Paris

This book is both thoughtful and delightful. The author, turning 50, his wife, and their 18-year-old daughter lived for a year in an apartment overlooking the Seine and Notre Dame. Their different temperaments and experiences are interwoven so that their explorations of Paris and environs become explorations of themselves and their relationships with each other. The vivid descriptions of Paris and the French are charming and wise. This account is a find for everyone who has ever loved Paris.

Farrar manages to take you on an extended visit to Paris without leaving your armchair. After the recent unpleasantness between France and America, he gives a welcome reminder of the deep fondness and curiosity which links the two countries.

The idiosyncrasies of the people you meet make them fascinating and human. You can almost smell the delicious aromas wafting up from the restaurants in the alley behind the apartment. You hear the street sounds. You see the lights from the passing bateaux-mouches at night wash theatrically across the buildings.

Altogether a delightful and thought-provoking escape!

If you know and enjoy Billy's poems this volume is a necessity. There are some earlier pieces that are brilliantly focused and tight -- like a joke and a punchline. Others are more subtle, but always clear in language and meaning. There is no contemporary poet that I would recommend more highly.

Also check out The Best Cigarette CD for a great collection of Billy reading his work.

Collins has a wonderful, dry wit that shines through many of his poems. He has gained quite a reputation as a highly accessible poet, meaning that his poems appeal to a wide audience. And perhaps this is one of the reasons why he was selected to be the Poet Laureate of the U.S.

To say that Collins' poems are "accessible" may seem a bit of a slight. For, while Collins' use of simple and spare language may mean the average reader won't need to go running to his or her dictionary every stanza, that is not to say his poems are pure fluff. For example, in "Flying to a Funeral," Collins captures the emotional flux caused by a death:...

Collins is light and playful in many of his poems. He highlights the mundane details of our lives and makes us delight in them, see them as something other than the dreariness we make them out to be. Collins is a very imaginative poet, as well. He is able to write about History as if it were a houseguest, or even write verse about "The Morning After My Death":...

In this collection, Billy Collins covers the standard poetic targets of love, death, and art. In between, he helps us see the universality of experience, peppering it with laughter at ourselves -- and our humanness.

One way to judge my opinion of this book is for me to remember that I have read it and reread it many times. It is a fascinating look into the working spaces of some of the greatest artists of the 20th Century. The photos are usually Liberman's own and while good, they are not usually "fine art". However, they do provide glimpses into places few have been, and that now no longer exist. Do I recommend it? Try borrowing mine--sorry! A companion piece is another book entitled, "Latin American Artists in Their Studios". The photos were taken by professionals and they look it. Both books are worthy of study for serious art enthusiasts. For more info on Liberman, read "Alex", the story of his life.

A fine art book, with good text and fine shots wide variety of artists and where they work o worked

Colonel Paul de Saint-Martin has been sent to Bath to capture and return Captain Fitzroy to France for punishment for the rape and assault of his distant cousin. Paul also hopes to renew the acquaintance of the charming and clever Anne Cartier, who has been in England for seven months. When he learns that Anne Cartier is teaching in the household where Captain Fitzroy has taken refuge, he is delighted to see her but worried about her safety. Anne has replaced a teacher who died under mysterious circumstances and is struggling to protect her young deaf student from the danger that surrounds him. Trying to discover a blackmailer, murderer and thief take all of Anne and Paul's skill. Colonel Paul de Saint-Martin must also balance his desire for revenge against his need for justice in this complex novel.

When I started this novel I was a bit disconcerted. The description on the back cover stated that this was a mystery but the first few chapters had the feel of a thriller. If you hang in there, the mystery evolves, becoming more and more complex as the novel progresses. Bath in the late 18th century is well researched and there are some interesting social issues that are not often addressed in novels of this time period. The romantic elements felt a bit awkward to me but overall this was an entertaining and engrossing novel. The first title in this series is Mute Witness which received very good reviews.

I loved "Black Gold." The storyline was an engrossing and interesting one, and the pacing was excellent. And best of all, the novel took place in late 18th century Bath -- one of my favourite cities!

There were many apsects of this novel that I really liked. For example, even though we know from the very beginning who the villain(s) of the piece is, Captain Fritzroy (wanted for the assault and rape of Paul's cousin, Sophie), the authour tells the story in such a way that really keeps you guessing about how things will pan out. And the manner in which the authour paced things was truly brilliant -- the tension just never let up. Events unfolded at a swift and breathneck pace -- from the very moment Anne enters the Rogers's home, and we come to realise (almost at once) that there's something terribly wrong going on at the Rogers's home, through all the twists and turns in the plot, to the very denouncement -- I was so engrossed with what was going on that I stayed up all night to finish the book!

