Book Description
Paris is a perfect city to explore pied, and this deck is designed for just that. On each card you'll find an illustrated map and on the flip side insider info on where to eat, drink, stop, and shop. With these 50 self-guided walking adventures you can explore historic sites, from the Arc de Triomphe to the Mus e du Louvre, as well as uncover lesser-known gems, from open-air markets and intimate cafes to small museums with world-class art. Choose any card, and Paris is yours for the taking.
Customer Reviews:
Enjoy the City of Light that much more.......2007-08-03
I didn't get this box of walks until my second visit to Paris and now would make a point of buying these cards for any holiday destination.
Choose 3 walks (they generally all form a daisy chain) and make a day of it.
Easy to follow maps without over-burdensome commentary. Who wants to spend their nose in a book while walking? A few highlights per walk that you can make your own, or skip.
Rockin' Walks.......2006-01-04
I bought these cards just before my first trip to Paris in December. My thoughts and a few lessons learned:
1) How to use the cards is a small challenge -- to use them most successfully, you need to have a compass to make sure that you don't start off in the mirror-image, or upside down direction. It took a couple of course corrections before we got on track with the first walk we tried. That said, the level of detail on the maps was very good - far better than some of the maps the tourist outfits handed us where we sometimes found ourselves "off the map". The street numbers are accurate, the landmarks are solid, the visual scale and detail of the maps line up very well in comparison to what you'll actually encounter when walking the streets. If the map says street A is 3 streets up and at a 30 degree angle, it generally is.
2) I needed to plan out with some detail which cards to use beforehand because they're kind of awkward to work with when you're out and about. Carrying around the whole box all the time didn't seem very practical. You can't exactly quickly flip through for the card that covers any landmark you might happen to find yourself at either. I typically decided where I wanted to go ahead of time, and then looked around for the corresponding card(s) at the hotel and put those in my pocket.The cards are very durable -- for hanging out in my pocket, they showed little wear and didn't bend much at all.
3) The suggested stops, shops and activities were, in my opinion, very thoughtful and interesting. My companion, however, was a little cynical and assumed that the sites listed were the ones that paid the most to get on the cards. I don't know if he's right, but for instance, I did note that the cards suggest a lot of cafes by name - they do not suggest many/hardly any restaurants and those they do mention, like Brasserie Lorraine, seemed to be objects of visual interest (the oyster display and lobster tanks) rather than menu endorsements. I will say, having made a winter trip to Paris, that the walking tour season is a little lackluster. Some of the things the card recommends (like eating a leisurely meal outside) seemed a little more plausible when the temperatures climbed out of the single digits.
Pick a card and have an adventure!.......2004-10-15
My husband and I received these walking cards as a gift before our first trip to Paris. The cards are are larger than a deck of cards-I believe about 4x6 and have a map on one side and then a walk on the otherside, which starts at the top with a description, followed by the Metro stop that you will need to get off on to start your adventure. The card then lays out your walk, including sites to see, (both on the beaten path and off), cafes or restaurants to visit and areas of interest. Each card leads you back to the closest metro stop.
We found these cards very useful, both in planning our trip, by reading the cards and finding the areas that interested us most, to choosing cards before each day started to tuck into our pockets so we had our information with us.
I used these cards in conjunction with the DK Eyewitness guide, and was able to make a list of sites to see, and then looked through my pack of cards before leaving on the trip and coordinating the sites with the cards that matched each site we hoped to see. That way, I could easily choose, say the Louvre for my adventure that day, and next to the site, was my corresponding card #. This worked very, very well and allowed us to plan our trip with a minimum of hassle. The cards are also available for the city of New York, and when I plan a trip there I plan to buy the cards for that site as well.
These cards are fantastic and I highly recommend them to use in conjunction with the DK Travel guides.
Pick a card and have an adventure!!!!!
Book Description
Like Open Road's series of foreign language menu-readers, our new compact lightweight travel guides are for those travelers who already know where they're staying and don't want to lug around a huge book during the day. With a sprinkling of restaurant selections, our Europe Made Easy series focuses on taking readers to the best, as well as the most different and unusual, sights and walking tours. Tuck this guide into your pocket and head out for a great day of sightseeing: you'll have over 100 sights at your fingertips, from the Papal Palace in Avignon to the mysterious spring in Fontaine-de-Vacluse, from the Roman amphitheater in Nimes to the strange stone huts near Gordes. Features insider tips on hip cafes, sidebars on great places to eat, interesting shops, fun outdoor markets, suggestions on where best to sample Provence's world-famous wines, and beautiful walks in Provence's loveliest towns, including a wine-themed walk in Chateauneuf-du-Pape; a stroll through medieval Avignon; a baroque walking tour of Aix; and a Roman-era walk through Arles. Bonus excursion info on the French Riviera. Attractive design features a second color on the inside.
Customer Reviews:
Too easy.......2007-04-10
This book might be better than nothing or it might do the trick if you don't care whether you make the most of your trip or you're on a directed tour and don't have any choices as to what to see or where to go. Better choices are available from Lonely Planet, Rick Steves, Cadogan, Michelin and National Geographic Traveler.
