While reading this book I constantly had to remind myself that it was written in 1970-71, so prescient and prophetic were Steiner's insights. As a study of Western culture, an investigation into where--and what--we are historically and globally, it remains absolutely critical reading. Steiner read right what continue to be the major issues of our time: the generalized suspicions about the irrelevance of "high" culture when projected against 20th century political atrocities; the role of literacy in a progressively visual culture; the increasingly pervasive roles of various forms of music; the emerging pre-eminence of "facts," of a scientific mind-set and of scientific knowledge in general; the ethical and intellectual risks posed by the scientific unknowns--to name but a few themes in this dense, richly thought-out essay.

This is a thin book, unlike "No Passion Spent"; rigorously and earnestly investigatory, unlike "Errata." Ironically I came to this book last, but it is by far the most satisfying. In the former, only one essay, "Archives of Eden," touches on the large cultural questions examined here, and then more in the form of a rant; in the latter, what had by then become Steiner's familiar terrain seemed only to have been re-rehearsed, with no substantive new insights.

But here is Steiner at his least pretentious (he does have a tendency to flaunt his polylingual capacities), at his most profound and probing. It isn't easy reading and isn't intended to be. It has the earmark of a formidable mind investigating its time and space for its own sake, more out of its own curiosity and impulse to understand as of any desire to impress, or advance its host professionally.

Here is Steiner at the same amplitude as an Elias Canetti or a William Irwin Thompson--an encyclopedic generalist discussing broad cultural questions with command, eloquence and erudition.

Steiner is certainly absorbed in cultural fracture and decay. For the most part, Steiner is really intent on telling us how bad it really is. Is it really? or Is this Steiner's interpretation of the state of things based on an ontology that demands progress. Steiner takes off from Freud's Civilization and its Discontents (which posits that there is tension between civilization and our natural tendencies), so can Steiner be said to be falling prey to an ontology almost bent on self-destruction. If we are as Freud suggests turning our aggressions inward through the pressure we place on ourselves can Steiner be said to be perpetuating that sense of progress? Steiner although directly telling us we are on the decline, he is not prescriptive. He does not redefine culture as the sub-title suggests. Despite his reacting to Eliot he really, perhaps underhandedly, attempts to redefine the role of culture.

The great question he poses for us to contemplate revolves around the issue of the holocaust. How can such a cultured society - with science, math and art be able to perpetuate such cruelty. When the moral judgment is rendered that the "Other" is inhuman than the machine of "reason" with all its mechanized efficiency is set in motion. Have we really progressed? If progress is really moving "forward" and we should be getting more enlightened - we perpetuate such horrendous atrocities. Which calls to question that once the last door is open and it leads us to the future - are we ready for it? We seem destined to open the door no matter what - ready or not here we come. If Steiner is to prove useful, it will not be in the area of resetting the progress machine in motion but that he stopped us for a few seconds to reconsider the damage we can and are all to willing to perpetuate. Where is our culture now?

In my opinion, Steiner is at his best when he muses over the age of contemporary communication. He reflects on music and science founded on math, which effectively will result in a wordless culture. He examines the widespread deterioration of traditional ideas in literate speech. In "The Great Enuui" he harkens that since the age of Napoleon we do not have meaning, we have slumbered into a death without dying. We are in a state of apathy but we pine for a golden age. I have to admit to reading into Steiner nostalgia for whatever his conception is for a golden age. Reflectively, admittedly and unrepentantly Eurocentric, Steiner falls into the same trap that Nietzsche, Freud and Dostoevsky did by getting stuck in the passion (natural) vs. reason (imposed) dichotomy. Nonetheless, as with all those just mentioned, he is informative in his reflections - almost postmodernist in his deconstruction but unmistakably modernist in his outlook and still naively seeking a sense of progress as if man is on a teleological quest for perfection. In a postmodern world where fissures are exposing the naiveté our most cherished certainties sometimes it is nice to be certain about something. Steiner may want to recall this stuff to presence but fails - nonetheless it is highly informative, very compelling and a necessary read.

