Amazon.com
David Sedaris became a star autobiographer on public radio, onstage in New York, and on bestseller lists, mostly on the strength of "SantaLand Diaries," a scathing, hilarious account of his stint as a Christmas elf at Macy's. (It's in two separate collections, both worth owning, Barrel Fever and the Christmas-themed Holidays on Ice.) Sedaris's caustic gift has not deserted him in his fourth book, which mines poignant comedy from his peculiar childhood in North Carolina, his bizarre career path, and his move with his lover to France. Though his anarchic inclination to digress is his glory, Sedaris does have a theme in these reminiscences: the inability of humans to communicate. The title is his rendition in transliterated English of how he and his fellow students of French in Paris mangle the Gallic language. In the essay "Jesus Shaves," he and his classmates from many nations try to convey the concept of Easter to a Moroccan Muslim. "It is a party for the little boy of God," says one. "Then he be die one day on two... morsels of... lumber," says another. Sedaris muses on the disputes between his Protestant mother and his father, a Greek Orthodox guy whose Easter fell on a different day. Other essays explicate his deep kinship with his eccentric mom and absurd alienation from his IBM-exec dad: "To me, the greatest mystery of science continues to be that a man could father six children who shared absolutely none of his interests."
Every glimpse we get of Sedaris's family and acquaintances delivers laughs and insights. He thwarts his North Carolina speech therapist ("for whom the word pen had two syllables") by cleverly avoiding all words with s sounds, which reveal the lisp she sought to correct. His midget guitar teacher, Mister Mancini, is unaware that Sedaris doesn't share his obsession with breasts, and sings "Light My Fire" all wrong--"as if he were a Webelo scout demanding a match." As a remarkably unqualified teacher at the Art Institute of Chicago, Sedaris had his class watch soap operas and assign "guessays" on what would happen in the next day's episode.
It all adds up to the most distinctively skewed autobiography since Spalding Gray's Swimming to Cambodia. The only possible reason not to read this book is if you'd rather hear the author's intrinsically funny speaking voice narrating his story. In that case, get Me Talk Pretty One Day on audio. --Tim Appelo
Amazon.com Audiobook Review
"It's a pretty grim world when I can't even feel superior to a toddler." Welcome to the curious mind of David Sedaris, where dogs outrank children, guitars have breasts, and French toddlers unmask the inadequacies of the American male. Sedaris inhabits this world as a misanthrope chronicling all things petty and small. In Me Talk Pretty One Day Sedaris is as determined as ever to be nobody's hero--he never triumphs, he never conquers--and somehow, with each failure, he inadvertently becomes everybody's favorite underdog. The world's most eloquent malcontent, Sedaris has turned self-deprecation into a celebrated art form--one that is perhaps best experienced in audio. "Go Carolina," his account of "the first battle of my war against the letter s" is particularly poignant. Unable to disguise the lisp that has become his trademark, Sedaris highlights (to hilarious extent) the frustration of reading "childish s-laden texts recounting the adventures of seals or settlers named Sassy or Samuel." Including 23 of the book version's 28 stories, two live performances complete with involuntary laughter, and an uncannily accurate Billie Holiday impersonation, the audio is more than a companion to the text; it stands alone as a performance piece--only without the sock monkeys. (Running time: 5 hours, 4 cassettes) --Daphne Durham
Book Description
David Sedaris became a star autobiographer on public radio, onstage in New York, and on bestseller lists, mostly on the strength of "SantaLand Diaries," a scathing, hilarious account of his stint as a Christmas elf at Macy's. (It's in two separate collections, both worth owning, Barrel Fever and the Christmas-themed Holidays on Ice.) Sedaris's caustic gift has not deserted him in his fourth book, which mines poignant comedy from his peculiar childhood in North Carolina, his bizarre career path, and his move with his lover to France. Though his anarchic inclination to digress is his glory, Sedaris does have a theme in these reminiscences: the inability of humans to communicate. The title is his rendition in transliterated English of how he and his fellow students of French in Paris mangle the Gallic language. In the essay "Jesus Shaves," he and his classmates from many nations try to convey the concept of Easter to a Moroccan Muslim. "It is a party for the little boy of God," says one. "Then he be die one day on two... morsels of... lumber," says another. Sedaris muses on the disputes between his Protestant mother and his father, a Greek Orthodox guy whose Easter fell on a different day. Other essays explicate his deep kinship with his eccentric mom and absurd alienation from his IBM-exec dad: "To me, the greatest mystery of science continues to be that a man could father six children who shared absolutely none of his interests." Every glimpse we get of Sedaris's family and acquaintances delivers laughs and insights. He thwarts his North Carolina speech therapist ("for whom the word pen had two syllables") by cleverly avoiding all words with s sounds, which reveal the lisp she sought to correct. His midget guitar teacher, Mister Mancini, is unaware that Sedaris doesn't share his obsession with breasts, and sings "Light My Fire" all wrong--"as if he were a Webelo scout demanding a match." As a remarkably unqualified teacher at the Art Institute of Chicago, Sedaris had his class watch soap operas and assign "guessays" on what would happen in the next day's episode. It all adds up to the most distinctively skewed autobiography since Spalding Gray's Swimming to Cambodia. The only possible reason not to read this book is if you'd rather hear the author's intrinsically funny speaking voice narrating his story. In that case, get Me Talk Pretty One Day on audio. --Tim Appelo
Customer Reviews:
David Sedaris...........2007-09-04
...Need I say more? He is hilarious. I have many books from him and this is really funny.