Make the Most of Your Trip.......2005-12-31
I prefer guidebooks that aren't just mammoth listings of everything (hotels, restaurants, sights). This compact book hits the target with its highlights and its walking tours.
The directions are in red, interspersed with commentary in black print. The notes give relevance to much that you would unknowingly pass by. Boxed in red are DETOURS (interesting museum or cafe close to the walking tour), SHOPPING TIPS AND ENTERTAINMENT TIPS.
This covers 35 towns in Provence, 10 in the Marseille/coast area, 24 for the Western French Riviers, and 9 for the Eastern French Riviera.
I wish I'd had this on my first visit to Provence and the French Riviera. This time, I won't miss so much.
Surprising gem of a guide book.......2005-11-14
This guide book was a last-minute impulse buy before we headed off on our 10 day trip to France. We surprised ourselves by using it almost exclusively to navigate around this wonderful region of France. Short 'n sweet descriptions of all noteworthy towns in the region helped tremendously with deciding where to head next. We used the walking tours in Aix-En-Provence, Avignon, and Arles, and felt them invaluble in getting the most out of our time in each city on our brief trip. We also visited many of the tiny scenic villages recommended in the book. "Provence Made Easy" is accurate, well-written, concise, and fun to read. (Fits in your pocket!) We also had Lonely Planet Provence with us and ended up using it almost exclusively (and seldom) for accommodation and restaurant information. For trip shaping, this small, handy book was it. We used this book in conjunction with "Walking In Provence" by Janette Norton and felt that together these two books offered us a unique, authentic view of the region. We wished we had Andy's book "Paris Made Easy" when we arrived there for the last two days of our trip! Thanks, Andy!
Book Description
Like Open Road's series of foreign language menu-readers, our new compact, lightweight travel guides are for those travelers who already know where they're staying and don't want to lug around a huge book during the day. With a sprinkling of restaurant selections arranged by neighborhood, our Made Easy series focuses on taking readers to the best, as well as the most different and unusual, sights and walking tours in each city. Tuck this guide into your pocket and head out for a great day of sightseeing: you'll have over 100 sights at your fingertips (from the popular Eiffel Tower to the strange Counterfeit Museum!), with insider tips on where to stop at a cafe, where to eat, interesting shops, and beautiful walks along the Seine or through the famed Latin Quarter. Attractive design features a second color on the inside.
Customer Reviews:
Seeing Paris While Walking.......2007-04-15
I prefer guidebooks that aren't just mammoth listings of everything (hotels, restaurants, sights). This compact book hits the target with its highlights and its walking tours.
You get directions, maps and commentary. Boxed notes give relevance to much that you would unknowingly pass by. Boxed in sage green are SHOPPING TIPS and ENTERTAINMENT TIPS while RESTAURANT TIPS are boxed in dark green. This covers the sights on the Island and the 20 Arrondissements plus some further afield (Versailles, Disneyland Paris, etc.).
The second part of the book details walks to take. Try the Islands walk, the Left Bank walk, the Marais walk, the major sights walk, the Montmartre walk, or some culinary walks. Sage green boxes highlight DETOURS to catch a special sight.
I wish I'd had this on my first visit to Paris which I found quite expensive and a little overwhelming.
its ok.......2007-03-09
Its ok...I didn't really use it b/c I did a lot of sightseeing and this doesnt include all of them. Its nice for ppl who are in paris for 3 days and wanna see the basic things. Perfect size.
Truth in Labeling.......2005-10-10
This pocket size guide really does make a trip tp Paris easy. The details by Arrondissement(district/neighborhoods)are very useful. The restaurant/Bistro tips were uniformly solid. The walks were easy to navigate and enriched strolling through Paris.The most useful guide to Paris I have seen.
A minor gripe: a sugested list of French phrases for the non-French speaker could use a phonetic guide.
THE guide to pack.......2005-04-26
I picked up Paris Made Easy just before a return trip to the City of Light, and I wish I'd had it the first time around! The title says it all: the content of this book, the way it's organized, and even its size made it the one guide I used day in and day out.
Do yourself a favor and leave the heavy guidebooks with the glossy pictures at home. (You're going to be seeing all those sights in person, anyway, right?) Paris Made Easy has great info on restaurants, museums, shopping, walks -- and not only the famous sights, but also some obscure yet really fun destinations that you might never discover otherwise. Good maps, too. Because it's all organized by neighborhood (arrondissement) in a compact format, I could just drop the guide in my purse, start wandering, and pull it out to find a place to eat or an interesting sight to see wherever I happened to end up. That freedom to explore made me feel much more like an insider and much less like a tourist.
The author's writing style is another plus: conversational, down-to-earth, and funny, but also very clear. (For example, I decided on the spur of the moment to venture outside Paris to visit Versailles, and a quick look at Paris Made Easy gave me such good instructions that I didn't even need to ask questions at the train station. In fact, I must have looked pretty confident, because people were asking me for directions!)
