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Paris, Paris: Journey Into The City Of Light (2011)

by David Downie(Favorite Author)
3.89 of 5 Votes: 4
ISBN
0307886085 (ISBN13: 9780307886088)
languge
English
publisher
Broadway Books
review 1: There is much to enjoy in this book about Paris. It is full of trivia about Paris. There is also much to make you stop and ponder. Written by an ex-pat couple who live in Paris, there is more cynicism than I would like to have seen. While it is meant to sound wise and very learned, most of the whining sounds as common as Texan complaining about illegal immigration. If that is what you are looking for, then this is just what you need. If you need a dose of reality about Paris, Mr. Downie is your man. Ultimately, the book left me wanting to know more about Paris, without all the "I talked to politician who told me the real story" sort of gossip. And while I'm here I'll also add that calling everything "kitsch" is condescending, and does not make the author look more ... moresophisticated than the tourists, just more jaded and less worthy of my attention. But I wasn't looking for a book to peel back the edges of Paris and warn me about its many faults. So perhaps I just picked up the wrong book.
review 2: I wasn’t sure what to think about this one going in, but I LOVED it. The author has lived in Paris for the past 25 years so he’s very familiar with the city. This book is a collection of profiles of different aspects of Paris’s people, history and geography. Reading it made me feel like I was in Paris, which is heaven. It had the added benefit of telling me about places I haven’t been or heard of that I can add to my list of things to do! less
Reviews (see all)
issa
a lot of fun. who knew I'd be in Paris before too long when I picked it up originally!
anxhela
Combo of a Top 10 tourist attractions mixed with contrast of past and present.
hobbes4626
I love books about Paris and this is my favorite.
aria
I want to go to there.
Gaby
Wise & Witty Guide!
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