I found "Beggars in Paradise" to be a charming romp, both through the city of Paris and through the mindset of a man with nothing and everything to lose. Stettner's subtle comedy and moving descriptions made poverty seem worth trying for a while. Like "On the Road" and the travelogues of Bill Bryson, it inspires one to pick up and take off simply for the pleasure of finding the unexpected. "Beggars in Paradise" is the perfect book to accompany a traveler in France or to curl up with on a window seat overlooking a busy city. Its tranquility and intrigue will transport you to the underbelly of Paris and the simple glories found there.

quirky, interesting letters written by Miller on a variety of subjects with some common themes running throughout.

Hilarious, educational and moving pieces that make for a nice complement to your Miller collection.

J. R. Hamilton's book is a thorough account of the life of Alexander the Great. Starting with his youth in Macedonia he discusses all the major points of interest in Alexander life, such as the Callisthenes affair, the murder of Kleitos and Parmenion and so forth. Hamilton does not try to paint a coherent picture of Alexander, but tries to find the "truth" by assessing the validity of various sources. The advantage of this method, i.e. not squeezing historical facts into a pre-fabricated picture of Alexander is however one of the literary weaknesses of the book; it lacks a drive, an overall assessment of Alexander.