Everything that you wanted to know or needed to know about African American Literature is contained in this eight hundred page volume. This comprehensive volume covers the historical and cultural contexts of African American literature that has been too long neglected.

Oxford's Companion encompasses the traditional genres of poetry, fiction and drama but goes beyond them. It gives the same analysis to special genres such as Slave Narratives, Oratory, Folk Literature, etc. that you don't normally find in reference works of this kind. These special features and others give this book a unique spot in reference works of literature.

From the moment I got this volume in my hands, I couldn't put it down. Its numerous essays, brief biographies and analysis of the various hues of African American Literature was overwhelming and enjoyable. A referance guide such as this should be in every home. It is user friendly, informative and entertaining. Most of all it will give you a deeper appreciation of the vast types of African American literature produced throughout the years.

I purchased this anthology to assist me in my African-American literature class. This book has given me great insight about the literature of African-Americans. Not only does it give great details about the many authors, but it also explains the nature of their many works. I strongly recommend this book to anyone taking an African-American literature course - regardless of the time period.

Flanner (nom de plume: Genêt), a former New Yorker essayist and who lived in Paris for many years, describes the cultural and social life of Paris in the 50s and 60s. She pens wonderful glimpses into what Parisians were thinking, feeling, and doing -Paris' life, wine, art, literary insights, and ways of thinking. C'est magnifique.

Janet Flanner was amazing in her insights in her own words as well as quoting others. I think one would be hard pressed to find someone with greater perception of the France of that era. This work also is a great help in understanding the France of today.
For example, Flanner quotes Maurice Duverger, a professor at the Sorbonne in an interview in the magazine L'Express on pp. 281-282: "Nothing is stupider than stylish anti-Americanism. But at the base of it all there is, just the same, a real question. America is a very different society from ours. It was built by pioneers who for their cultural baggage had the bible and a sense of adventure." Duverger goes on to compare the Soviet Union and the U.S.A. as two evolving societies and concludes that in the long run the U.S.A. will be the greater threat to the French way of life.
Flanner concludes: "Painful as many of Professor Duverger's conclusions are for many Americans, he has academically touched on basic, alarming truths for many of the French, who, even in their awareness, seem unable to do anything about them except complain--while continuing their American way of life "à la française."
I find that to be true in Paris of 2001. I cannot recommend this book enough. Janet Flanner was truly remarkable.

I found this book at our local library here in Albuquerque, and just had to own a copy. For anyone with an interest in Chopin, this book is an incredible gold mine of facts and details you won't find anywhere else, but Chopin is really only a small part of the wide-ranging subjects covered. Everyone who was anyone in Paris in the 1830s and '40s figures in this book, and people and events are also connected to the wider world of Europe and even America. The major composers, writers, artists, social reformers, politicians, and even doctors are covered. Nearly everything you might want to know about daily life in the first half of the 19th century is also described (will definitely cure you of any longing for the "good old days"....).

William Atwood is a dermatologist, and his descriptions of the medical thinking and practice of the time were especially interesting to me. As a holistic practitioner, I appreciated his discussion of the popularity of homeopathy in the 19th century. Chopin, of course, used homeopathy instead of the brutal methods of the allopathic doctors of his time, and seems to have been far better off than he would have been otherwise.

This book was a great help to me in clarifying Chopin's place in his time and adopted country. I expect to refer to it often.

What pleasure it is to be able to sit down and write a review of a truly enjoyable book such as this one. As I sit here typing I am listening to some music from one of the greatest composers of the 19th Century, Frederic Chopin. Fitting no less, as this book provides the reader with a guide through the City of Paris as seen and experienced by Chopin during his time there.

The author, William Atwood, has written two previous books on Chopin and in this third book he shows that he has a deep understanding for Chopin and his time. Covering the period from 1831 to 1849 Atwood covers all manner of subjects in his discussion of Paris, that beautiful city that seemed to produce some of the greatest artists in Europe. The author provides you with an insight into the social and artistic scene as well as some of the more interesting people, places and activities of Paris.