Miguel Llora

A bold reflection about why the West lost her innocence by organizing the Holocaust.
For the author, the motives for the Holocaust lie in the subconscious and more particularly in the psychology of religion.
First, Moses gave us monotheism with an abstract, ruthless, almighty but absent God. Secondly, his son Christ, required in his Sermon of the Mount total self abandonment. Thirdly, there was the Messianic socialism of Marx, Trotski and Bloch.
The West took revenge by exterminating the people who saddled its subconscious with these inhuman utopian dreams.
The West lost her innocence; but how can it react against the committed barbarism: by the stoicism of a Freud, or by the cheerfulness of Nietzsche for the fact that we are only a few moments here on this gruesome planet.
This powerful text forces the reader to a serious reflection. I don't have any clinical psychoanalytical material at my disposal that confirms or denies the author's conjectures. So suggestions for other work in this field are very wellcome.
For me, this book is certainly not the whole truth, as there were among others, resentment for success, the search for a scapegoat for the economic depression or the more than ambivalent attitude of the Catholic Church.

Authors have exposed the diabolical nature of British leader Neville Chamberlin.Firstly authors say [correctly]that appeasment was a myth.As early as 1934 British leaders of conservative party had adopted a policy of giving Germany a free hand in eastern Europe.In Nov1937 Lord Halifax had met Hitler ,told Britain would not oppose if Germany carried out expansionist polices in eastern Europe.Later British ambassador in Berlin Neville Henderson gave similiar assurances to this effect.When Hitler commenced threatning Czchecoslovakia ,under the cover of demanding self- determination for Sudenten Germans ,Chamberlin refused to take action.But refusal was contingent on Germany not attacking the West.In other words Germany was free to expand towards easern Europe and Britain would ensure Czeckoslovakia does not stand on the way. Shockingly this was the secret deal Chamberlin made with Hitler at Godesberg prior to Munich talks.One is now forced to endorse Soviet leader Stalin's view that West tried to embroil Germany and Soviet Union in a war.

On March 15 1939 Nazi Germany swallowed remaining rump of Czeckoslovakia .On March27 1939 in a speech to House of Commons Chamberlin gave a guarantee to Poland.Later it was told Western democracies by this time realised their folly went to war to stop further German depredations.Authors have shown guarantee to Poland was a sham ,only served as an instrument to deter Germany from attacking the West. By this time it came to be known ,according to British intelligence ,that Hitler was making secret preparations to attack the West.Western democracies ,however,communicated through secret channels that it was prepared to foresake Poland provided Hitler confine his ambitions to eastern Europe.Hostile public opinion forced democracies to start staff talks with Soviet Union .The purpose was to form a collective front to stop Hitler's march to war.But talks dragged on with West showing no willingness to bring it to succeessful a conclusion.

What Soviets wanted from the West was ironclad guarantee.Russians were prepared to commit 100 divisions for defence of Poland.Since Moscow did not share common border with Germany it wanted right of passage for its troops.This obstinate Poles refused to give.Here it must be said Russians were trying 1934 onwards to forge collective security pact with West .Such a pact would have stopped Hitler's Germany on its tracks .Presumably Hitler's regime would have been ousted in a coup or would have resigned. Then course of history would have been different.But British leadership's moral blindness ,hatred for Communism such a splendid opportunity was botched.

Getting back to the point,Moscow talks served in my opinion to put pressure on Germany How? I refer to secret confabulations between Horace Wilson and Goering's representive Karl Wohltat in London.Germany was told to come to terms, renounce its aggressive designs on western Europe .If not ,Berlin would be assailed on both flanks wih Russia's help.This precisely had been Hitler's nightmare. Unfortunately authors have missed this crucial point.Ultimately Moscow talks failed because West wanted Soviet Union to vouch for Poland's security without giving any reciprocal guarantees to the soviets.This made Soviets suspicious about real motives of Western leaders .The double-dealing led soviets to sign non-aggression pact with Germany.The Western democracies went to war against Germany because it committed apostasy by courting the Soviet devil.But secret channels remained open.Behind public gaze British leaders stll hoped to resurrect their secret deal this time with moderate Nazis by ousting Hitler from power.