The development of the characters -- from the seemingly bluff and hearty Sir Harry Rogers to his beautiful and cunning wife (who also happens to be full of secrets) to the kindly and much used black servant, Jeff -- was very well done too. And they really came to life (with all their foibles and strengths) before my eyes. And I also rather liked the authour's depiction of 18th century Bath, from its architecture to its many social conventions. These descriptions served as a wonderful backdrop to the unfolding story at hand. And while I did think that Charles O' Brien had done a rather good job of painting both the inequities and the inhumanity of the slave trade, as well as giving us a thumbnail idea of what the people of 18th century England/Bath felt about the slave trade, the efforts of the Quakers to put a stop to this trade (or at best thwart the schemes of the slave owners), as well as going a little into the hopes as desires of the black people concerned (Jeff and his lady friend, Sarah), I did wish that he had gone into this matter a little more. This was a rather painful and important bit of history, not much discussed in English history, and it would have been nice if there had been more exposition. Central to all this, of course, is the developing romance between Paul and Anne. Both characters are evenly matched in courage, intelligence and inner strength and are perfect foils for each other. And you can just tell that theirs will be a relationship that will stand the tests of time and events.

All in all, "Black Gold" is a wonderfully engrossing and exciting read that should not be missed.

After reading the only review posted of this book, I thought maybe I hadn't actually read the said book. I'll blame it on how I tend to skim through these sorts of things hardly paying attention. Point is, the review lost me in about the first two sentences. John Lennon? I don't criticize the review or anything - I can, indeed, make the connections - but I read the book more for the information on Murger, Verlaine, Jarry, and the rest of them... So what I'm trying to say is, if you want a great bohemian read totally packed with interesting stuff, read the book. It's a good one.

I first came across this book several years ago when writing about Jacques Offenbach. At that time, I much enjoyed both the author's erudition and his dead-on social analysis. Seigel demonstrates how, in mid-nineteenth century Paris, the eager purchase by the bourgeois of "revolutionary" works of art (literature, paintings, drama, music, etc.) deadened the intended meaning of those works, and, by making their creators wealthy, changed the artists' own feelings about their society. Seigel sees this cooption as an intrinsic function of capitalism, and its own best defense against violent revolution. The parallels for our society seem clear to the reader (Seigel does not discuss them) - just as Henri Murger, author of "La Vie de Boheme", grew rich enough to buy a country estate (and then killed himself) so John Lennon took the money from "Revolution" and bought New York real estate. Mick Jagger is today one of the largest and wealthiest landowners in Britain - and one could extend this list indefinitely.

Over the years, I thought of Seigel's analysis on occasion - for instance, when reading plaintive complaints about the "misuse" of rock in TV commercials. But I didn't bother to pick up the book again until reading a new book with "bohemian" and "bourgeois" together - Brooks' "Bobos in Paradise" - which does not cite this book. Hmm. It's very true that Brooks may simply be a keen observer - after all, our intellectual culture is a direct descendant of that discussed by Seigel. So let's leave it at that - and suggest that anyone seriously interested in "Bobos" would do very well indeed to read this volume.

Bonjour, Mr. Satie is a wonderful book for children. As readers wait to hear the outcome of the story, they will find de Paola's book anything but dull. The book combines de Paola's usual talent for telling stories and illustrating them with flair with a glimpse into realistic events at Gertrude's salon. Children don't need to know Gertrude to enjoy the story, but when reading this story to them, you may want to tell them that Satie, Pablo (Picasso), Alice (Toklas), and Henri (Matisse) are real people who painted, composed, and wrote. Tell children that Alice made a cookbook, that Pablo painted a famous portrait of Gertrude, and that Gertrude wrote a poem about Pablo. Use this opportunity to expose children to paintings by Picasso and Matisse. Bonjour, Mr. Satie should be read because of its valuable lesson for children to appreciate difference and diversity in their lives and to encourage others to look at things (art and people) as different instead of good and bad.

I first read this book as a child, but picked it up again recently. My English class was researching Paris in the 1920s so I brought in the book. Not only is it an interesting story by the excellent tomie dePaola, but it is also educational. For a special kick, read the index in the back and you'll see that Ernest Hemingway, Isadora Duncan, James Joyce and other famous people are represented in the illustrations.

I found this book to be a beautiful, yet small book on elegant and nice cakes. I was mighty surprised to see what a bargain I got. It is very informative and gives detailed instructions for all relevant information. It is a nice twist to ordinary cakes. Great for guests...

This book is full of mouthwatering recipes. Every single cake is worth at least one try. Simple to make and very easy to eat! Especially the recipe for the madeleines is divine!

Once I started reading this book, I couldn't put it down. At first I was hesitant because I knew that this was Rene James' first book, but you can't tell. It was well-written. The thing I liked most about the book is that it has four or five climaxes - not just one. There are a lot of surprises. Also, this is a book both women and men can relate to. It deals with many universal topics that everyone deals with - first loves, mid-life crisis, regret, affairs, divorce, career, family secrets. It's a quick, easy read that will get you thinking about your own life.

