All About Books discussion

Come here to discuss our nonfiction group read for April/May.

Hope it comes on time for you Sandy!

I am waiting to see what people who have already been to Paris think about this book before buying it. I have never been, but would love to go some day.

Sandy, I will definitely be reading it and soon. Terry, I have been in Paris.

Sandy wrote: "Is anyone else planning to read this? I may end up buying it. The ebook is only Cdn $14 or so."

I may do, if I can get it out of the library.

I just do not want to start before others have started...... It is more fun talking with others reading it at the same time.

Chrissie wrote: "Sandy, I will definitely be reading it and soon. Terry, I have been in Paris."

Great! I love to read your reviews, Chrissie, so I am looking forward to your reaction to this book.

Thanks, Terry.

I will now begin this. I hope others do too, because half of the fun is discussing a book with others.

I would not recommend the audiobook. I personally don't like the narration. This guy mispronounces everything. Medici is usually off. Boules sounded like "bowls", for heavens sake.

The paper book has photos, and I have to go to internet to find pictures. It would just be so handy to glance at them right there on the next page.

I think it would be fun to have when you are visiting Paris. He provides interesting information. He gives you ideas of thing you should see and do - for example taking a LONG walk along the Seine.

I want to find the place of all the different arrondissements so I can place them on a map in my head. here, I found it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrondis.... Does the book have maps? I hope so.

I am forcing my self to listen to the words of the text, not the sounds I hear.

Somebody join me, please.

Oh look at this at Wiki!

The book is made up of essays. He has a chapter on the Pere Lachaise Cemetary. Look at these images: https://www.google.fr/search?q=pere+l... Check out the tomb with a statue lying on top, and two hands shaking. Cemeteries CAN be fun to walk in. In Stockholm I used to do this, so it i snot weird at all. Pretty trees and flowers.

If I want others to read and discuss this book I should keep my mouth shut....

Here is a partial review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Maybe if I complain it will get better?

Sandy, it does improve. A lot. I have adjusted my review!!!!

It is amazing, if I complain a book often improves. If I say I love it, it gets worse....

This is worth reading. Be patient. Oh gosh, what is going to happen now? Will it get bad again? I don't want to jinx it.

Yeah, the book really irritated me at first, Sandy. There ARE interesting chapters. He discusses topics not normally put in a "travel guide". These topics can be interesting both to a person living in Paris and to a weekend traveler.However, do not choose the audiobook. The narration sucks big time.

I will probably be giving it three stars. That being a rating of the BOOK! I am ignoring the terrible narration when I set the stars.

Some of the writing is special; some is downright whiny. Maybe one would be more enthused if you approached the book with no knowledge at all of the city. It only sort of captures the feel of the place.

It should have had more about the Latin Quarter, which is my favorite. But you see, each person wants different things so it is hard to judge!

I have only about 2 hours left.

Happy Easter everybody.

Well, I finished it and gave it only two stars. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

It was me that suggested this lousy book.Sorry.

Maybe something is wrong with me because everyone else loves the book. I do not understand what they see in it.

I'm about 100 pages in and it's a struggle. Chrissie, I agree with your criticisms. I did like the chapter on Pere-Lachaise Cemetery.

Terri, that you are feeling similarly makes me feel better.

There are a few good chapters.....that is why I gave it two rather than one star.