The book covers not only music and musicians but poets, writers, painters, the opera and theatre, medicine, bohemians, people of the street and how they all lived and survived during this turbulent period. The story just flows along smoothly and some of the stories are just amazing.

For instance when Paris decided to solve the sewage problem that tended to blot the city streets they changed the roadways contours from concave to convex allowing the swill and sewage to run off the roads into the new drainage system. The only problem with this was that not all the drains were properly covered and children often fell through the drains into the underground sewer system!

Another interesting little story in the chapter on medicine informs the reader that during the craze for bleeding as a form of combating illness that swept Paris during the early 1830's it was estimated that by 1833 Paris was importing 41.5 million leeches a year!

One of my favourite stories was the tragic tale of Alphonsine Plessis, the lady of the camellias, which can be found in the chapter regarding bohemians and demimondes (I don't want to spoil the story for anyone so you will have to buy the book and read it for yourself). According the Atwood the people of Paris still leave offerings of flowers on her tomb at the cemetery at Montmarte.

For anyone who loves good history, the arts or just a well-written book I am sure they will enjoy this story. In the pages you will find some of the greatest names in the world of the arts, Frederic Chopin, Eugene Delacroix, George Sand, Honore de Balzac, Hector Berlioz, Alexandre Dumas, Victor Hugo, Franz Liszt, and many many more. The book also provides numerous black and white illustrations showing Paris, its people and its buildings, during this time. This is a great story, an enjoyable read and an interesting piece of history.

What really grabbed me at first glance was the vivid colors and attention to the details in the numerous photographs in this book.

Ms. Brennan confided to me recently in a chatroom interview at the French cuisine site that she gained about ten pounds while testing the recipes for the book.

The recipes are all very traditional dishes you'd find in homes and bistros all over France and are simple enough for a confident and even a new cook to recreate.

Along with the delicious, hearty French recipes are little anecdotes sprinkled throughout that shed light on useful things like using creme fraiche. A perfect gift for a francophile, cook or someone who loves good classic cuisine without hours of preparation involved. The book is so vibrant and lovely you'll want to leave it on the coffee table to make your guests salivate while they wait for dinner.

This is quite possibly the best cookbook I have ever read! Not only does it have beautiful pictures and wonderful, EASY, delicious recipes, but it has delightful information on the customs, countryside, and people of France. It's a cookbook I actually USE all the time!

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.

I had Jane Welch Williams as an art history professor at the University of Arizona. She knew her subject so well, and loved to share her knowledge with others. History wasn't just something that happened long ago, it was something real. She passed away this Spring, she will be missed.

W. J. Eccles did a phenomenal job in covering the history of New France. I was expecting a dry history. I didn't get one. What I got was a story of men and a few women.

This book is a facinating account of the settlement of Canada under the French. For a history book, it was hard to put down. Eccles brought the problems of starting and maintaining a colony to life. He presents historical figures like Frontenac and La Salle as real people who made real mistakes without excuses or whitewashing.

I would recommend this book to anyone doing any type of research into New France.

You will definitely be craving wine and cheese the entire time you are reading this book. You will get intoxicated just reading about Bill's wine adventures (which seem to happen at least once daily). Bill's humor about his trials and tribulations will keep you laughing. This book is great for anyone wanting to live in France or just curious about what French culture is really like. I think this should be required for all students taking French! Thanks for a great read!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Though filled with a wealth of factual information it is written in such a way that the "story line" keeps you reading. Reveals Columbus family origins and the affect of the Inquisition on them. In my opinion a "must read" book.

In The Pre-World War 2 years, France was considered to have the world's greatest army. However, the seeds of its destruction laid beneath the hype and were exposed in 1940. This book by William L. Shirer investigates French History from 1871-1940. He show how the Third Republic came into being, its numerous internal struggles, and its imperial quest for a world empire. He shows how the French army stood against the Germans in World War 1 and how it contributed to the allied powers victory. Finally, he shows how the death of key World War One leaders, political squabbles, the depression, lack of military modernization, and accomadating leaders contributed to the German victory over France in 1940. It is worth reading.