WHAT A MISNOMER FOR A TITLE.......2007-09-04
Let me start by saying I am a bibliophile and will sometimes buy a book just for the look of it. I ended up throwing the book away rather than offer it to any one else. If I could have given this book something less than one star I would have given it a negative fifteen (-15). I found this book gross, crass and inappropriate. I've read books with strong language in them, but never like this one that has filthy language just for the sake of using filthy language. I wouldn't have this book in my home and am sorry that I read the whole thing, but it was a private book club choice. As it turned out no one else finished reading it. DON'T BUY, READ or OWN THIS BOOK!
Always Enjoyable.......2007-08-30
Good book. Not laugh-out-loud funny, but it is full of the kind of humor you would expect from Sedaris. Well worth the price and effort.
Hilarious!.......2007-08-19
I love this book. My copy is completely worn out - I rarely re-read a book, but I did this one. I forced it on all my friends. Very sick and hilarious!
Hysterical.......2007-08-14
I am a huge Sedaris fan. This is one of his best. I just couldn't help giggling and laughing out loud like a fool. People looked at me like I was nuts on the train as I read it. I didn't care, because it is so poignant and funny, so real! Even better, when I can hear his voice in my head, check out his audio books. He's perfect reading his own work.
Book Description
The Eyewitness Travel Guide helps you to get the most out of your trip with minimum difficulties. The opening section Introducing Paris locates the city geographically, sets modern Parisian its historical context and explains how Parisian life changes through the years. Paris At a Glance is an overview of the city's specialties. The main sightseeing section of the book is Paris Area by Area. It describes all the main sights with maps, photographs and detailed illustrations. Get to know Paris with The Eyewitness Travel Guide.
Customer Reviews:
Great book.......2007-08-23
This book was perfect for my trip to Paris. Used it lots and lots every day. The maps were particularly good.
Visually stunning, but bereft of information.......2007-08-18
The graphics, images, and maps are really well done, and cover many of the places you would want to visit. However the actual textual information is remarkably limited, leaving you to judge how to invest your time based largely on the pictures. In addition, the guide is careful to provide no cost information at all for any attractions.
I would recommend this guide only in combination with another guide that provides more information, background, and cost information. This was the only tour guide I had, so I don't have a specific recommendation for the companion to this one. You should read the reviews of the other Paris guides with an eye towards what is missing in this one. With that guide, I think this one is in fact worth the money and, perhaps more importantly, the space in your carry-on baggage.
I do highly recommend Sandra Gustafson's "Great Eats Paris" and "Great Sleeps Paris", which are far better and much more comprehensive than the corresponding coverage you would find in this or any other Paris guide book.
Great tour book for Paris!.......2007-08-13
My husband and I just traveled to Paris for our first anniversary, and we bought this book to help us plan our trip. It was perfect! It's full of great information about the city and various sights to see. It also contains maps that came in very handy! The book also contains a couple pages of important phrases in French - not much, but enough to help you get by! I always buy the travel books from this series when I travel, because they are so appealing to look at! Rather than just containing pages and pages of text like many travel guides, these books are full of great pictures, maps, and photographs. A great travel guide!
Good guidebook.......2007-05-14
This guidebook really helped me on my trip to Paris. There's lots of good, up to date info and maps.
Great guide to Paris.......2007-04-23
This book gives a little history and insight into Paris. This is the second Eyewitness I have purchased and LOVE IT! It not was invaluable while we were there but a great memory book of the places we saw.
Book Description
Revised yearly, STREETWISE is the best-selling map of PARIS, with coverage from Boulevard de Port Royal to Boulevard Haussmann. Points of interest such as museums, parks, and popular sites are highlighted and fully indexed. The Metro stops are clearly indicated on the main map, while a separate map of the Metro is also included. Laminated for durability, accordion folded to fit in your pocket or purse, STREETWISE gives you PARIS in a clear, concise, and convenient format.
