one find a place so charming!

These maps fold easily, fit in a pocket or purse, are laminated (water repellant)and the Paris map covers 80% of the main area of the city. It is not as good for areas outside of the city center (that is, outside of the single-digit arrondissments). Includes a metro map, and listing of street names with map locators. For walking around the most popular tourist areas, it is perfect. If you need a map that covers a larger area by all means buy another one and consult it before you go out, but don't walk around without Streetwise. I used it on my first trip to Paris and I used it on my ninth.

This map was an essential element of my time spent in Paris. It is perfect if you're going to be in Paris and need a very detailed street map while walking through the city. It doesn't cover many of the outer-lying areas, but it covers the heart of the city in-depth. I speak zero French and this map got me wherever I needed to go. I would recommend any of 'Streetwise' maps. I have used quite a few, both internationally and nationally, and have found them all to be extremely useful. In fact, whenever I know I'm going to be visiting a different city I buy one! Also worth the price because the maps are very durable, they're laminated and I've never had one tear on me.

The truths that you discover about yourself will genuinely get you started on your path to more relaxed life. This book is not heavy reading, but the information that you gleem from it has heavy meaning.

I love Mimi Paris's authentic and direct style mixed with lots of good humor and common sense. Her book is a nice guide to a successful life beginning with each of us taking responsibility for our own lives.

What a wonderful book. It is truly a guide to live by. When I picked it up, I read it from cover to cover. Since that time, I have read each chapter again several times. The words of the author, come from a person who has lived what she talks about. I throughly enjoyed and benefited from this terrifice book.

This is a superbly written history of Paris, as well as of France. It is at once well researched and scholarly, and highly readable and entertaining. While the history is focused on Paris, Horne skillfully weaves in the history of France as well. One thing that makes this such a good book is that Horne not only provides the reader with the political history, but weaves in descriptions of social issues, how the average Parisian lived, descriptions of the different social classes, information on the arts and culture, entertaining anecdotes, interesting portrayals of the important persons in the history of Paris and France, etc. In essence, he provides the reader with a full, comprehensive portrayal of Paris and France in a highly engaging writing style. My only very minor criticisms of the book are that a map of Paris should have been included, and not all of the very limited use of French was translated. Nevertheless, this is a must read for anyone interested in Paris and France. I would love to see Horne write a similar history of London.

One of the most beautiful cities in the world has finally found a worthy biographer in A. J. Horne. Paris has always held a fascination for most, being a center of not only political and commercial interest, but also home to the art and culture known throughout the world. Horne's book describes the history of the city, with particular interest on the architectural changes, by highlighting seven different time periods, beginning with an introduction of the early beginnings of the city culminating in the late 1960's riots which shook Paris. Wonderfully written, with snippets of information hard to find elsewhere. For example, I often wondered by St. Genevieve was the patron saint of the city. Horne supplies that information that very early during the history of the city an attack was feared from the invaders of the west and as the city prepared to flee, young Genevieve had a vision that the attack would not take place and halted the evacuation. It's little pieces of information such as this, which made the book an exceptionally fun as well as educating read.

Special attention is also paid to other significant historical events, especially those after the 1600's. What really strikes the read is one thing: the number of uprisings (the French Revolution of 1789 was only one in a series) that had struck the city, most of them organized on a grass roots level. This also helps explains why the cobblestones of the streets have been cemented into place...these make very good missiles for those fed up with the weak administration of the city. That is another point that the author stresses...sanitation and city planning came very late to Paris, and this led to unimaginable squalor in various quarters of the city.

The reader is also introduced to some of the great figures of French history, particularly Henri IV (famous for his "Paris is worth a mass") and Emperor Napoleon III (who fled the country immediately following the defeat of the French in the Franco-Prussian war). Other notables include Haussman who reinvented the look of the city we now see.

The writing is crisp and flows wonderfully from chapter to chapter. Not at all a technical march of statistics, but a story of one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Highly recommended for everyone who ever dreams of Paris.

A brief history of France as relates to Paris. The writing style is engaging, but not simplistic. Enjoyable. If you've been to Paris, this is a good way to add to your enjoyment and knowledge of that wonderful place. I especially enjoyed the epilogue that focused on Pere Lachaise Cemetery.

Michael S. Sanders has beat both Peter Maysles & Frances Mayes at their own game. Too bad his book sales don't seem to reflect it!

"From Here You Can't See Paris" is written with a clear-eyed understanding of the hardships of picturesque rural life. Instead of being slightly patronizing towards the backwards locals & their quaintly amusing ways, Michael Sanders earns himself a place in the life of Les Arques by participating on an equal footing rather than as the newest deep-pocketed employer in the area. This is the France that I want to live in, an area trying desperately to retain it's ancient character while refusing to be an anachronism. The locals show great ingenuity in conceiving ways to achieve this. Michael Sanders documents their efforts, as well as informing the reader of the mechanics of such famed French food products as foie gras. The section on how foie gras is produced is fascinating, as is his description of daily life in a French restaurant.

The only reason this book rates 4 stars instead of 5 (really, it should be 4.5, but again, Amazon doesn't allow partial points) is Sanders occasional Americanism. I was taken aback when Sanders described his dismay at his 5 year old daughters increasing "Frenchness". His wishing for "playdates" & typical American media diversions such as a local multiplex were annoying to me. The descriptions of Les Arques & the local school seemed all a parent could want for a healthy, intelligent & well-adjusted child; why yearn for a sullen, over-stimulated American brat?

