Apart from the "gripping" (boy is that word overused in book reviews) style, and an intense feeling of integrity, this book offers humorus/morbid insights to everyday life, through a not so regular week in the life of an american exchange student, trapped in a not so romantic paris. I found it very enjoyable.

Paris is usually written about in novels as romantic, luminous, but here it's grey, rainy, dangerous, claustrophobic--and thus, a revelation. On scholarship from Los Cruces, NM, Sabine is trying to fit in, to escape her lower middle class background, but can she ever really learn French so well that she *is* French? Powerful, gripping, hypnotic--and beautifully written.

A gritty taste of reality told by an author whose command of the English language is a thing of beauty. Samantha Dunn tells the story of a young woman caught in a crisis without anyone to turn to in a land that can never up to her expectations. I was compelled to turn the page and see this girl face difficult hardships, intense loneliness, and moral dilemmas that would test any resolve. I was surprised that I cared so deeply for the character of Sabine and her journey to become a woman. An amazing book written by an amazing author.

"This series has long been respected as one of the best of its kind. Each book contains detailed color maps and a listing of accommodations by area. They include color photographs, the address and phone number, a star rating, amenities, price, and a brief paragraph describing the property. Newly revised and updated, these excellent guides to accommodations in Europe are highly recommended for all libraries." Library Journal

I lived in Paris during my junior year in college. Returning for a visit, I certainly am not interested in a businessman's hotel where the faxes may get to you on time but the room, itself, is cramped and void of personality.

If you feel, as I do, that a good part of your vacation is your hotel and you're on your way to Paris, then this book will not disappoint you. Paris is a city for people who love beauty, character and charm.

The book is divided into the areas of Paris called arrondisements: #1 through #18. If it's important for you to be in a specific arrondisement, simply find out where most of your business will be held and then choose from the wide variety in the book.

The photos, although not plentiful for each hotel (there's only one per hotel)are beautiful and give accurate views of what is important or what is a specialty of that particular hotel. The descriptions are full and give you every detail you will need to help you make an informed decision: pets? laundry? minibar? meals? And most important what makes this hotel one of "character and charm." You can always use the telephone or fax numbers to ask further questions of the specific place(s) you're interested in. And since rates vary from day to day, you can, of course, ask whomever answers your questions what the dollar is worth on that particular day.

An invaluable, beautifully designed, clever, practical book: It actually tells you exactly what the title announces. And nothing more or less. RECOMMENDED.

"The best guides for the finest kind of vacation." Elle magazine

In this novel, An American Dog in Paris, written by Kay Pfaltz. You learn about the story behind an abandoned dog. Kay lives in Paris, France who breaks up with her boyfriend Jason. In a few weeks after the break-up, Kay goes to America to visit her older sister Amy. Amy tells Kay that she should get a dog to help cheer herself up. When Amy shows Kay a little beagle named Lauren that she found under her porch who is thin, hungry, full of fleas and ticks, and very sick. After a few days, Kay decides to go back to Paris. When she leaves she also takes her sister advice, and takes Lauren with her. Kay and Lauren get along well and live together in Paris, France. Pfaltz does a great job on showing people that no matter what a living thing looks like, accept for what it is and give it a chance to love.

Lauren's Story: An American Dog In Paris by Kay Pfaltz is a heartfelt autobiographical testimony to her love of both the City of Lights and her gentle canine companion Lauren. Kay and her beagle Lauren enjoyed living in Paris. But when Lauren came down with an aggressive form of cancer, Kay essentially put her own life on hold to care for her beloved animal companion. An engaging and heartwarming story of adventure, trust, caring, and hope, Lauren's Story is highly recommended reading, especially for dog lovers everywhere.

What a wonderful story! I could not put it down and I did not want it to end. This book is for anyone that loves animals!

Kay does a remarkable job at expressing her love and adoration for that strange little beagle named Lauren. She also brings to life a culture so different from our own--its incredible fascinating. This is a book that people are sure to remember for years to come!

Having spent a busy weekend sightseeing, shopping and eating in Lille thanks to this amusing and shrewd guidebook, I have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone else travelling in France and Belgium. The book had all the information we needed for using public transport, getting to know the locals and seeing the sights without ever making us feel like hicks or gawping visitors. We will be in Paris this Easter and have already chosen our hotels and at least two restaurants from the same book. Does this guy write about anywhere else? If he knows other cities like he knows this one, I want to read about it.