Check out the price of this book, too. With all the information you get, it's a real bargain. I can't recommend it enough!
Best of Paris.......2004-09-27
Although this book is out of print, the walks found in Paris Made Easy have been expanded and you can find them in "Open Road's Best of Paris" by Andy Herbach. It's available on amazon. "Open Road's Best of Paris" gives readers a small number of great choices and itineraries for one-day, weekend, one-week and two-week trips to Paris and environs. Readers will find a variety of plans grouped around three categories: Museums, Art and Architecture; Eating, drinking, shopping and relaxing; and Offbeat and off-the-beaten path. "Best of Paris" offers unique ideas such as "A Day at a Cooking School and Wine Tasting" and a "Da Vinci Code" walking tour!
Book Description
Join this magical tour of Paris, and discover the keys to unlock some its most fascinating secrets. The French capital grew outward over the ages in concentric circles from the Ile de la Cite. Follow the author along the boulevards and avenues as he points out famous sights as well as unusual corners and hidden delights en route. His tour is rich in historical background, intriguing anecdotes, and tips on cafes and places to rest weary feet.
Customer Reviews:
Boring!!!.......2007-08-07
If you're only interested in who built a particular building and when and in what style, then you'll love this book. But in my mind, only an architectural history buff would like it. It's just a list of information, few cultural references, nothing interesting, it's very boring.
great walking guide with glitches.......2007-05-13
My girlfriend and I did about a third of the walks in this book while visiting Paris at Easter.
Overall, a very good guide that points out both the expected and unexpected sites of interest on the
walk. The maps sometimes have glitches, so on every walk we found ourselves lost at least once.
Some walks were brilliant and informative. Walking Montmartre and the Marais, I learned a lot more about
neighborhoods I'd been in before (previously armed with a Michelin guide). The Latin Quarter walks were
a little less good but still excellent (and in the Latin Quarter, seemed to take us past all the fine bakeries).
Other walks were simply average: the Louvre to Champs Elysee and Ile St Louis. The walks were fine but
nothing in the guide made them feel special. And while I applaud the idea of trying to create a walk
from Trocadero to the Arc de Triomphe, the actual walk was rather boring.
Still, overall, the best walking guide for Paris I've encountered.
Finding Unusual Paris on Foot.......2007-01-11
"Walking Paris" is an excellent, easy to read, easy to carry book of walks around Paris which combines both obvious tourist high spots with hidden and unspoilt and largely undiscovered Paris. It is full of fascinating background information. It also contains helpful information about good restaurants and cafes on your route."Walking Paris" really adds value and enjoyment to your trip to this fascinating and most beautiful city.
Wonderful walks.......2006-11-12
When you are in Paris on your own, you often need a bit of direction to get away from the run-of-the-mill sites. This book provides you with alternatives to allow you to see a part of Paris that is not on the usual travel itineraries. On my last trip to Paris, I had the opportunity to use three of the walks described in the book. Each was in a new area of Paris that I had never seen before. It was fun discovering the areas. I had the most fun on the "Le Marais" walk. I had always wanted to see this part of Paris and I was able to see it in depth. This book is a tremendous addition to a travel library. If you plan on traveling without a tour guide, this book will be fill in many of the gaps in your experience of Paris and will provide you experiences beyond the norm.
magnifique!.......2005-07-03
Tres amusant. I enjoyed using this book to explore the most beautiful city in the world.
Book Description
London is a walker's paradise, and here's a guide through miles of endlessly surprising landscapes--from wild health land and waterways to formal gardens; from mews and narrow alleyways to elegant squares, from tranquil villages and bustling markets to royal palaces. Duncan acts as a personal guide and commentator, describing each of 30 walks and anticipating questions about fascinating and puzzling sights along the way. Includes information on transportation to start and end points and tips on where to relax along the way.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent way to see London close-up.......2007-09-14
This book is wonderful for doing walking tours of London on your own and seeing the neighborhoods close-up rather than just the gloss over the tour companies give. The variety of the walks in this book is excellent in length and variety of things to see. We needed to use another map to get us back on the walking tour in a couple of places but mostly that was because we were staring at the sights rather than following the tour directions properly. The times given for the tours are definitely at a leisurely pace that allows for plenty of time to look at the shops and sites along the way. Showing starting and stopping points at the Tube stops made the walks very easy to get to.
Walking London.......2006-11-12
So much good information. Can't wait to start walking! So many walks, so little time!
Highlight of my Trip.......2004-07-10
I wanted to get to know the city in more than the typical touristy way, and this book made it possible. The walks were really the highlight of my four weeks of study in London; I met so many interesting, friendly people and saw so many things that might not have been destinations in and of themselves but were memorable as part of the walks. I was a college student (female) traveling alone when I used this book, and it gave me the confidence to explore many places that I wouldn't otherwise have ventured to, simply because I had some sense of what I could expect when I arrived. One of the most amusing moments was when I bumped into another walking tourist at the Portabello Road market...he also had a copy of the book and was following the Notting Hill tour on the same morning that I was.