Chamberlin policy boomeranged.Hitler reposed no faith Chamberlin ability to deliver.Nazi leader chose to free his rear before attacking Soviet Union.Appeasment policy now lay in tatters.Appendix section of the book I find it very interesting.Here authors have evaluated ,critically analysed works of other historians on Chamberlin's appeasment policy.Historians-Alan Bullock,AJP Taylor,Donald C. Watt Simon Newman ,Paul Kennedy-have exonerated the British leader of any wrong deeds by projecting him to be apostle of peace. All evidence to the contrary either fudged or ignored Why?They were reluctant to admit that leader of a Western democracy could collaborate with a dictator who was hell-bent on going to war to realise his ambitions.Such distortion of facts tantamount to pulling wool over the eyes of the public.This book has presented British politicians in the true light.These men instead of stopping Hitler shamelessly connived,collaborated ,co operated with the Nazi leader.Hyocrites,they were parially responsible for the outbreak of World War II and Holocaust that ensued.

The book represents a complete reappraisal of events leading to World War II.For me the facts contained in the book were nothing new.Having read the books of Soviet historians of war [Vladimir Trukhanovsky, Oleg Rzhevsky]I am aware of it.However this may be first time that few people in the West have come to acknowledge this unpalatable truth which for a long time dubbed communist propaganda.

A look at the book "In Our Time: The Chamberlain-Hitler Collusion" provides an important investigation of what actually was behind the Munich agreement, the so-called "appeasement" of Hitler and related topics. The authors show that British and French leaders were not naïve [weaklings] trying to "appease" Hitler in the interests of world peace. They were his collaborators in attempting to stem the virus of human rights ("bolshevism") from further threatening ruling class privilege in Europe. The "appeasement" concept, the conventional wisdom about how WWII started, the authors note in their conclusion, has been used to try to silence critics of subsequent U.S. military interventions.

The main driving force the authors outline behind this policy of collaboration is anti-communism. The bolshevik virus was said to be behind every effort of workers in Western countries to get more human rights from the ruling classes.

The authors quote from Neville Chamberlain's correpsondence with King Geore VI that his goal during his meetings with Hitler in September 1938 was to reach an "understanding" with Hitler. This understanding hopefully would bring about the "prospect of Germany and England as the two pillars of European peace and buttresses against communism."

The authors quote from the meetings of Hitler and Chamberlain, the notes of the German translator Paul Schmidt. Hitler stated that there should be no conflict between Britain and Germany and that Germany would not stand in the way of British activities outside of Europe and that Britain should not stand in the way of German activities in Central and South-East Europe. The main theme stressed by British officials in the documents quoted by the authors is that it would be allright if the Nazis expanded towards Central and Eastern Europe so long as they did not attack Western Europe and interfere with Britain's sphere of influence. They hoped that the Nazis would eventually make war on the Soviet Union.

What appears to have turned British leaders gradually away from their "appeasement" policy was not Nazi occupation of the rest of Czechoslovakia on March 15 1939, for Chamberlain immediately offered excuses for it, but the German cession of the Czech province of Ruthenia to Hungary on March 17. It was expected that the Nazis would merge the Ukranian speaking Ruthenia with Ukranian areas of Poland and create it as a ram with which to attack the Soviet Union and merge them with the Ukraine, the Soviet Union's economically powerful republic. The granting of Ruthenia to Hungary suggested that intelligence reports that Hitler first planned to attack Great Britain and France were accurate. The way was paved for the empowerment of politicians like Churchill, who had long seen Hitler as a threat to the British imperialism. Hitler did not believe that his allies in Britain and France could withstand electoral defeats from Nazi opponents like Churchill and so he felt he had to make his Western flank secure before he went East.

The Chamberlain government continued to have contacts with the Nazis trying to revive the "understanding" that Chamberlain thought he had agreed with Hitler in September 1938. Shortly after Germany gave Ruthenia away, the British and the French offered a unilateral guarantee to Poland, until recently an ally of the Nazis. The authors show that this guarantee was not so much a promise to defend Poland as an effort to enlist the Poles militarily on Hitler's East Flank should he attack Britain and France

The authors quote a meeting during which Chamberlain asked foreign minister George Bonnet wheather France would come to the aid of Russia as called for in its 1935 defense pact with the latter if the Germans went forward with their plan to start a guerilla uprising to in the Ukraine to detach it from Russia. Bonnet reasoned that since such an action by Germany would not be a direct military attack on Russia, France did not have to intervene. Chamberlain was pleased.