Laughter and good food make an excellent combination. This book is full of annecdotes and gossipy tips and snippets, yet it also is as mouthwatering as a recipe book. The author reviews restaurants without resorting to fashionable cosmopolitan cliches. Your mouth waters as he remembers succulent sauces and naughty desserts, you smile as he gossips about the waiters and restaurant owners, you want to linger on the salivating detail of every favourote dish and each evocative evening spent in cellars and dining rooms. Yet, when he talks of history, you are as enchanted by the true human nature of kings and artists that he conveys. I love his casual and very individual approach to sightseeing. He can give equal status to a shop selling haute couture for dogs as an art gallery or monument, and he seems to know where all the good stuff is hidden away from the coach trade. I have queued for hours at the Louvre and Musee d'Orsay in Paris, yet this guy knows of a private house with dozens of Monets on view. And best of all he knows where to find the best meals in town without breaking the bank. This book is hot on the practical side of travelling as well. Following his tips, I found out how to travel first class on Eurostar for less than the price of a second class ticket. My only complaint is that this is not part of a series. I travel all over France and Europe and would love to listen to this author's advice on the rest of the country and the continent.

Don't read this book when you are hungry. the food descriptions will make you drool. I used this guide when friends from London came over for the weekend. Mouth-watering restaurant reviews and spot-on opinions and advice about Paris. Useful, good value and sometimes very funny. The book also has full sets of city maps and subway guides, and give very clear directions with every listing. I reckon it would be a great read on the train or the plane as well.

This is a terrific "off the beaten path" type tour guide. These tours take you to areas that other tourists just pass through on their way to the Eifel Tower and Louvre. With this book you experience the real Paris, not the tourist's Paris.

At the beginning of each tour (allow one per day), find a bench in one of the many small parks and read the introduction to the tour. While you take in the sights, smells and sounds of the area, you'll learn a bit of history to set the stage for the tour. The walks are slow and intend for you to really look at your surroundings as you read about the history, architecture and people. I wish there were guides like this for every city!

I've taken this book to Paris three times. Our local library discarded the book and I was so upset. It's wonderful to use in Paris or to remember my trips. I was so excited to find in newly published. I have already got one, which I passed on to a friend going to Paris, now I'm ordering another.

The Pariswalks audiotape is an immensely entertaining and educational way to wander through Paris neighborhoods. You can, for a change, SEE what the guidebooks are talking about WITHOUT having your nose in the book the whole time. The narration is humorous as well as informative. Because this Pariswalks audiotape is so good,I have given theLondonwalks audiotape on faith for Christmas to someone about to head for London. I will never travel to Europe again without first checking to learn whether an audiotape is available for my destination city.

This book is a delight! It is an entertaining tale of a stray cat who owns the town of Paris. The cat gets into mischief when he jumps into a window of a building and tears dresses (for a fasion show) to pieces. However, the ripped pieces are a succes and the "Rage de Paris!" This book is wonderful! It combines French words into the story and is a neat tool for those who want a little culture in their children's books. I reccommend it to anyone!

"He was born a fine cat in the heart of Paree, the youngest of six in his petite family. But his mischievous ways led him astray. Now he roams about town, down the Champs Elysees, and when the mood strikes him, he dines au cafe..." Oh Zat Cat! He owns Paris, from the Louvre, to Jardin Luxembourg. And when he ventures into Le Grand Salon du Grand Couturier, Monsieur Pierre, an unexpected mishap creates havoc, and poor Monsieur's entire collection is completely ruined. "Before he can even meow or blink, he's whisked off his feet by a sash in pink! He flies through the air, clawing hats and hair. Ball gowns of satin are shredded to bits. Laces and ribbons totally ripped..." But the show must go on, and as the disheveled models in ripped dresses take to the runway..."Whispers of wonder turn to roars of delight, as our four-legged friend struts into the light. So original, exotic, and free. These ingenious designs C'est la "Rage" de Paree!" Chesley McLaren's lively, rhyming text is rich in clever wordplay, both French and English, energy, and puns, and includes phonetic help and translations tucked quietly at the bottom of each page. But it's Ms McLaren's marvelously vibrant, busy, and innovative artwork, swirling boldly around the pages, that really makes this picture book sparkle. Together word and art create an engaging feast for both the ears and eyes that begs to be read aloud and shared. Perfect for youngsters 4-8, Zat Cat! is a masterpiece of humor and wit, and one of the new, stand-out children's books of 2002 that shouldn't be missed.

I happen to know the amazing author/artist of "Zat Cat" & I just wanna say:"Way ta go, Chesley!!!!!"

What a great book! I actually am a lover of Paris and photography, and of course who can resist a dog, let alone two? I really hope the authors make this into a series, maybe London, Florence, Venice? The book reads like a childrens book, but the target audience does seem to be aimed at adults. Whomever reads this book, it's enjoyable and one of my favorites!

This book was a gift from a friend who knows our love for dogs and Paris. My wife had just returned from the city of lights to our four "children" when the book arrived. What a delightful remembrance of the city seen trhough the keen photographic eye of Michael Maylszko. The text is complementary to a fault. A truely seamless product.