This book is a gem.......2003-04-01
I used this guide while walking in London two years ago, and I'm taking it to London again this summer. The variety of walks is a joy. I did not see this book on sale while in London, and some English friends saw mine and wanted a copy for themselves. No wonder--it's that good. If you like to walk and do other exploring besides the usual London tourist things, then don't go to England without a copy of this book in your suitcase or backpack. My only suggestion to the author is to bind future editions of the the book in a way that the chapters can be removed and replaced. So I wouldn't have to carry the whole book along, I tore the pages out for each walk I did, and then taped them back in place afterward, but there must be a better way.
Brilliant Walks.......2002-06-23
Highly recommended if you are planning an extended stay in London, or have been there a few times already and seen the major sites.
My favorite memories of six months spent working in London were of the walks I took from this book just about every weekend. Some of the walks are short enough that you can do two or three in a day, depending on what adventures arise. The best for me was Kew to Hammersmith, along the Thames, an all day walk, where I had tea in a church basement, a pint in a pub on Strand-on-the-Green, got caught in a rainstorm in a church graveyard, got lost in the woods on the grounds of Chiswick Manor...my workmates were very impressed, and started asking to come along!
Customer Reviews:
I enjoyed this thoughtful book........2007-06-23
Reflections of this Catholic sister, as she walks the Camino with the semi retired priest of her parish.
This journey of two people of faith met with all the challenges the Camino can offer. Joyce started out as what I call an overachiever, and Tom as a steadying influence.
A couple concepts stuck in my brain from chapters of this book. Enjoy existential friendships. Return a positive for a negative. Negative things do happen, but Joyce would make a determined effort to see the positive - a concept I accept, but sometimes have difficulty applying.
I enjoyed this thoughtful book.
great book, talked me out of it..........2007-06-02
this book was great, talked me out of going, realize that all that heat and dirt was not for me, will go trekking in nepal instead, much cooler temps, author did this to add to her spiritual credentials,alll about herself and her inner thoughts, suspect she had not been out of the USA before.
cheers
Walk in a Relaxed Manner.......2006-08-09
This is an amazing book about an amazing experience--walking across Spain--and well after midlife. We share the hardships and blessings of this journey and are able to walk, talk and think in a relaxed manner while reading it. There are lessons subtly given that everyone can shsare.
A Pilgrimage Of Body and Spirit.......2005-12-30
Back in the summer of 2003, I visited a former seminary roommate in Leon, Spain. I showed up a couple of days before his wedding after backpacking through Amsterdam, Paris, London, and Madrid. While strolling together through Leon, my Spanish friend remarked that people thought I was a "Pilgrim" because of my clothing and backpack. I asked him to clarify, and he replied that Leon was on the path of the Camino Pilgrimage. Thus began my interest in the topic.
"Walk in a Relaxed Manner" was the first book I read about the Camino. It's newly published, written by a 60-year-old nun who walked the Pilgrimage around the time I was in Leon. She hit the trail with a retired priest, and this book was born from that experience. The subtitle and theme is "Life Lessons From the Camino," and each chapter is based on a way she grew due to the Pilgrimage. For example, the book's title is shared with a chapter where Sr. Rupp describes how she learned to walk slowly and thoughtfully instead of quickly and competitively. Other chapter titles include "Savor Solitude," "Deal with Disappointments," and "Live in the Now." Such topics may strike some as trite. But I found it impressive that more often than not, it was the walk's difficulties that enabled her to internalize these truths.
The author writes in a clear and readable manner. She rejoices in the high points of the Pilgrimage, and is honest about the lows as well. Each lesson is presented in a thoughtful manner, and all are applicable to everyday life. However, like many spiritual insights perhaps some sort of defining experience is required to truly own them. But reading about these truths may be a way to prepare the heart for their eventual actualization. Although a Catholic nun in the Servite Community, Sr. Rupp keeps things fairly ecumenical throughout her tale. In addition, practical advice about the Pilgrimage is sprinkled throughout the book, and a list of helpful Camino resources is included at the end. There's even an authorized website based on Joyce Rupp's name if you want more info about her.
Someday I'd like to do the El Camino Pilgrimage. I hope I don't have to wait until my sixties, but sometimes you have to let things happen in their time. If I do walk it, I'll be glad if I learn and grow half as much as Sr. Rupp did. Recommended for all travelers and pilgrims.
UPDATE 9/7/07: Well, I only had to wait until I was forty to do the Camino. On 7/14/07 I stepped off in St. Jean Pied-de-Port (France), and on 8/24/07 I walked into Santiago, Spain. After returning home to the US, I went through this book again. It was nice reading about familiar places on the Way, and also to identify with the lessons Ms. Rupp writes about. Recommended even more now that I've actually done the trek.
Down-to-Earth and Deeply Spiritual.......2005-11-16
As she approached her 60th birthday, spiritual writer and retreat leader Joyce Rupp abandoned her plan to hole up for a six-month sabbatical by the ocean to bask in solitude. Instead, she embarked on a 37-day walking trek across Spain with her friend Tom Pfeffer. The two prepared and trained for a year before making the historical pilgrimage from Roncesvilles on the Spanish side of the Pyrenees to the Cathedral of St. James in the city of Santiago, a journey commonly referred to as "the Camino."