Customer Reviews:
Must have for the Paris Traveller.......2007-09-28
My wife and I recently spent 4 days in Paris with this map (and each other!). It was absolutely indispensable. It had everything on it from several of the monuments and museums we wanted to visit to all of the metro and RER train lines. We will definitely be taking this with us on our next trip to Paris.
great product! fast service!.......2007-09-24
This is the handiest map you'll ever use! Easy to use, easy to carry... and every single street is on there! You cannot get lost with this handy!!!
Love these maps.......2007-06-08
Not really sure how much more good I can say about these maps.
I have one for most of the cities I travel too and really like the amount of Paris covered on this map.
The cartography is very easy to read and the street indexing is very helpful.
Buy!
helpful map.......2007-05-29
Not the best map of the city, but good. It's better than nothing thats for sure.
A Handy Pocket Map of Paris.......2007-05-17
This clearly printed, sturdy little map saves you from carrying a heavy guidebook everywhere. You can stash it easily in a pocket and refer to it in a flash. It covers only central Paris which is mainly where you'll be if you are only there for a few days. If you go out to the Bois de Boulogne or Pere La Chaise you'll have to bring the guidebook or do what Parisians do and pick up a copy of Paris Pratique at the local book store.
Book Description
Who but Rick Steves can tell travelers how to take self-guided walking tours along the Champs-Elysées and through the Marais? With Rick Steves’ Paris 2007, travelers can experience the best of everything the city has to offer — economically and hassle-free. Completely revised and updated, Rick Steves’ Paris 2007 includes opinionated coverage of both famous and lesser-known sights; friendly places to eat and sleep; suggested day plans; walking tours and trip itineraries; clear instructions for smooth travel anywhere by car, train, or foot; and Rick’s newest "back door" discoveries. America’s number one authority on travel to Europe, Rick’s time-tested recommendations for safe and enjoyable travel in Europe have been used by millions of Americans in search of their own unique European travel experience.
Customer Reviews:
All You've Ever Wanted to Know About Paris..........2007-09-27
Rick Steves is an expert on European travel.
I am a great fan of his PBS show, "Rick Steves in...".
His information is as complete as one might want; he covers the basics plus some: how to go, where to stay, dine, explore, etc.
There is also the in-depth information on the people, the customs, the "inner side" of Paris that gives one more than
the "typical touristy" perspective.
His book is well organized and easy to read...I'm still reading it and enjoying my "chairside travel" in preparation for the real thing.
Paris walks.......2007-09-15
This book was very helpful for the walks section. On a repeat trip to Paris recently we had visited most of the obvious tourist sites. The walks section was very handy especially with the little maps which were easier to read than the street one we had. We felt we had covered the areas thoroughly and did not get too lost in the winding streets. The book was well organized, locating information easy with the clear index.
Excellent guide. Read BEFORE the trip!.......2007-08-27
I've been a long time fan of Rick Steve's but this is the first time I've based a trip solely on his books. We stayed in Paris for one week and would've run out of places to visit if it weren't for this book. This was my second time visiting Paris and like always, the big name places are awesome but the lesser known corners described in this book made the trip complete. Read the book thoroughly and read it in advance. Also, don't forget to check out the discussion forums on Rick Steve's website and download museum audio tours for your iPODs.
Clear and Complete.......2007-08-09
A very extensive guidebook to Paris including the major sights, suggested walking tours through the main neighborhoods, reviews of numerous hotels and restaurants, and numerous hints for managing money, the language, transportation, local customs, and dealing with vicissitudes like the pickpockets on the Paris Metro. Lots of historical references and tips for major artworks worth seeing. All text with a few maps, line illustrations, and a very few photos--you'll want to supplement this with an illustrated guide--but jam-packed with information and helpful details that can make or break a trip.
wonderful guide for first-timers.......2007-06-04
we bought rick steves' rome and florence books for our italy trip last summer and thought they were wonderful guides, so we didn't hesitate to get this one before we went to paris. the book is very informative and it gives you a lot of tips on how to get the most out of your trip. i enjoy his recommended walks very much. especially the walks that take you into the daily lives of the locals. afterall, part of the traveling experience is to learn how people of other cultures live. of course, you won't miss any of the major sights either. rick steves usually mixes in a must-see sight w/ other more relaxed, local-feel activity, so that you don't feel like you're just a tourist, get in, take photos, and get out. overall, i enjoy his books. i think it's perfect for a first time visitor, but if you're a seasoned traveler, this book may not be what you're looking for.
Book Description
Praise for the Aimee Leduc series:
"One of the best heroines in crime fiction."-Lee Child
"The Parisienne Kinsey Millhone."-
Los Angeles Times
"One of the best new writers in the field today."-
Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Haunting."-
The New York Times Book Review
Aimee is faced with a tight deadline on a computer security contract when a telephone call from a stranger leads her to an abandoned infant. She brings the baby to her home and names her Stella. She expects the mother to reclaim the child, but days pass as Aimee tries in vain to discover her identity. Her partner, Rene, urges her to turn the baby over to the authorities, but for Aimee this is too close to her own abandonment by her mother.
