Paris

This book is too old to report actual facts concerning entrance fees and expenses. It still is in the French Frank era with nothing new enough to mention the Euro. It requires you to know the area you want to visit to find an attraction. For the first visitor to Paris looking for a particular site, it requires looking over the whole book to find it.

Don't waste your money. Buy an up-to-date guide book instead.

Not extremely helpful. Most listings are churches and parks that are free to enter. After reviewing this book for a short week in Paris, I decided it was not worth the space or weight to take it with me.

Terrific little book to supplement a comprehensive travel guide like Fodor's. The tip on seeing the Louvre for free saved me double the cost the book alone!

Simon Brett writes great mysteries becuase the parts that don't deal with the mystery could easily make a good book on their own. I think these are the best sorts of mysteries, just like, say, Singin' in the Rain is a great movie becuase it's great even without all the singing and dancing. Sicken and So Die does an excellent job as a novel about the theatre, but the mystery is just as important, and it's not that well done this time.
In Sicken and So Die, Charles Paris, the weary middle aged actor, is working in Twelfth Night and is having a nice time doing it. Then, the director is poisoned and a new avant-garde one takes the helm, much to Charles' annoyance. As he valiantly continues to play his part the way he thinks it should be done, he investigates a series of accidents that have happened in the play. Could they not be accidents?
The Twelfth Night stuff works really well. Here, Brett finds his stride and he creates a hilarious portrayal of the theatre. The mystery, however, is different. Brett seems to be going thorugh the motions a bit, as if in a hurry to get back to the good stuff. Too much time is also spent on Charles and his wife. These parts add a sour edge to the book.
Still, Sicken and So Die makes for a very entertaining read. I would also recommend Murder Unprompted and Star Trap, two earlier, better Charles Paris mysteries. One only hopes that Simon Brett writes a Charles Paris mystery that leaves the mystery out.

I love Charles Paris and other Simon Brett books, so I did enjoy the book. However I would recommend that those new to the charactors would check out some of the older ones - to have more background and general flavor.

I did LOVE IT when Charles tries to salvage his dignity as a performer by playing the part the way he wanted. Very mid life crisis (I guess slightly past). I hope we watch Charles grow extremely old aged.

One of the reviews on the dust jacket said that "the novel works equally well as a classic whodunit and a comic novel of the theater." Well, I have to admit that the whodunit part is a little perfunctory. But it is very entertaining as a comic novel of the theater.

It really is the story of unsuccesful actor Charles Paris butting heads with a politically correct director who mangles a production of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. As someone who has butted heads with the PC crowd myself, I really identified with Charles, and I always enjoy Brett's witty, sympathetic style.

If you enjoy the Charles Paris stories for the way they evoke backstage gossip and the ups and downs of an actor's life and the colorful characters in the theater, or if you enjoy the story of someone struggling against trendy goofiness in the arts, then I think you'll like this novel a lot. But if all you want is a mystery and you consider the rest just window dressing, then you probably will be unsatisfied, because the mystery doesn't really take off until the very last part of the book and it does feel a bit rushed.

The first 90% of the book is an unevenly written 2000 year chronology of the city. The chapters proceed from pre-Roman to modern times. This makes it very difficult to find information from different eras on specific landmarks. The style is also very dry. My point is that the information isn't presented in a way that a traveller would want to access it--'I'm in Place de la Concorde--what's happened here over the centuries?' Other books I've read like this will take you through suggested walks in different neighborhoods talking about their history e.g. 'Turn left down this street and you're looking at Napolean's house etc...' The book also ignores or barely mentions the historical basis for many popular characters of Paris historical fiction. The musketeers get half a sentance and Victor Hugo's stories don't fare much better. The last 10% attempts to give some more detailed information about Notre Dame and a couple other landmarks but it's too little, too late. I did learn a lot of interesting material about the city. But I would recommend spending your time with a Parisian's memoir or work of fiction based in Paris. I think you would get much more enjoyment for your investment.

like a previous posting, i was gratified by some of the details included by the author. however, i generally found the writing to be sloppy, and dry. the overall feel of the book is also uneven-- for example, the princess diana section towards the end seems it fit to tell us the origin of the word "paparazzi", yet there is very little about the continuing mayoral politics, the rise of anti-immigrant feeling in paris, etc.

I first encountered this book in a college bookstore among the texts. It was required reading for a curriculum-based trip to France. I was surprised to find that though nestled among texts, this book was a refreshingly light read with insightful tidbits into Paris' grand history. Punctuated with simple sketches for illustrations, the book offers a great deal of behind-the-scenes information which enriches any trip to Paris let along anyone with a crush on the City of Light. I frequently include the book in my packing for overseas trips because it makes fun reading among travel companions as we tour the city or to discuss over a cup of café. The history in this book is simplified enough to be a pleasant read (not overwhelming or at all like stereo instructions), but in-depth enough to make you feel like an expert. It really enriches any visit to Paris to understand the city's history and this book is a great way to get an overview of what Paris has gone through over the ages.