This should be enjoyed by anyone who understands the mind of a dog or who has been to Paris. It will be especially pleasing to those who appreicate both

The dogs on their own are adorable, the words on their own are wonderful, the sights of Paris are beautiful - but put them all together in this lovely book and you get the dreamy package that is "Betty & Rita Go to Paris". Excellent work! I look forward to Betty & Rita's next adventure.

I truly agree with some of the previous reviews,but let me give you an opinion on someone who knows crime photography well.this book is so well organized as far as text, bescause of the fact that it gives you complete stories behind the photos,plus early crime photos that are magnificent as well as tastefull,(believe me,I've seen some that are much worse,but still very intense photos),makes this book one of the best and most tastefully done works on crime photography I have ever owned!It's not a gore book relying primarily on shock value for it's saleability.Although the only thing it does'nt include is photo type reference,although they are all dated.Take it from a collector of early crime photography,this book is truly a gem!

If you're not interested in crime, homocide, early criminological studies, or Paris or have a delicate constitution, don't read this book. However, if these things fascinate you, pay as much as the seller asks because this is a good one. The photos were discovered in Paris by Eugenia Parry, a photography scholar. The photos she found were old Bertillon photos of crime scenes in Paris. Ms Parry then matched the photos to newspaper reports. Some are grotesque, all make you catch your breath: this is what we do to oneanother. Twelve years later came WWI, the trenches, artillery, machine guns and gas. The acts described in this book were not so efficiently conducted. This is a book you won't easily forget.

One doen't see or hear about this book anywhere which is a shame as it is so hugely original and compelling. Parry gives life in 19th Century Paris an incredible immediacy in this selection of stories. I found the photographs almost superfluous except that they do remind you that these imagined tales are actually real. Parry dignifies the dead in a way that is a genuine tribute to our humanity (or at least hers) at a time when I'm not convinced we're feeling all that good about ourselves. If you are hesitating, don't! A truly inspiring work.

Rachel Kaplan's engaging little book is a fascinating guide to some of the many museums in and around Paris that do NOT make it into the big guidebooks. Everyone has heard of the Louvre, the Orsay, even the Musee Rodin, but what about the others? Some of them are small museums run by devoted individuals; at least one (the Musee de la Marine in the Trocadero complex) is, I believe, run by the French government.

This is a book badly in need of updating. Three years ago, when I used to to visit the Maison de Balzac on Rue Raynouard, the information on transportation, hours, and addresses was of relatively recent vintage and, consequently, more trustworthy.

While Kaplan's contributions are wonderful and the many black and white and color photographs memorable, the publisher did a very mediocre job of presentation. I do not care for the book's alphabetic orientation and deplore the unhelpful single map.

One more negative: There are many other small museums in Paris that are not even mentioned in passing, such as the Musee de la Serrure (locks, keys, and door knockers); Musee de la Poste (mail service); Musee Guimet (Oriental art); the new museum of Jewish history near the Pompidou Center -- to mention just a few.

And yet, I look forward in a couple of weeks to visiting the Musee Delacroix and the Musee Cognac-Jay, neither of which appear in my other guidebooks. This is a very useful book for those who wish to explore lesser-known parts of the City of Lights. I look forward to a new edition which will make it even more useful.

We recently used this guide extensively while in Paris for a week. Having done the usual "big name" tourist stops, we were looking for a convenient way to see Paris in-depth. This book met our needs completely. I am looking forward to more work from this author.

We own a copy of 'Little Known Museums in and Around Paris', and after over 18 years of visiting Paris and its many Great museums, we found that we still missed 12 out of the 30 museums listed in her book.Now we can't wait to go back and visit these 12 that Ms. Kaplan has so thoroughly and appealingly described, with the many magnificent photos and well researched text, this is a book to savour in an armchair, or to use to preview your next trip. We have already put 'The Fan Museum' and the 'Maurice Ravel Museum' on our 'MUST SEE', for our upcoming summer trip. Thank you for listening.

Lana & Murray Singer (New York City)

hi,
We are twins to and we love mka.Our names are:Marjolein and Christine.This book has a lot of high qualid pictures but there is not much whriten in it.The best part is,when there IS something whriten,mka themselves say it.It seems like their talking to you in person.It's a fun book and if you like ptp a lot,you must get it (...)

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen are teenagers now and off to Paris, the City of Light, to flim the new movie Passport to Paris. The girls have a great time shopping, eating snails!, and riding on montorbikes with two handsome french boys. They each talk about how pretty Paris is and they have a great time there. This a great inside scoop of the hit movie.

Totally Awesome. Deserves a AAA. Has great pictures from the movie and even pictures behind the movie. Great for anyone who loves the Olsen Twins or loves the movie.