Walking in the "relaxed manner" in the title was one of the first lessons these two self-described productive-oriented people learned. At first, Rupp explains, they believed their goal was to reach Santiago, but they eventually discovered that the walk itself imparted spiritual empowerment. Rupp goes into some detail about her competitive nature as their self-prescribed 12 miles was surpassed regularly by other "pilgrims." For the first few days, the two succumbed to their natural tendency to rush, rush, rush, and push, push, push. In the end, they agreed to take the advice of a friend who had walked the Camino earlier: "drink more water and walk in a relaxed manner."
Rupp laces the story with such insights, always connecting the events and experiences with "routine" life and sharing the positive effects the journey had on her. Her chapter on realizing "a tiny bit" what it is like to be homeless is especially thought-provoking. Following a transaction at a bank, Rupp was convinced the clerk thought, "This smelly pilgrim with her dirty hiking boots dug into this pack of weird things and, whew, the odor that came from that bag, it was enough to gag me..." The homelessness image also came up when she found herself in settings for which she was not "appropriately dressed" and other situations where she was "pierced" by disdainful looks and rejection.
Like Rupp's other books, Walk in a Relaxed Manner is filled with down-to-earth stories and deeply spiritual reflections.
Customer Reviews:
A Precious Gem.......2007-09-11
When i had first seen the book walks through Napolean and Josephine's Paris i immediately looked to see if there was one about Marie Antoinette. Alas there hadn't been one printed yet but i was informed that one was in fact in the making. I was very excited and preordered mine immediately. When it arrived i immediately read it cover to cover and was very inpressed by the wealth of knowledge contained n the little book. It even includes the addresses of several shops and bakeries that catered to the French Court including M. Bertin's studio where she constructed much of MA's lavish couture. This book is a little gem and i cannot wait to use it when i visit Paris.
Misguided! .......2007-05-08
This book is over one hundred pages long, but only about ten pages are actually devoted to the book's title!
There are only two uneventful walks through Paris, the first one being only just slightly more interesting.
The maps provided are extremely poor, and the extra information provided by the author is nothing you could not obtain from a good guide book, or from the internet.
It is certainly not worth paying the price for the information in this book!
The majority of the book talks about various residences associated with Marie Antoinette in her lifetime, coupled with a terribly written account about the ill-fated Queen. The author seems to have really forgotten about her title!
DO NOT be fooled by the other five star reviews! This book is definetly misguided, and what it does contain has been said before.
Pocket rocket!!.......2007-02-13
What a treasure this book is. Not only does it have pictures that I haven't seen anywhere else, the information is a history enthusiasts treat!
The size of the book, which adds to it's charm, is suitable to take with you as it guides you along in the footsteps of Marie Antoinette.
I simply loved it
Essential to any Marie Antoinette fan.......2007-01-09
and to everyone who wants a different historic tour through Paris...
Read this engrossing little book before Marie-mania breaks out........2006-09-18
Arriving on the eve of Sofia Coppola's film about Marie Antoinette is Ms. Haig's gorgeous book, packed with facts, sidebars, and many of the author's own collection of illustrations. Beginning with her introduction to the French court outside Versailles, Marie Antoinette's ascent to fame and fast fall is documented by Ms. Haig in a style that is both objective and yet with a clear affection for her subject matter.
With this pocket-size gem in hand, trace the young queen's first visit to Paris. As with her previous book on Napoleon and Josephine, Ms. Haig is a welcomed companion as you trace Marie Antoinette's footsteps, pointing out details and ancedotes overlooked by more traditional tour books. Her eye for detail makes incidents come vividly to life, such as the invasion of Versailles and the Queen's brave curtesy on the balcony before an incensed mob.
A warning though: don't even open this book with travel plans in mind. A trip to Paris and its environs will be irrestible after reading this wonderful book.
Book Description
A Walk through the Heavens is a beautiful and easy-to-use guide to the constellations of the northern hemisphere. By following the unique simplified maps, readers will be able to easily find and identify the constellations and the stars within them. Ancient myths and legends of the sky are retold, adding to the mystery of the stars. Written for the complete beginner, this practical guide introduces the patterns of the starry skies in a memorable way. No equipment is needed, apart from normal sight and clear skies. Milton D. Heifetz is a clinical professor of neurosurgery at the University of Southern California and visiting professor at Harvard Medical School. This is his first astronomy book. Wil Tirion is the author of numerous sky guides, including The Cambridge Guide to Stars and Planets (1997), The Cambridge Star Atlas (1996), and The Monthly Sky Guide (Cambridge, 2003). Previous Edition Hb (1998): 00-521-62513-0
Customer Reviews:
Suits me........2007-09-04
I like to look at the constellations in my backyard. In other books, the constellations are presented separately, and you have to guestimate where they are. This book shows you one constellation, and then shows you how to line up the stars for the next one. For example, most people can find the big dipper, and from there most people can line up the stars on the front of the dipper part, and be directed to the North Star. Well, this book shows that if you follow the curve of the handle, you can find the star Arturus, in the constellation Bootes. All the constellations in this book are connected this way, so that you don't have to guess where they are anymore. Every constellation points to another.