The search brings her among ecological protesters and oil company tycoons, newspapermen and would-be actresses, as demonstrators near her home on the Ile Saint-Louis, in the heart of Paris, march against the pollution of the North Sea only to be dispersed by armed police.
Two murders and an abortive bombing keep Aimee running until, in the sewers beneath the Seine, she finds the woman she has been looking for, only to discover that the man she has just fallen for is a cold-hearted criminal.
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Customer Reviews:
Paper Cutouts.......2007-06-28
I always enjoy sitting down with a good mystery that brings unexpected twists and turns with characters who become companions through their ordeals. Nothing in this story stirs or challenges the imagination. The story line is trite, the protagonist is superficial and the novel's other characters don't go beyond paper cutout stereotypes.
A Murder that is literally in Aimee's own Backyard.......2007-06-17
Aimee is woken up by a call from a woman whose voice she is unable to place. The distraught woman begs Aimee to take care of her baby, Aimee as a Mother, zut alors, sacre bleu, nom de dieu, what is she to do? The next morning the body of a young woman is pulled out of the Seine. Like always Aimee is about to get a quick study of both motherhood in the nineties and the new environmental activities.
Fast and furious is the action as Aimee and Rene work on a contract for an ad agency that happens to have the biggest oil company (and polluter?) in France as their client. How does all this tie together? Cara Black once again does a marvelous job in weaving her story and words together, including more information on Aimee's mother's past.
Her description of the Paris of the nineties as it tries to find it's place in the post-Cold War and to deal with the major issues of pollution of both the rivers and seas surrounding united Europe is in itself worth the read. The only questions that I have are Why is the story set twelve years ago and Isn't Aimee getting a little old to be climbing around in sewers and chasing the bad guys through parks? Oh, as an aside, when is Cara going to get a 'new' authors photo, it's the same one she's had for years with the Dorothy Hamil haircut!
Another Superb Paris Mystery.......2007-06-15
Mystery novels historically have had as much to do with the place as the characters and the plots. Cara Black's latest Aimee Leduc novel proves this with its evocative descriptions and historical references about the Ile St-Louis, certainly one of my favorite areas of Paris. The plot here has a few too many contemporary (2007) references for a novel set 10 years earlier, but otherwise Aimee's life remains involving and evolving. I loved it.
Predictable and Trite........2007-05-23
The title says it all. It held no suspense, the thrills were missing, and the characters were wooden. Even the sex stuff was just boring.
One of her very best.......2007-05-12
They don't get any better than this in this genre - her plotting, the details about Paris, the need to know what happens next, and fairly good dialogue all make this a really great read.
Customer Reviews:
Beautiful and almost complete, but needs updating........2007-10-02
As a Parisian-born art lover, I have been to the Louvre many times and skimmed through many catalogues and books about its collections. I can reasonably say that this is the most beautiful sum ever published on its paintings collection. The illustrations do justice not only to the masterpieces, but also to more minor works, which other publications seldom show. The text is minimal but lively. It is a heavy item, not easy to bring back home, but it is worth the effort.
The only regret: over the last ten years the museum has acquired some wonderful works, so maybe it is time this book were updated, since it is more than ten years old.
Great overview........2007-06-04
Context: I'm not an academic or a scholar; I'm a regular guy who likes visiting museums when I travel and I wanted to do a little researach before I left. This book worked well for my daughter and I to determine which parts of the museum deserved the most time (on a short trip) and to get a better understanding of the works. I'm not qualified to evaluate it from an academic perspective, but as a layman it was exactly what we needed.
Wonderful Reproductions.......2006-12-14
I love this book. The reproductions in my opinion are really stunning and many fill a full page. Often times you really have to concentrate to follow which painting a caption is eluding to - that is my only criticism of this book. It is a fantastic addition to any art lovers collection, and anyone who has been to or will one day visit the Louvre in person. There is not alot of historical detail so do not buy this book thinking it is an art HISTORY book. It is not that although there is VERY VERY minor detailing of periods in art and a discussion of the history of the Louvre itself. This book is a treasure to be had but not a great instructive work. For the high quality reproductions and the pleasure the reader has of viewing the vast and beautiful painting collection of one of the worlds greatest museums I give it the highest praise of five stars. I should just note that my version is newer than this and has the Mona Lisa on the cover. Cheers!