I could not put this book down. Mr. James has a way of taking you back in time reflecting on your own history. This book encourages you to rethink issues from the past while plunging you deeply into the plot line carring you rapidly to a wonderful ending. I look forward to reading more of his novels.

"Congo-Paris" is a fine example of the recent trend in anthropology away from the localized study of communities and towards analysis that transcends geographic boundaries. Not that this study is "multi-sited" (to use the dominant buzzword): MacGaffey and Bazenguissa conducted their fieldwork for the book entirely in Paris, interviewing dozens of subjects from both Congo-Brazzaville and Congo-Kinshasa. But Paris is just one venue in these transnational subjects' life histories as they range back and forth across national, legal, commercial, and cultural frontiers.

While the authors set out to validate the Congolese quest for relief from political and economic hardship at home, the image they present of this loosely-defined community of traders will do nothing for its image abroad. These individuals define themselves through the act of quietly circumventing the rules (particularly import duties and immigration laws), resisting governmental authority without manifesting any visible signs of dissent. This is understandable, given the corrupt and authoritarian Congolese regimes of recent decades. But the transnational traders' ethos of stealthy noncompliance extends to their overseas existence as well, with the result in these Parisian cases being a gamut of criminal activity from smuggling and apartment squatting to drug dealing and theft. "Model immigrants" they are not, regardless of whether their behavior represents a survival strategy. One wonders just how representative this underworld is of the larger community of Congolese living in Paris, and whether those Congolese living more lawful existences there object to being tarred with this brush of illegality.

Such moral qualms aside, I give "Congo-Paris" high marks for its thorough and penetrating analysis of its subjects, a very difficult group to interview given its members' legal status and clandestine activities. No doubt its success owes much to the collaboration between MacGaffey (British) and Bazenguissa (Congolese). The book also skillfully negotiates the difficult and shifting theoretical territory of anthropology to bring outside perspectives to bear on its subjects. Finally, it makes a strong case for redefining anthropology in the context of ongoing processes of globalization. I suspect that we will be seeing a good many more studies like this one in the future.

Congo-Paris: Transnational Traders on the Margins of the Law is about globalization as practiced by Congolese traders who operate a thriving second economy linking Central Africa and Europe. She investigates the transnational trade between Central Africa and Europe by focusing on the lives of individual traders from Kinshasa and Brazzaville, who operate across national frontiers and often outside the law. Challenging the boundaries of anthropology, Janet MacGaffey follows complex international networks to examine the ways in which the African second economy has been extended transnationally and globally on the margins of the law. Who are these traders? What strategies do they have, not only to survive but also to shine? What kinds of networks do they rely on? What implications does their trade have for the study of globalization? The personal networks of ethnicity, kinship, religion, and friendship constructed by the traders fashion a world of their own. From Johannesburg to Cairo and from Dakar to Nairobi as well as in Paris, the Congolese traders are renowned and envied. This lively book shows that it is not just the multinationals that benefit from jets and mobile phones.

It is a statement of how times have changed that photographic books of the male nude can now be displayed unabashedly in store front windows. That albums with male couples au naturelle should also feature is even more significant. Within the U.S., Austalia, N.Z.,or the U.K. there is hardly a gay man who has not heard of Bob Paris and Rod Jackson. This role model couple in 1994 released a bestselling detailed autobiography of their relationship and love affair. Blessed with good looks and intellectual curiosity the bestseller "Straight froom the heart" made them not only more famous but unofficial spokesmen for gay couples all over the world. Sadly it was not to last and they announced an amicable separation early in 1997. Prior to all this they willing made themselves available for a photo shoot as subjects for a portfolio by Herb Ritts, one of the most celebrated photographers of the male nude in America today. This photographic album "Duo" with its stunning photography is the outcome of that shoot and captures much of the beauty of the male form(a deux) at every conceivable angle. It must have helped the photographer that both his subjects are professional body builders. Every sinew and bicep does not go unnoticed or unpictured. I also liked that no colour frames were pictured and that the monochrome black & white seemed to give a more stark minimalist ambience to the background which placed more emphasis on the subjects in the foreground. It also appears to have been shot at a time when the two principal models were very much in love. Though most of the pictures are obviously posed there is no masking their obvious attraction to one another. This is the one main factor that has probably made this book so popular. Some human emotions you just cant fake. I recommend this album to all admirers of the male form whatever their sexual gender. There is no denying that some of us would sacrifice a lot for such perfect physiques but until that day arrives it is perhaps not inappropriate to have an olympian Adonis in ones mind to aim for.

Great photography. Very tasteful and beautifully done. It shows the beauty of the male human body, also the great tenderness between Rod & Bob. I admire their courage. They are an amazing couple. I envy their relationship & love.