The author's focus on the Soviet war on Finland is particularly interesting. Russia attacked Finland on November 30 1939 after Russia, fearing Nazi expansion, offered Finland an exchange of territory which would have given it twice as much as it had given up. Western leaders professed a great deal of horror at Russia's aggression. While Poland was being horribly mauled, France sent a hundred bombers and 50,000 "volunteers" while the British sent 50 bombers to Finland. The authors note that Finland was much admired by Western rightists for it was dominated by its military ruling under a democratic facade. It had a strong fascist movement that was able to get the country's communist party outlawed.

As France was months away from being engulfed by the Nazi darkness, it was making plans with the British to attack the Caucuses and the Ukraine. They justified this on the ground that the Soviets had allied with Germany with their Non-aggression pact of August 1939 and were providing them with economic resources though the authors show that Russia actually provided little economic resources to Germany.

MUNICH. APPEASEMENT. Powerful symbols. Invoked to justify questionable military adventures. What actually happened at Munich?

'In Our Time:The Chamberlain-Hitler Collusion'--based on government documents, correspondence, diaries, etc.--shatters the conventional judgment.

There is no doubt that when Hitler first violated a treaty by entering the Rhineland, a firm response would have defeated him. The French were prepared to take action but the British government wouldn't. The Tory government, anxious to eradicate communism, was willing to accommodate Hitler's aggressive appetite in eastern Europe hoping that this would lead to war with the Soviet Union.

Many books I previously read described Hitler as a genius who continually overrode the warnings of his generals. The generals were properly cautious, assuming they would meet opposition. But Hitler was aware that his anti-communism had the approval of the British establishment and that his adventures would be successful.

German opposition forces tried to convince the British, that if they and the French took a firm stance, the German military would overthrow Hitler. Chamberlain rejected their pleas.

Hitler's demands against Czechoslovakia threatened to cause a major war since France had a mutual assistance treaty with the Czechs. To defuse the crisis, Chamberlain traveled to Germany and held three meetings with Hitler. The last one, with France and Italy, produced the Munich Agreement--which sold out a reluctant but consenting Czechoslovakia.

During those meetings, Chamberlain felt he had forged a separate agreement with Hitler-which granted Hitler a "green light" for aggression in central and eastern Europe.

But public opinion in Britain was a major problem that Chamberlain defused by issuing gas masks and calling for the digging of trenches. Hitler was advised to ignore any harsh criticisms; they were made to appease the public.

Munich's lesson (the convention one) is a fraud. Chamberlain knew he was not bringing 'Peace in Our Time'. His performance was a charade to deceive an unsuspecting public. What is the real lesson. Beware of the duplicity of our leaders. Those magical PR icons--Munich, Appeasement, and the newer ones, Humanitarian Intervention, Ethnic Cleansing--should alert us that they are used to get public support for dubious activities.

For history buffs and particularly those interested in World War II, this book is an absolute MUST read.

This book provides excellent genealogical resources to help you find your European ancestors from Portugal to Greece.

Baxter explains some of the considerations that are unique to each country. For example, France has a '100 years law' that limits the information that you can access if an individual's record is within the last 100 years. In Italy, there is a record called the Certificate of Family Genealogy (Certificato dello Stato di Famiglia) that can be especially useful. Research in Scandinavian countries, Wales and some areas of the Netherlands and Germany can be difficult because the surnames often changed with each generation.

Some countries receive more or less coverage in this book. For Albania, where most of the church records have been destroyed, there is just a short history. For other countries, there are lists of records, major family names, archives with addresses that you can write to, and information about how records are kept in that country. Often dates are provided indicating when the country first began census and/or church records.

Overall, this book has great details!