A Stunning Inspirational Expression of the Louvre.......2006-09-04
I admire deeply the work put together in this book. I believe it was compiled with integrity to the purpose of relaying the center of some of the world's most exquisite art. First of all it is a massive volume in deep, rich color and when you receive it no matter what price you paid it feels well worth it. On several pages you will see a whole painting and then on the next page an enlarged version of the painting's focal point, a section of the art to show the rich detail. Of course you will lose some detail with any representation of this work. But if you can't make it to the Louvre or have been to the Louvre and would like to bring some of the soul stilling art home I highly recommend this book.
Overrated.......2003-04-27
I'm surprised by the glowing reviews for this book. The reproductions are of poor quality. My advice would be to buy a book published in the last ten years, no more.
Book Description
An incisive, beautifully written first novel by a former supermodel that explores the glamorous and gritty world she inhabited
Only a handful of women in the world have experienced what Paulina Porizkova has -- being whisked away to model in Paris while still a teenager, reaching the pinnacle of the profession before her schoolmates had even graduated -- and fewer still have the insight to capture it on paper.
In her first novel, Paulina tells the story of Jirina. A tall, scrawny fifteen-year-old girl from Sweden, she's much more accustomed to taunts and disdain than admiration and affection, whether from her classmates or her own family. That all changes when her only friend, Hatty, asks to practice her makeup and photography skills on Jirina. Almost before she knows it Jirina is on a plane to Paris, where she will spend the summer in a milieu entirely alien to her. Living at the home of her modeling agency's owner and constantly subjected to blunt physical assessments, catty and often cruel fellow models, and womanizing photographers -- and, miraculously enough, while sometimes feeling truly beautiful -- Jirina embarks on a journey beyond her wildest imaginings. Between photo shoots in Italy and Morocco and parties with models and musicians, Jirina manages to make a few friends, fall in love, and, eventually, feel the very adult pain of betrayal and heartbreak.
Told with the grace, simplicity, and accuracy that can only come from real-life experience, A Model Summer is both the debut of a notably talented novelist and an unusually well-informed look behind the scenes at a world many people fantasize about, but few really know.
Customer Reviews:
Had Great Potential, but...........2007-08-21
I tried to read this book, but Paulina's writing translated into English has missed the mark. The book is predictable, boring, uses too many words, and is not smooth reading. Sorry, but this story has been written before and is alot easier to read.
Nice reading!.......2007-07-07
I read this book because I know Paulina Poriskova since her Estee Lauder time. Summer Model proves that Paulina is not only the most beautiful woman in the world, but she has a good talent in story telling and writing. It didn't dissappoint and It was a nice reading over the 4th of July holiday. I can't wait for her next.Cold Eyes
I hope you like feeling unfulfilled. .......2007-07-02
I read an article on Poritzkova a few months ago where she was talking up the release of this book, and I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. So when I saw it on Amazon, I ordered it right away. After finishing it in 2 days, I have to say it was 'candy for the senses'-- and great at that-- but the ending left me with too many questions, and a kind of 'Is this it?!' feeling; so many loose ends. With that said, the writing style was gratefully more than your standard chick lit. However, one can only read about so many alcohol-infused evenings and partner-switches before the book becomes a little boring.
i couldnt stop reading it.......2007-06-28
very good book. First of all i thought the plot was kind of common and too simple...Pretty girl is coming to paris for getting of love and career..but book turned out like unexpected good one:))i couldnt stop reading it untill the end.buy it if you are a girl of 25-35 years old. you will not regret.
A GREAT READ.......2007-06-18
An extremely well-written book about an innocent girl named Jirina thrust into an uncaring, precarious industry. Having modeled in the 1980's, I was struck by the accuracy, the ability to describe the fashion world, and its effect on young girl's life in only one summer. Concise, moving, and really funny--I highly recommend this book to mothers considering a modeling career for the young daughters and to ALL teenager girls. Riveted, I could not put it down.
Book Description
Set in 1943, APRIL IN PARIS is the dramatic story of an impossible love between a German soldier and a French Resistance fighter in occupied Paris.
Roth, a twenty-one-year-old German soldier, has spent most of his time in occupied Paris working in the army’s back offices. But when his superiors learn of his ability to speak accent-free French, he is abruptly transferred to Gestapo headquarters to work as an interpreter during the interrogation of Resistance fighters. Rather than question his role in the Nazi regime, Roth translates with impeccable accuracy as the torture proceeds.
But when his duty ends, Roth slips away from his fellow officers, changes into civilian clothes, and wanders aimlessly through Paris disguised as his alter ego “Antoine.” One day he is drawn into an antiquarian bookshop and becomes enchanted with the bookseller’s beautiful daughter, Chantal. The two begin to meet and fall in love before Roth has the courage to reveal his true identity, nor to discover Chantal’s.
When a bomb placed in a popular nightclub by the Resistance kills several high-ranking German officers, Roth finds himself not in his role as translator but as the suspect of the SS’s interrogation.
