Paris

Etienne is affected by a memory which boils to the surface now and again, of his parents killed by Nazis when he was a boy. He has heard that a Nazi war criminal is to be held in a prison nearby, and acts more wildly than ever. He tries to draw attention to his story, as if trying to exorcise the demonic memory of his childhood by proxy, by condemning this Nazi. Etienne cannot even be entirely sure this particular Nazi actually had anything to do with his parents, but he rants on the street about him nonetheless, fantasizing about vengeance, and wondering in psychic agony, how can this Nazi receive three meals a day in prison, while I starve? He feels the need to stage an event so spectacular it will engulf his painful past in the same flames which once engulfed his family's future.

Will Etienne cause a stir? Will he settle his conscience? Will Sharli help? Will she suffer as a result of his infatuation? Will his crusade end badly? Will it end at all? The reader will learn in due time. The book is interesting and generally well written, but Sharli, Etienne's female companion, is not as fleshed out as one might like. It is unclear why she is attracted to this strange character, why she wishes to be with him at all. Nonetheless, Paul West has a vibrant imagination, and his book deserves a look.

"Real World: Paris" is perhaps the worst season of this show. The pretense of reality is gone, and the lives and upsets of the participants are pettier than the average soap opera. It's obvious that many of the "upsets" on the show were in fact scripted, or at least strongly encouraged, by the producers. And the cast has never been more cookie-cutter, looking as though all participants stepped out of an Abercrombie and Fitch magazine. And the overly-politically correct casting is obnoxious. I can just see the producers with their checklist:

Asian participant - "check"
Gay participant - "check"
Southern hick - "check"
Sexy, sassy girl - "check"
Bad boy, social misfit - "check"
Non-threatening black man - "check"
Plain and quiet nice girl - "check"

This formulaic process has now given us THE REAL WORLD PARIS, a behind-the-scenes and candid look at the lives of the carefully selected participants of a multi-million dollar MTV franchise. Actually, there is nothing candid about this book. All photos are highly polished, the format and layout is teenybopper and patronizing, the graphics are garish, the font alienating. Only devoted fans of the show will enjoy this tedious, inauthentic, strange, book. But if you must have it, I suggest waiting a while and then searching through the discount rack of your local bookstore. THE REAL WORLD PARIS is sure to be there soon!

Andrew Parodi

This wonderful fulfilling read goes on to explain the great exploits of this old and dying man.
1) He is sent to France to broker an alliance
2) In france he gains support for the American cause.
3) Appointed to the treaty commission after Yorktown he helps gain America the right to expand across the Mississippi thus ensuring us the prsent size and importance of our nation.

THis is a wonderful book that brings the man Franklin to life and makes one appreciate an often overlooked patriot.

Basically, the author has attempted to show how modern artists have affected modern society and vice versa. Unlike many art history books, this book talks about music, theater, dance and subcultures in society, such as the beats and the hippies. Accordingly, you end up with a fuller picture of the scene.

The author has also attempted to make the impact of these works understandable to teens by using examples from the world as teens know it today, such as rap music, Internet, etc.

All in all, teens interested in the art scene will find this book interesting and engrossing.

Why 4 stars, rather than 5? I would prefer 4.5 stars, but that's not an option. My main objection to this book is the author's tendency to mythologize the avant garde artist and to whitewash some of their problems. But I would still recommend this book.