Those carps aside (& they are purely my own reactions to French culture) "From Here You Can't See Paris" has helped me to determine my future lies in France.

I loved this book. As an American who lives half time in France, a former restauranteur and ardent Francophile, it had all the things that most interest me here. A type of lifestyle very similar in many ways to the rural people who live all around me in Normandie, the story of a restaurant struggling to survive and prosper, as all small business owners do, and the experiences of an expatriate family who tried their best to assimilate into the French culture, something which is very hard for unilingual Americans to do.

Michael Sanders spent a wonderful year in Les Arques, a small town in the Lot, a rural area in southwest France. We're lucky that his absorbing memoir takes us along. Meet Jacques and Noelle, who have rescued the restaurant housed in the empty schoolhouse; the local farmers who grow the restaurant's produce and supply its meats; the town fathers who shepherded the restaurant renovation to help rejuvenate the town; and the villagers who give Les Arques its special warmth. This book will transport you to the Lot and you will enjoy the journey immensely.

This book adroitly combines fascinating pictures of daily life in Les Arques with discussion of larger themes. Sanders offers keen insights into French rural culture and the economic and social forces that shape the fortunes of farming communities. The difficulties of running a small farming enterprise are formidable in this age of mass agriculture; Sanders' depictions of the farmers' patience, dedication and creativity in maintaining their land and bringing their wares to market are vivid and moving.

Sanders's book is also an absorbing travelogue-- you'll learn the ins and outs of touring the Lot region and benefit from the lodging, dining and travel advice contained in an appendix. And armchair gourmands will find a mouthwatering read in the meals prepared by Jacques and Noelle for their fortunate patrons.

Buy, read and enjoy-- you'll be transported to a wonderful corner of the world.

We just returned from Paris, and this book seemed to be in the hands of many Americans. It was one of the ones we carried with us every day. The sample daily itineraries are great and very do-able, and the recommendations for inexpensive eateries are worth the price of the book!

I took my 15 year old son to Paris for 2 weeks and this is the guide book that became my bible. It allowed me to plan my next days events in the shortest amount of time, provided reliable info on all the sights, and was written in style that was not too stiff or too silly. Good tips on the "how to" in almost every section. I bought 3 books on Paris but found myself constantly coming back to this one as my main source. If you are only buying one, start here.

This book proved itself invaluable on our last trip to Paris. It has lists of web sites, lodging and dining options, accurate prices guides, and the essentials on hot site seeing spots. It was worth the cost just to learn where the best hot chocolate in Paris can be had!

I bought "walking paris" because of the good reviews at amazon.com and tried to use it in my recent Paris vacation. I was very disappointed. In the end, I used Michelin's Green Guide. The problems of "walking paris" are as follows:
1. The descriptions of walks are formated as a long narrative. They are difficult to consult unless you hold the book to your nose as you walk.
2. Much of the text involved detailed instruction on which street to go to and where to turn. Such information would be much easier to follow on a good map.
3. The maps are only simple sketches of the routes. They are not easy to follow because they don't provide enough context information. If you deviate from the prescribed route, the map becomes useless.
4. The style of the narrative and sketchy map means you have to follow the route exactly. When I was walking in Paris, I often wanted to wander a bit.
5. Sometimes you have to deviate from the prescribed route, as when I had to because a park through which the described walk is supposed to go through was closed. It's difficult to work out an alternative route based on the information in the book.
6. Because of the narrative nature, you can't tell from the book the highlights of the walks.

My girlfriend and I took about 10 walks from this book. Some of the walks were incredible in the detail you could see in an afternoon or morning walk. The walks on the Left Bank were most interesting, the historical references could have occupied the whole trip. The Passage walk north of the Louvre was kind of a bore. The Marais walk including the shops on the Vielle de Temple would have been an incredible shopping trip if money was no object, we saw one flower shop which had a suspended ceiling full of dryed flowers. Great book if you have the time to spend really getting to know Paris

Having been to Paris many, many times, I pretty much know my way around. I purchased this book for my last trip, to help my friend -a first time parisian- find her way around. Surprisingly, though, it was me who ended up enjoying the book the most. Very well-thought walks, easy to spot places and landmarks but thorough and interesting enough to take you off the beaten path and show you the real Paris, the charming, lively city beyond the tourist attractions. My favourite walks are Faubourg St-Germain and St-Germain-des-Pres and the ones through the Latin Quarter.

the layout of this book is fine, but the printing is poor, the color is just not there...Rothko's work always evoke something in me when i look at it, but the coloring is so bad that it was just like looking at black and white rectangles in this book. Very disappointed. (refer to paper back edition)

This book is just mesmerizing - it is so beautiful. Mark Rothko took art to a spiritual level that has seldom been achieved. The beauty of his colors and the simplicity of his work mesh to dominate the field of art, and make him a true master of our times. This particular book is full of color pictures of his work. Highly recommended for any art lover.

American artist Mark Rothko's artworks represents the very foundations of the Abstract Expressionist movement, and his key works are here presented in full-page color, introduced by essays from his contemporaries. This superbly produced volume with its exquisite presentation considers all of Rothko's works and contributions and is an essential acquisition for any serious collection on the Abstract Expressionist movement.