April in Paris is one of those rare books in which the emotional force of the love story is matched by page-turning suspense. Written in an elegant and arresting style, it is a thrilling novel by a promising new writer, who has brought the reality of a war-torn past very much to the present.
Customer Reviews:
Couldn't get past the flat, dull, banality.......2007-08-08
I didn't get very far in this audiobook, but it is one of the few that I have ever turned off and simply stopped listening to.
First off, although it is common practice, it is a stupid and unreal thing, IMHO, for a German soldier, in a book translated into English, to speak English with a German accent. Just stupid.
Second, the narrator, who allegedly speaks French "without accent" can't even pronounce correctly the simple words Saint Antoine, or La Fontaine.
It may be the fault of the translator or the narrator, or the author , or all of the above, but the result was -- I didn't want to listen to any more of this stuff
Sleepwalking in Paris.......2007-06-07
Translated from its original German, "April in Paris" is a spellbinding book that is destined for the silver screen. Corporal Roth, a German soldier, is given marching orders to work in Paris as a translator in a Gestapo interrogation room. During his free time, he comes up with a verbotener plan to dress as a native Frenchman and wander through the streets of Paris. He names himself Antoine, whereupon he soon falls in love with Chantal, a book dealer's daughter and a member of the French Resistance. As an American, I found it fascinating to witness wartime Paris through the eyes of a conflicted Wehrmacht soldier in a book written by a young German descendant of that era.
At first glance, I grew restless with Corporal Roth because he seemed without the expected dimension of a character trapped in harrowing circumstances. However, it is impossible not be drawn into the story as our protagonist navigates his way through both contradictory worlds. I eventually came to understand that this seeming lack of depth might have been the intent of first-time novelist and scriptwriter Michael Wallner. He is, after all, writing about a shell-shocked young soldier looking for a way to cope with his situation.
Corporal Roth takes an incredible risk to escape reality. His assignment, which involves witnessing the torture of French suspects, is at great odds with his job of fluently speaking their language. As he follows the Seine, he is sleepwalking at the edge of the abyss and facing a great moral dilemma, but he is too numb to look down into its depths. We do not witness him struggle with ethical questions. As soldiers must do, he approaches the horror with only part of himself because he otherwise could not get the job done. It is only later that the character begins to unravel, as his courageous yet foolish retreat into illusion becomes all too real.
As I write this, I'm sure this book is being turned into a movie somewhere. The usual lineups of producers are attaching themselves to the project, options are being sold, contracts are being drawn up, Mr. Wallner is working on the script, and casting people are pulling up names from their databases. If the stars align, this book has great potential as a film. I sincerely hope so. I am also looking forward to this writer's second novel.
Love during the German occupation of Paris.......2007-05-30
A Wermacht soldier named Roth works as a translator in Paris as the Germans occupy the city in the months leading up to the Allied invasion of World War II. He does his job by day, but by night he transforms himself into a Frenchman and takes to the streets. He rejoices in the freedom he feels whenever he is out of the restrictive uniform, walking among the Parisiennes. Naturally, he understands the enormity of the risk he is taking but cannot seem to help himself. While it's possible that he thrives on the danger, it seems more likely that Roth simply hates his day job. Shedding all vestiges of his rank allows him to pretend he's strolling around without a care in the world.
"The next afternoon, desire and curiosity overcame fear once again. I pulled the checkered suit out of the wardrobe, took a fresh shirt, and picked out a tie...I was Antoine again!"
Roth's wandering takes him to a bookshop where he notices a young Frenchwoman, Chantal, and falls hopelessly under her spell. Even when he discovers she's part of the French Resistance, he can't stop himself from pursuing her. He spends his daytime hours in the Rue des Saussaies, a notorious bastion of harsh interrogation and hideous torture, translating the words of the prisoners. Not a particularly queasy person, still Roth averts his eyes whenever possible as the brutality is meted out to the unfortunate numbers suspected of underground activities. Instead of spurring Roth to discontinue his evening escapades, it seems to intensify his desire to don Antoine's clothes and amble about the city. And his need to seek out Chantal.
The young German soldier watches feverishly for her, haunting her hangouts in hopes of even a glimpse of her. His tenacity pays off, but as their love is the forbidden fruit, it can be nothing but doomed. Their clandestine meetings must, by necessity, be brief. Totally smitten, Roth finds that he cannot get enough of her. She dominates his thoughts constantly, and it starts to show in his attention to details. He turns dreamy, his mind drifting somewhere far from the Rue des Saussaies.
Of course, the distraction does not go unnoticed. His superiors begin to pay closer attention to Roth. Soon, he finds himself in more trouble than he had imagined possible. Then an alarming message: Chantal has disappeared. Gone into hiding, he reassures himself. He consoles himself in the belief that she escaped capture. But for Roth, life without Chantal is the worst form of torture. He will risk everything to find her. Hopefully, he will be on time.