Also, most books have the stars on a dark blue background with black writing. It's hard to read. This has the stars white, on a light lavender background, so the black and white writing stands out much better. All in all, it make the diagrams much easier on the eyes. I am going to try to learn one constellation each night.
Has correct constellation segment connections unlike Rey's "The Stars: A New Way to See Them".......2005-09-26
Undoubtedly lots of beginning astronomers will be trying to decide between Rey's book "The Stars: A New Way to See Them" and Heifetz/Tirion's "A Walk Through the Heavens". I just wanted to point out something that could be a deciding factor for some people: "A Walk Through the Heavens" teaches you to find contellations which are drawn using the time-tested line segments between the stars of the constellations. In other words, the connections between the stars in any given constellation are the "traditional" connections. As an astronomy purist, this is the way I prefer to see them.
In contrast, H.A. Rey used his imagination to re-draw the line segments between the stars in his book "The Stars: A New Way to See Them". Put another way, Rey diverges from the accepted norm in that the connections between the stars in any given constellation are drawn differently than the accepted connections. That means if you look at a planisphere or any other observing aid, the constellations' connections will be drawn differently than in Rey's book (but will appear the same as they do in "A Walk Through the Heavens").
That said, some people find Rey's "new way" easier since Rey's constellation connections are more intuitive for some people to grasp. But if you learn from Rey's book then be prepared to re-learn the conventional constellation segments once you graduate to any other astronomical reference.
A Great Learning Guide.......2004-06-05
One of the best, if not the best, book I have found to easily teach you the night sky and how to find and identify the Constellations. I highly recommend this book for anyone that wants to learn the night sky easily and complete. A++++
Confusing Constellation Relationships - Good Basic Astronomy.......2002-09-28
Those who consider this a really good beginners' book must not have seen Hans Rey's classic "Find the Constellations" or "The Stars: A New Way to See Them".
The latter book was "new" generations ago when my now grown children marveled at the heavens using our heavily worn hard copy of "The Stars" with Rey, and is now collecting grubby fingerprints from the frequent use by my grandchildren in our original and several paperback copies.
Part 2 of the Heifetz/Tirion book uses a labored method of originating and extending lines all over the sky from "Star n" of Asterism "m" through several other hard to define positions of far removed stars and further on to numbered or named stars in destination constellations for its "Walk Through the Heavens".
Too complicated for the purpose for beginners.
One could spend all night trying to imagine these lines in the sky while a few minutes with either of the Rey books would have the beginner naming and knowing half a dozen constellations and then star hopping to others.
Parts 1, 3 and 4 save the book. Part 3, the section on Legends of the Heavens, Milky Way, etc. is very good. Part 4, sort of a Misc. chapter has a small collection of good viewing information.
The book is a good buy, but the Rey books are a lot better for learning the constellations for any age group, and only slightly more expensive.
The Time-Life Skywatching/Advanced Skywatching volumes for a few more bucks are a little more advanced but orders of magnitude better for beginning teenagers, adults or advanced elementary schoolers and provide a lot more bang for your buck.
An Excellent Primer to the Constellations.......2002-09-02
This book makes finding constellations in the Northern Hemisphere(the author has a similar book for the Southern Hemisphere)an interesting and successful endeavor. It is not just for youngsters, but for anyone with an interest in learning how to find constellations and the names of the major stars. The diagrams illustrate the relationships between stars and constellations in simple drawings that make it like an easy-to-read roadmap. It builds from the pointer stars of the Big Dipper (Ursa Major) to all the constellations and how to find them. Instead of frustration and doubt you'll feel the exhilaration of discovery.
Besides the stars and their relationships to each other, there is also a "Legends of the Heavens" section that tells the myths and stories of the major constellations. They are fascinating and not limited to children. This book can open up the heavens for anyone who wonders about the stars. It can lay a foundation by simplifying the sky. Once these basics are learned, the universe and hobby of astronomy can be pursued to whatever depth you want. This book is a MUST for anyone wanting to be successful in satisfying their curiosity about the locations of constellations and their relationships to each other.
Book Description
When he discovered that the city he lived in for many years was actually entirely rebuilt during the mid-1800s, Leonard Pitt plunged into Paris's history and began photographing what he learned had changed. Eventually, he led tours and gave lectures on the demolition and reconstruction that changed the city forever. Walks Through Lost Paris chronicles Paris's great periods of urban reconstruction through four walking tours. With a special focus on the work of Georges-Eugene Haussmann, this book provides a history of each site along with the motives behind the urban redesign and the reactions of Parisians who witnessed it. Detailed maps take you through a city whose changes were captured by photographers and artists in each stage. Hundreds of color photos, diagrams, and engravings splendidly survey the massive transformation that resulted in the Paris of today.