Paris yet redefined in a sense of destruction yet preserving history

Written before the fall of Socialism (and consequently the USSR) the plot did not sound quite as outlandish as might be believed. After all, the Communist Party of France approached 40% of the electorate at one time. Regardless, this novel is a good mix of both the science fiction and mystery genres. Involving a huge computer, a lot of action and a long chase scene, it makes a very good read.

No, it is not LeCarre or Ludlum but it is an underrated page turned worthy of a lot more attention than it has received.

Paris 2005 manages to do several things very well. It was written long enough ago that its depiction of the future of computers seems antiquated and not all that visionary. Still, it is an absorbing work of suspense.

Where Paris 2005 succeeds is in depicting the byzantine world of an occupied France, where American computer programmer Robert Landry is struggling to use his mastery of the state's central computer to undermine the Communist regime. His efforts are aided by allies he cannot fully trust, and by a lethal internal rivalry within the government.

This is primarily a work of suspense. Compared to the novels of Craig Thomas, for example, there is very little in the way of violence or chases. Still this is a well-crafted novel with several well-drawn very memorable characters. The intricate plot twists nicely along the way as well.

The title of the book is unfortunate, but if you're reading this review you're probably not someone who stopped reading Cold War spy fiction after the end of the Cold War. Have a look at this one.

After travling to Paris many times and reading many travel books on Paris tis is by far the worst so far. I don't know who this book could help and is is poor in every area , restaurants, car rental, airline, and hotels.

I bought this book second hand and took it with us on our first trip to Paris. Although some of the smaller pocket guides are also handy, this book really made our (my!) trip. It was a constant source of great info on how to get around Paris by using the Metro and bus system. It also provided excellent info on many small, local points of intrest (don't miss out on Jo Goldenbergs restaraunt; great food, reasonable cost & marvelous entertainment!) The only small problem I could find is that the prices refered to in the book were listed in French Francs. As everything in Paris is now in Euros, it took a little searching to discover that, at last calculation, $1.00 was approximately 7 FF. As Paris is an expensive city to visit, this book more than paid for its cost.... Not to mention it being a great conversational subject for my girlfriend & me! It's a great book to have, whether you're on a budget or not.

I must disagree with the other reviews. I could look past the mis-spellings (as I am not perfect myself) and skip the parts on airline ticketing. But it was the only guide that accuratly described how to get around the Metro, Bus lines and RER train. And gave bus and Metro directions to Attractions, Stores and Restaurants. Including how to get to attractions outside of Paris, such as Versaille, using Public Transportation. For the Budget traveller, this is a great book.
On my second trip to Paris, it was the only guide that I took with me.

The recipes in this book turned out to be the same old ones you get over and over but here, the author has cleverly cushioned them with "stories" that hype them up and flush them out to make up for a lack of culinary skills. Nice try, but I can get better recipes, and stories, off the internet.

I found the recipes to be nothing new. Yes, there were stories thrown in to disguise Ms. Wells lack of culinary skills. The illustrations and the photography were quite pleasant, I found myself looking for these two things. Ms Wells I think needs to try again.I was sorry I purchased this book.

In my view this is a good book for someone who remembers home and wants to duplicate some of home in a far away place. I grew up in New Orleans and now live in Texas. If you don't know it, we New Orleans people are picky about our food. I have also spent a lot of time in a lot of places outside the US. Sometimes you just want to taste some of those simple things you grew up eating. The hardest thing is finding the "stuff" you want and deciding on a reasonable substitute when you can't find it. So, I really appreciate the list of where to get the "hook-up" in Paris. There is noting worst than being in Paris or Lisbon for a few weeks and just wanting some red beans, greens and corn bread and not knowing where to go to get the dish or the ingredients. Now I know it is not just me. I love the art work and the background material.

The fact that over the years I have used Lonely Planet publications with entire satisfaction and sometimes delight, merely increases my disappointment with this piece of cartographic mediocrity. From every conceivable point of view, it is awful. Any Paris department store gives out better tourist maps ... free.

Overall, this map is decent, but not up to what I've expected form Lonely Planet. We found book maps at the end of the Lonely Planet Guide to Paris to be far more usefull and detailed.
Metropolitan map and street index are almost unusable, LP would be better in putting two finer scale maps (eg. of east and west central Paris) on two sides of the map, and giving only small metro map.
Best thing about this map is that it's rainproof, which helps a lot when you happend to be in Paris in November.

I agree with the other posters - you do need a secondary map or guideline if you want something in more detail. It helped me get around Paris just fine, but I think another map might show more detail. The RER/Metro map is very handy, but it's a tradeoff for more detail on the map. If it's your first trip to Paris, take this map and pick up the Lonely Planet Paris book. This should meet the needs of about 98% of tourists.