Roth and Chantal's relationship is nearly as sweet as Romeo and Juliet's, and almost as tragic. Set in a time of great fear and uncertainty, APRIL IN PARIS is a stunning love story that Michael Wallner has penned with a poignancy unequaled by most historical fiction writers.
--- Reviewed by Kate Ayers
Wooden Characters and Bad Translation.......2007-05-29
I was extremely disappointed in this book. There is very little characteer development; beyond sheer hormones, I could not understand why the main character was in love with the French woman. A good translation conveys a sense of culture and place. These people talk to each other like they are Americans. I had hoped for Alan Furst and got a nothing near to that. The author is a screen writer and I think he knocked this one out in a few months hoping for a movie deal. I don't even see how that could happen. There is just so little here.
April in Paris.......2007-05-23
The book is disappointing, possibly suffering from the translation from German. The characters, particularly the female protogonist, are two dimensional and unbelivable. The ending is not bad, but overall, I have seen this genre done much, much better many times before. At least the book is not too long, so you don't waste too much time on it.
Amazon.com
What was a nice Eton boy like Eric Blair doing in scummy slums instead of being upwardly mobile at Oxford or Cambridge? Living Down and Out in Paris and London, repudiating respectable imperialist society, and reinventing himself as George Orwell. His 1933 debut book (ostensibly a novel, but overwhelmingly autobiographical) was rejected by that elitist publisher T.S. Eliot, perhaps because its close-up portrait of lowlife was too pungent for comfort.
In Paris, Orwell lived in verminous rooms and washed dishes at the overpriced "Hotel X," in a remarkably filthy, 110-degree kitchen. He met "eccentric people--people who have fallen into solitary, half-mad grooves of life and given up trying to be normal or decent." Though Orwell's tone is that of an outraged reformer, it's surprising how entertaining many of his adventures are: gnawing poverty only enlivens the imagination, and the wild characters he met often swindled each other and themselves. The wackiest tale involves a miser who ate cats, wore newspapers for underwear, invested 6,000 francs in cocaine, and hid it in a face-powder tin when the cops raided. They had to free him, because the apparently controlled substance turned out to be face powder instead of cocaine.
In London, Orwell studied begging with a crippled expert named Bozo, a great storyteller and philosopher. Orwell devotes a chapter to the fine points of London guttersnipe slang. Years later, he would put his lexical bent to work by inventing Newspeak, and draw on his down-and-out experience to evoke the plight of the Proles in 1984. Though marred by hints of unexamined anti-Semitism, Orwell's debut remains, as The Nation put it, "the most lucid portrait of poverty in the English language." --Tim Appelo
Book Description
This unusual fictional account, in good part autobiographical, narrates without self-pity and often with humor the adventures of a penniless British writer among the down-and-out of two great cities. In the tales of both cities we learn some sobering Orwellian truths about poverty and society.
Customer Reviews:
"Down and out", but alive and indeed real people.......2007-06-24
Orwell presents this story as an autobiography. He starts the story in Paris where he prepares to go to work in a Hotel but then for a variety of reasons sort of just descends into poverty. Being an English teacher doesn't work and waiting to take a job in a hotel and the problems he has leaves him close to starvation. Even finding the Hotel job just leaves him with long hours of work and he finds himself at the bottom of a hotel's social structure. This is reflective of the society he lives in where there are little opportunities for one to rise above where one starts in life and of course work. He describes drinking on a Saturday night as the "one thing that made life worth living". At one point a murder happens right outside where he is sleeping and he just comments that within three minutes he had gone back to sleep not wanting to waste time over it. In London he lives as a beggar and a tramp and the experience just adds to his understanding of being down and out. Life there is no better for him. One can not help but think of "1984", and much of Orwell's other writings, and see in the story told here some of what later was the core of his message. His work in the Hotel was considered slavery and it seemed to him that the cause was that the lower class was trapped. In part the reason for being trapped was that the rich were just unconcerned and unaware of the poor. He could also see that the rich may really fear what may be the inevitable rising up by the lower classes up to fight back. These events were ones that Orwell would have related to socialism and the issue of whether it was itself good or bad. One side of the society was looking for liberty and the other side fearing they could lose it.
The books conclusions are well worth reading and understanding. He acknowledges that what he has shown to be poverty is really just a small insight into what it really is. He uses the books characters to graphically show the human side of the poor. The conclusion is clear that the "down and out" are real people, individuals, and are important.
Heavily edited edition.......2007-06-03
Be advised that the Harcourt edition appears to be the original edited version. As such the passages on slang end up containing a lot of "-----" which is interesting from the perspective of censorship in the 1930s, but is clearly contrary to the authors intent. Before purchasing a copy check the third or fourth page of chapter 32 for the following passage:
"The current London adjective, now tacked on to every noun is ..."