Now in a completely revised, updated, and expanded fourth edition, Angus Baxter's In Search Of Your European Roots continues to be the premier guide for the novice genealogist seeking trace ancestors in any and every country throughout Europe. The location of each country's national and municipal archives is recorded, in addition to the location of church records, census returns, the system of civil registrations of births, marriages, and deaths, along with pertinent recommendations on finding and using such records as foundling books, orphans' lists, certificates of domicile, guild records, internal passports, confirmation records, and vaccination lists. Here are a highly recommended wealth of telephone numbers, email addresses, fax numbers, and website addresses for most of the major European archives and genealogically relevant organizations. Of special note in this new edition is the attention paid to the changes brought about by German reunification, the break-up of the Soviet Union, and the dismemberments of Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia into smaller political states.

If you've ever tried to follow your family tree in your own country and language, just try doing it halfway around the world!

Baxter's book is packed full of useful information for your quest to dig up information about European ancestors. I was particularly interested in the sections on eastern European countries -- these are so often overlooked in "European" reference works, but Baxter has included what was available at the time of publication.

Very helpful are sections on the history of national boundaries (the ancestor you regard as Polish may have been, at the time if his life, German, Austro-Hungarian, Bohemian, Polish, or Russian!), and an index of changed place-names.

This was a very helpful addition to my growing genealogy library, and will be to yours, too.

In the South of France, by Don Krohn, is so much more than a book of beautiful photographs. I was drawn into the book by the luscious color plates, eager to see what this famous land - the south of France - looked like. Page after page, rolling sunlit landscapes and intimate private moments delighted my painter's eye and wanderlust! But upon entering into the narrative that accompanies the photographs, I became enthralled with a sense of the day-to-day life there as it was revealed in the pages, and I found many passages that went from poetic to descriptive to profound. I had a lot to ponder as I again meandered through the photographs, choosing a few favorites that still beckon me to the south of France. Mr. Krohn was able to bring the area to life for me both visually and intellectually, even though I have never been there!

I received this elegant and enjoyable book as a gift and will surely buy it in the future to give to friends. The photographs offer glimpses of the deep beauty and daily life of the south of France, and the graceful text adds personal, historic and artistic background - a rare combination from one artist.

Photographer Don Krohn's rich palette and unique vision are highlights of this volume. From abstract landscapes to witty village scenes, he reveals an intimate knowledge of this legendary place. His preface demonstrates a sweeping knowledge of the history of Provence and also reveals something of how an artist approaches a new subject. His generous selection of quotes by various artists and authors adds to our appreciation of the many qualities of this beautiful spot. A great gift or mini-vacation for the coffee table.

I chose this title, because it was true, at least for me. As Americans, we (some of us, not all) "think" Russians are not "very intelligent", "backward" and even, "less than human."
After reading this book, I tend to "get on my soapbox" to help people understand what few choices, the Russian people ever had in the outcomes of their lives! I never knew this before purchasing and reading Mr. Lincoln's book!
If you cannot be convinced by the poverty imposed on the Russians through Mr. Lincoln's words, you will be convinced by the heart-wrenching photographs; the children who appear as hopeless, hovels designed as homes with animals living within, death from starvation was not uncommon. And all the time, Russia refused (those in power prior to the Revolution)to feed her people, wheat was being shipped to other European countries.
And the Russians never questioned the motives of the Tsar; after the Revolution, they still starved and were murdered by Stalin and Hitler.
We need to change our attitudes and this book did it for me.

In the forward, W. Bruce Lincoln states the book is "...an effort to explore the lives, thoughts, hopes, and dreams of the men and women who lived in the world's largest empire and to convey some sense of the tensions that tore at the fabric of their existence on the eve of the Great War and the Revolution of 1917." In this effort he succeeds brilliantly.

We see portraits of Tsar Alexander III, Nicholas II, Pobedonostsev, Lenin, Rasputin, and a host of other generals, officials and ordinary people who shaped that era.

We get an insider's look at what life was like in a peasant community, inside the peasant's izba or house, and their attitudes towards schooling, medicine and religion. We go inside the growing factories and the slums the workers inhabited in the cities with rapidly developing industry. We see the new nobility of the industrial barons, the revolutionaries fighting the tsarist autocracy, the defenders of the Old Order...all come to life in these pages.