Customer Reviews:
Paris revisited.......2007-09-19
If you love Paris (and who doesn't?) you'll appreciate this book. It takes us over well-trod streets, past ancient buildings, and brings them alive by examining their past. Atget documented Paris as it was; this book predates that.
Beautiful & Original Book.......2007-08-28
Beautifully produced book with superb use of 19th century & current photos to show changes in Paris locations pre & post Haussmann. A great read for anyone who loves & knows Paris, and doubles as an "advanced" and specialized walking guide for those lucky enough to be on site.
A wonderful resource for advanced Parisian visitors.......2007-04-14
At last, in English! I got a copy of this years ago in Paris in French, and was hoping it would finally come out in English so I could recommend it to my friends when they visit. The photos allow you to easily follow along while you complete your individual walks - and it really helps expand your understanding of the city, it's people. and its changing social ways. It also lets you look at Paris in a completely different way -- while it points out what has changed and what is gone, it is also a wonderful volume that lets you see through fresh eyes what is still there - albeit often used very differently. One caveat - this is not a guidebook for beginners -- this is a walking tour guidebook for those who already have an extensive knowledge of Paris and its neighborhoods.
Experiencing Paris history by foot........2007-01-31
Leonard Pitt lived in the heart of Paris from 1963 to 1970 while he studied mime with Etienne Decroux. During that time, he fell in love with the beauty of the city. He discovered that between 1853 and 1870, using an army of 60,000 workers, Baron Georges-Eugene Haussmann demolished nearly 20,000 buildings in Paris (replacing them with 45,000 new buildings), leveled Ile de la Cite, and evicted over 100,000 residents, thereby destroying much of the city's rich medieval and Renaissance history. Derived from his own experience leading walking tours through Paris together with his studies of old maps and 19th-century photos, Pitt's guide offers detailed walks (with maps and photos) through Paris's most interesting neighborhoods designed to reveal the city's rich history and redesign: (1) from Saint-Germaine des Pres to Square Viviani; (2) in Ile de la Cite; (3) from Saint-Germain des Pres to the Palais Royal; and (4) in the Marais. Having completed each of these four walks during a recent visit to Paris (where I purchased Pitt's guide upon the recommendation of a local bookstore), I can highly recommend this book. It is not the sort of guide, however, that provides information or recommendations of where to stop and shop, eat, drink, and sightsee along the way.
G. Merritt
Fabulous photo essay of Paris then and now--finally in English!.......2006-07-15
Leonard Pitt's book "Walks Through Lost Paris" is amazing. In it he chronicles changes made to Paris in the interest of modernization during the Haussmann era (mid 19th century) and later. The changes are documented with abundant before and after photos, allowing you to literally see for yourself how Paris has evolved over the past 150 years.
To Leonard, most of the changes he shows were regrettable, particularly those made in the 20th century. As he says, the one saving grace of Haussmann's many alterations to Paris is that he beat later rebuilders to it(!).
This book should appeal to anyone who has an interest in the unique visual appeal of Paris. The walks are very well narrated and thus should be easy for even newcomers to Paris to follow.
However, I think "Walks Through Lost Paris" will have its greatest appeal to readers already familiar with the neighborhoods Pitt describes. To them (here I include myself), it will be possible to recall the context of the modern-day photos and better appreciate the historical photos of what used to be in the same place. For the repeat visitor, Pitt's book offers a wealth of detail to form the basis of ever-deeper explorations into this stunning, historic city.
As a final note, let me add that I spotted the Parigramme book, in French, "Promenades dans le Paris Disparu" a few years ago and ever since have been looking to see if it had been translated into English. Now it has, and for that I am very grateful.
I hope you'll enjoy this book as much as I have. I've already read it twice in the last two weeks!
Amazon.com
Cavalry officer Slavomir Rawicz was captured by the Red Army in 1939 during the German-Soviet partition of Poland and was sent to the Siberian Gulag along with other captive Poles, Finns, Ukranians, Czechs, Greeks, and even a few English, French, and American unfortunates who had been caught up in the fighting. A year later, he and six comrades from various countries escaped from a labor camp in Yakutsk and made their way, on foot, thousands of miles south to British India, where Rawicz reenlisted in the Polish army and fought against the Germans. The Long Walk recounts that adventure, which is surely one of the most curious treks in history.
Book Description
The harrowing true tale of escaped Soviet prisoners¿ desperate march out of Siberia, through China, the Gobi Desert, Tibet, and over the Himalayas to British India.
Customer Reviews:
The Long Walk-Rawicz.......2007-10-12
How much of this adventure is indisputable fact? And how much is recalled in the mind of a man mostly crazed by thirst and hunger and thus distorted by the nigtmares suffered on the journey? I give literary license to the author and say it was a fantastic adventure. Shame on the doubters!
The Long Walk.......2007-10-11
I am an avid reader, and this is by far one of the most fascinating books I have read. It shows the strength and willpower of a human's will to survive in the most horrific condtions. A must read.