Orwell doesn't like Jews and gays..........2007-02-02
If you pick this little book up--while seated in your most comfortable chair, with a ready beverage nearby, and an empty bladder--odds are you'll finish it before you put it down again. Orwell is my kind of writer: he means what he says. This book imparts information, clearly and precisely; it is not a stylistic work, where the word trumps the meaning, and every syllabic filigree is employed. Here, the narrative is paramount (but the writing is still elegant and well-constructed). It is vastly entertaining, with Orwell's implacable candor, self-honesty, and knack for detail on full display.
La Vache Enragée.......2006-10-31
George Orwell, whose real name is Eric Blair, was born in India in 1903. He served in Burma with the Indian Imperial Police and spent the end of the 1920s - as any self-respecting author would've done - living in Paris . Orwell later fought for the Republicans against Franco in the Spanish Civil War. He became well-known following the publication of "Animal Farm" (a satire on Soviet Russia) and died in 1950, shortly after the publication of "1984".
"Down and Out in Paris and London" was first published in 1933 and is a largely autobiographical account - though there have been a few tweaks here and there. It covers Orwell's times living on the breadline : working as a plongeur in Paris, being caught out by con-artists and life as a tramp on his return to England. The book was originally called "A Scullion's Diary" and - it would appear - focused only on his days in Paris. After it was rejected a few times, Orwell tried his luck with the stories of his life on the streets in and around London added. To be honest, I find it a pity this happened, as the stories set in Paris are much more readable. While some of the characters we meet - Charlie, for example - are far from admirable, Orwell himself doesn't come out of the book entirely unscathed. His occasional foolishness is forgivable, but his apparent snobbery and insincerity can be a bit hard to take. For example, as the book closes, he comments he'd like to know people like Paddy (a fellow tramp he'd met in England) "intimately". However, on the very same page, the news of Paddy's apparent death is met with barely a shrug of the shoulders : "perhaps my informant was mixing him up with someone else". More honestly, it's clear from how he wrote about Paddy that Orwell considered himself better than his 'mate' and - rather than getting to know him intimately - just didn't care.
Recommended with reservations : if you only read two books by George Orwell, make this your third pick.
"The thought of not being poor made me very patriotic...".......2006-09-11
DOWN AND OUT IN PARIS AND LONDON shows the dark seedy side of one of the two most cosmopolitan cities in Europe and England. There is no glamour in George Orwell's depiction, but rather a taste of the raw and real side of poverty that occupies the lives of the lower and working class citizens and immigrants that sought opportunity in Paris and in London. Surprisingly, these were educated and former civil servants of their respective countries who happened to meet unfortunate circumstances, such as falling to illness or dropping out of society. Orwell observes that poverty does not discriminate.
Indeed, this is an autobiographical account of how Orwell lived as a struggling writer during the 1920s and 1930s where he literally lived a life that may have compared to a Dickensian novel, but with a little more wit and subtle cynicism. The life in the city and the unpredictable events that occur while scrounging for something to eat or scrimping by with few a shillings or francs in order to survive. Orwell succeeds in blending humor and irony in situations that usually do not accompany undesirable situations.
Orwell presents an array of characters with great vividness. Through the art of fiction, Orwell writes in the first-person and accounts the people and places he encountered. Of all the characters mentioned, Boris and Bozo were the most memorable. In Paris, Boris, a roommate, fellow vagrant and writer, former Captain in the Russian Army before the Bolshevik Revolution, who was well read with military history -- Napoleon to Clausewitz, worked odd jobs as a waiter or maitre d' hotel at various Parisian hotel restaurants. On the outskirts of London, Orwell saw a contrasting side of poverty that appeared harsher than what he had been accustomed to in Paris. And as in Paris, Orwell came upon unusual and enlightened people, such as Bozo, a pavement artist who drew likenesses of Winston Churchill and cartoons of political parties. He was the son of a bankrupt bookseller who spoke so so French and read Zola and Shakespeare, and was considered the quintessential beggar who spent his earnings on drink.
Overall, DOWN AND OUT IN PARIS AND IN LONDON will entertain and entice readers. George Orwell offers reader a unique and realistic view of living on the fringes, but deeply empathizes and attempts to understand each predicament of the people and places he encounters.
Average customer rating:
- Calculations are only as good as your numbers
- Pants on fire?
- Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
- Very Interesting
- History as Science Fiction
|
History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
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ASIN: 2913621058 |
Book Description
Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.
Customer Reviews:
Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03
Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.
Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19
Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09
There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.
For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.
Very Interesting.......2007-03-07
It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.
History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10
Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.
I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.
Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.
Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.
I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.
This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.
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