Graphic descriptions are given of the vicious pogroms against Jews. The impact of the Trans-Siberian Railroad in both economic and a political aspects is covered. The 1904 war with Japan is there with its criminally incompetent generals and and admirals and the war's impact on the development of the Revolution of 1905 as well as the mood of the populace as the nations slides toward the Great War.

This well written, illuminating, detailed and well documented book is a classic work on the Russian society of those years and fleshes out the soul of Russia as few other books do. 16 pages of photos. Highly recommended.

The book I ordered, In War's Dark Shadow, was exactly as the seller described it - in perfect condition. Since the book is not longer in print, I feel lucky to find one that looks as if it has never been used. The book was shipped promptly, and the seller was a pleasure to work with. I highly recommend this seller!

thanks!

Last April I spent 10 days in Italy with my family. I am a language fanatic so I used the trip as an opportunity to try out a new language similar to two that I had already studied (French and Spanish). This book really helped me learn the basics of conversational Italian, without being bogged down by intense grammar sessions and cumbersome textbooks. It is arranged like a children's language book with pictures and workbook pages that really help you become interactive with your learning.

Despite some reviewers, I enjoyed the fact that there were no tapes or CDs attached to this book. Listening to tapes for long stretches of time is, frankly, boring, and I know that I can just as easily fall asleep listening to tapes than actually learn the language. This book is fabulous for learning some Italian for a trip, but probably not for a long term study of the language. It is only an introduction and I know that I said I like the minimum amount of grammar in the book but a serious student would be stunted by those missing lessons.

One more comment that I would like to add is that I did not have the recommended amount of time to study with this book before my trip. Nonetheless, I learned Italian that helped me be polite, but maybe not a stellar conversationalist. The people there (and I would guess just about anywhere) appreciate visitors attempts at the native language. It shows common courtesy and acknowledges that you are visiting them, and not vice versa. There is too much Anglophone superiority in our country and, no matter which book you choose, learning some Italian is really appreciated.

The "10 minutes a day" books are a simple introduction in learning the basics of a foreign language. The layouts are in a workbook format that include puzzles, cut-out flash cards and sticky labels that you can place around your house to help you build your vocabulary. Easy to read, easy to follow and enjoyable. You'll build a vocabulary foundation that includes numbers, colors, how to tell time, the question words (who, what, when, where, how)and more. The simplicity of the books makes learning fun and you'll find your are spending more than 10 minutes. As a beginner in learning Italian myself, I paired this book with the Pimsleur Italian CD's. Reading vocabulary is one thing, but Pimsleur is really idea for comprehending how the language is spoken by native speakers.

I really enjoyed Italian in 10 minutes a day. It is well laid out, and fun to study. A perfect introduction to learning Italian. After this book I can recommend Italian Made Simple, which will then take you through most of the Italian grammar.

Aside from the fact that The Byzantine Empire, while largely ignored in the Western Historical tradition, is among the most important phenomena in the development of the Western Enlightenment, reading about a figure such as Constantine XI Palaiologus is an excellent way of showing that leaders need not be anemic bankers with no sense of honor or dignity. Nicol shows the end result of Western Christendom's abandonment of the East, and the East's continuing glory in the face of the inevitable. He treats his subjects fairly and attempts to understand and convey their motivations/actions while not indulging in an apologia. Overall an excellent and thoroughly readable text about an extraordinary figure. I also enjoyed his study of the posthumous mythology which has arisen around the Emperor, even among the Turkish people. Can anyone imagine Bill Clinton or Tony Blair behaving so valiantly? So selflessly? Neither can I. Constantine was a hero in the classical sense-except that, unlike Achilles or Aeneas, he really lived. An excellent role model for the young and an inspiring figure for the mature, treated respectfully yet objectively (insofar as anyone can be objective) by Nicol. I would certainly read anything he writes. My only complaint is that I wish the book were longer.