Thrilling adventure, lousy history.......2007-09-26
I would have admired this book without reservation if it were represented as a work of fiction, but since its supposed to be a true story, I can't be as positive. Even without the information about the author uncovered by the BBC, which pretty much ends the debate regarding the veracity of this account, I would have questioned the authenticity of this story anyway.
I can believe most of the horrible things described about the author's arrest, interrogation, transport, and incarceration in a work camp (though the forced march seems less plausible, but we should never underestimate the cruelty of the gulag camp system). If anything, the way he describes the work camps sounds too tame in light of what we know about the gulag. He describes a work camp without criminals (most gulag inmates were classed as criminals, not politicals) and with very relaxed boundaries between the commandant and the inmates. This sounds more like Hogan's Stalag 13 than a real gulag. (read Anne Applebaum's remarkable book on the gulag.)
What seems most implausible to me is the novelistic quality of the book. First, there are the supporting characters - in true hollywood fashion, each of whom has a characteristic that distinguishes him or her from the others - toothless guy, the gentle giant, the wisecracker, and most implausibly, a beautiful young escapee who miraculously crosses their path amid the vast wastes of Siberia. Next, there's the dialogue (always recalled by the author verbatim), which reads more like a hollywood script than actual conversation between people (e.g., each of the wisecracker's quips is recalled verbatim). Finally, there's level of detail that no memory could recall, such as who found what kind of snake on which day.
Read this book side by side with real stories of survival, accounts of undisputed veracity (omit those written by journalists or authors who kept a notebook during their travels). Next to a book like Herzog's Annapurna or Worsley's book on the Endurance, the Long Walk reads like a very good novel, but not a true account of survival.
Frankly, I'm surprised that so many people have accepted its authenticity over the last several decades. Credit should go to the journalist who wrote the book with the help of the "author." The true story I would like to read is how a journalist and a Polish camp survivor cooked up this tale and sold it to the public. The author's tells us that he donated his time to good causes. I have to wonder if he was trying to ease his sense of guilt or rationalize his long involvement in this hoax.
A Maze Ing.......2007-09-11
What an amazing life. I was expecting another "One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich" or "Gulag Archipelago." But this story is different -- there is very little bitterness, very little savoring-of-the-details. Instead, it is cleanly told and incredibly true. It is a simple book, not much complexity, just human nature laid bare. Amazing.
Escape from the Soviet Union.......2007-09-05
There is some debate as to whether or not this story is true, but it is not at all improbable. Sentenced to 25 years in the Soviet gulag system, Polish cavalry-officer Rawicz was determined to escape from the remote Siberian labor-camp, somewhere north of Lake Baikal. The brutality Rawicz experienced at the hands of the communist government is typical of such accounts from this era. It reminds one of the memoirs of Alexander Solzhenitzyn.
Rawicz assembled a group of six other prisoners: two more Polish soldiers, a Latvian, a Lithuanian, a Yugoslavian, and ...an American! They made their break in early 1941, during a winter storm. Along the way, a teenage Polish girl also joined the party. The resulting narrative (if it is all true) is a harsh tale of survival as they trekked across some of the most rugged and dangerous terrain on Earth: frozen pine-forests, open plains, the Gobi Desert, and the mountains of Tibet.
Sadly, only half the party made it to the objective, which was India. Had they been less hasty in their trek once free of Soviet territory, the entire party could have survived. Had they planned more, traveled with caravans, and learned some basic survival skills, they could have brought everyone out.
The crossed Siberia, Mongolia, north China, and Tibet, cut off from all civilization and news of events abroad. They passed through lands where life was largely unchanged in a thousand years, and oblivious to the titanic events of World War II. Had Rawicz's party stopped in Lhasa, they surely would have met the famed mountaineers Heinrich Harrer and Peter Aufschneider (read "Seven Years In Tibet").
The most sceptical account, is a sighting of the "Yeti", while in the Himalayas. Did they really see some as yet unclassified primate? Who is to say?
Regardless, the story is profoundly fascinating...I hope its all true! The only improvement to the tale: what happened to the survivors after they left India? Unfortunately, thats where the story ends.
Books:
- Collins German Unabridged Dictionary 5th Edition (Harpercollins Unabridged Dictionaries)
- Common Errors in English Usage
- Cry, the Beloved Country (Oprah's Book Club)
- Easy French Reader
- English Grammar Workbook For Dummies (For Dummies (Language & Literature))
- English-Russian, Russian-English Dictionary
- Excuse Me!: A Little Book of Manners
- Fallen Angels and the Origins of Evil: Why Church Fathers Suppressed the Book of Enoch and Its Startling Revelations
- Finding Sanctuary: Monastic Steps for Everyday Life
- First Aid for the USMLE Step 2 CS (Clinical Skills Exam)
Books Index
Books Home
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Atlases & Maps
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City Walks: London: 50 Adventures on Foot (City Walks)
Streetwise Paris (Streetwise)
City Walks: New York: 50 Adventures on Foot
Walking Paris : Thirty Original Walks In and Around Paris
City Walks: Rome: 50 Adventures on Foot (City Walks Deck)