What does Bianchi's glorification of genetically "perfect" beings say to the rest of us who don't - and can never - match the looks of such sculptured, preening idols? Yes, I have a few Bianchi books, which I muse over as I would photo albums of Michelangelo Davids. Yet, I must wonder if the message given by Bianchi is a gift or a putdown to the readers who will, naturally, lack in themselves the exacting physical standards and fairy-tale love lives of Bianchi's worshipped man-gods. (Some "fairy tale," since Bob and Rod apparently split up. Perhaps reality DID intrude itself on those clones.) Is Bianchi saying, Look at these gorgeous men with their wonderful lives, you can never come close to this grand existence because your genes didn't work out. By the way, what happens when Bianchi-quality models grow (gasp!) OLD, or reach middle age? Do they simply disappear from the visual landscape like so many discarded wares? Are they dropped in the bargain! basement bin? Perhaps they all jump off a cliff when they reach 40 years of age...

This book, like all of Tom Bianchi's books, celebrates the perfect "beauty" of one, two, or several musclebound, narcissistic "hunks" - usually male models, but, in this case, two professional body builders, Rod (what a name!) and Bob Jackson-Paris. The loving couple have certainly pulled off one of the camp extravaganzas of the century with the help of Bianchi's technically flawless photography. It is hard to describe exactly what makes this book so ridiculous - it could be the cliched settings, the needlessly cloying and coy poses, the "Silhouette Desire"-paperback conception of love and romance, or maybe it's just the colossal hubris of the three men responsible for this exercise in total self-involvement. Bianchi's fascist adoration of Arno Breker-like bodies is embarrassing in its slavish, drooling lust, while Bob & Rod's antics will certainly provide inspiration for drag kings everywhere. Buy this book only if you want a reall! y good laugh, along with a product testifying to the sheer vapidity of fin-de-siecle gay "culture." Particularly ludicrous because its adolescent true-love-forever-fantasy has been completely invalidated, alas, by the couple's recent "divorce."

Being a relative of Bob I may have bias opinions. However, its a great thing that has happened. Keep up the super work! - Gary Hundley, Phoenix, AZ (originally columbus Indiana

Mayhem, originally published as Mirage in the United States, is the beginning chapter of the continuing series of an unusual partnership in an unusual time. It is December 1942, in Nazi occupied Paris. Our heroes, Jean-Louis St Cyr of the Surete and Herman Kohler of the Gestapo, are called to a rural area near the Fontaineblue forest where the body of an attractive young man was discovered. The Nazis suspect the crime to be Resistance related and want it solved speedily or threaten to send our Herman to the Russian Front. Our detective pair discovers that clandestine sex, family secrets, and greed are the motives rather than the assumed patriotism. This series has been a favorite of mine. Janes's descriptions of the culture of scarcity in everyday Paris and in the historically accurate scenes of Parisians coping with the defeat are so vivid that the reader feels the cold, the hunger, and the dark. However, this particular novel fails to work as well as the sequels. Try a later book in the series.

I picked up this book thinking that the idea of a Gestapo investigator teamed with a French Surete officer investigating a murder during the occupation of France in WWII was an interesting idea. It was, but the book was confusing and unfocused. Hopefully others in the series will be better written.

As I am always on the lookout for historically-set novels, I stumbled across this book. The concept, setting and descriptions in this book are 5-star. The plot carries through much of the book but loses a little steam at the end. This is not Tom Clancy, but who wants to read that garbage anyway? I look forward to reading the remaining books in this series.

I had such great hopes for this book and really looked forward to reading it. I could barely make it half the way through when I finally gave up. The prose is turgid with faulty syntax. I often had to reread sentences to make sure I understood what the author was trying to say. I was given the impression that he wrote with authority but found some of his statements and facts to be questionable. The 1930s in Paris deserve a better expose than this.

The main characters are here: Stavisky, Daladier, Reynaud in politics, Sartre (very briefly), Picasso, Dali in the arts, Chanel, Coty, etc. Several rather minor artists, such as the photographer Brassaï, are also presented in an interesting, anecdotal fashion. So much space is devoted to James Joyce, Henry Miller and others, however, that it should really be titled "Expatriates in 1930s Paris." Numerous American preconceptions about the French are repeated. The book is also seriously compromised by the many mistakes in French ("C'est moi qui EST l'artiste," "pas DES histoires" -- The words "et" and "est" are not, as Wiser implies, pronounced the same) and by factual mistakes (The French Academy does not edit the Larousse Dictionary; The obelisk in the Place de la Concorde is incorrectly identified as 'Cleopatra's Needle'; Chaplin's the Great Dictator was not made in the early 1930s, etc.). There is such sloppy chronology, one wonders how much of the other details the author has simply invented, or embroidered.

This book gives a brief review of life in Paris before World War 2. It covers James Joyce, Reynaud, Bricktop, Joesphine Baker and other. It should have covered more about foreign policy, and incidents such as the assassination of the Nazi diplomat in Paris and Munich. These incidents contributed to World War 2 and The Fall of France to the Germans in 1940.