Donald Nicol is a blessing to Byzantine History in the 20th century. One of his greatest pieces of work is THE IMMORTAL EMPEROR. This is only the second biography on the life of the last Roman Emperor of Byzantium, Constantine Palaiologos, and the first to appear in one hundred years. This book is not the history of the fall of Constantinople. For that, you should see Runciman, "The Fall of Constantinople." It is, however, an extraordinary treatment on the life of Constantine XI as well as the incredible legends that surround his death to this present day. Some people have critisized Nicol for providing almost too much information on the legends and myths that surround Constantine. But I think it all goes to show just what this one man means to even modern Greeks, as well as people everywhere. Nicol's research is unmatched. You may feel that there is too much packed in such a small book, but because it is all very exciting and well organized, you will want to read it over and over.

Matt

It's a shame how certain pieces of history are left out in American high schools. It seems that Greece's only contribution to the world was 5th century Athens. Byzantium was a world power for over a 1,000 years and the problems it had are still heard today (Bosnian War). Nichol's book tells the tragic story of the once great Byzantine Empire and its last brave Emperor. The book is excellent for anyone wanting to read more about the last days of the Empire.

This and a Metro map will take care of me for a week. A little about Paris, a little about the period, a little about the artists... "The Impressionists' Paris" is a learning experience, even for a student of impressionist art, and even if you're not planning a trip to Paris soon.

All but one of these 3 walks are on the right bank, which is otherwise somewhat impressionist-deprived since the good paintings moved from l'Orangerie to Musee d'Orsay. Combine Walk 1 with a visit to Orsay one day, then combine Walk 2 with an excursion to Giverny on another day.

Work the cafes into the rest of your visit to Paris. If you're into art and food, this book is a great companion to "The Historic Restaurants of Paris" by the same author.

Don't expect to find all of the locations intact, and there's the ever-present reality of construction and scaffolding. I hardly recognized the Pont de l'Europe from Caillebotte's painting, and Cafe de la Paix is closed for renovation (9/2002).

I'd love to meet this author sometime. She did this book like I would have (if I knew nearly as much as she). Each tour has a good map, and about 14-18 pages (each) of descriptions and pictures. Walking directions are in bold.

The book has nice color plates of selected paintings, matched loosely with period photos of Paris taken from old postcards, some with their 'timbres' quaintly intact. Lengthy captions add colorful trivia. She even finishes off the book with a tastefully written list of Paris cemeteries where the impressionists are buried.

Bon Voyage!

There are many books about Paris, many about the Impressionists, and several about Paris and the Impressionists. If you're obsessed with Paris and Impressionism, buy them all. However, if you're not willing to build a new wing for your library, or simply want a book you can actually take with you and use while you're in Paris, this is the one. It's a true gem.

If you love Paris and the Impressionists' work this is a must have. Taking the walking tours was the highlight of my last trip to the city of lights. Williams helps you see through 100 years of change into a different Paris.

This book was very good. I have read a few books on Ireland and this is now one of my favorites. It is not only a good read (how could interesting history not be?!?!), but is also a good reference book to look up facts about Irish history. Particularly interesting were the sections on the various interpretations of Irish history. I didn't realize that people's different ideas about Irish history influenced their political and social opinions so much. At times, though, I thought that maybe historians are too interested in the work of each other. Each chapter has three or four pages on interpretations. This is a good thing, but, if I wasn't interested in the particular topic, I found that I wasn't interested in the interpretations either. But, overall, this is really good history, it seems to me.

As a teacher and writer whose work is primarily limited to literary studies, I found this text exceptionally helpful in its integration of accessible historical scholarship and incisive commentary on cultural and social contexts. Coohill successfully enables his reader to understand the complexity and instability of political and cultural identities, particularly as they reveal themselves in twentieth century Ireland. And while the expansive history has exceptional breadth, Coohill skillfully explicates the intricacy and depth of historical and cultural interpretations of critical historical moments. I recommend this text to anyone interested in learning more about the fascinating interplay between Irish culture and history.

Great book. Easy to read and understand. Explains Irish history pretty good. But it's not boring because he talks about ways that people see Irish history. Taught me a lot about Ireland and Northern Ireland. Highly recommended. Good gift too (that's how I got it). - Johnny Fitz!