Tom Reeves knows Paris like few other Americans: he 'ex-patriated' from Oakland, California to France in 1992 after falling under the spell of Paris and has been sharing his devotion to that city through a travel service and website (www.discoverparis.net) for several years. This very fine book, full of photographs and information for the most part unknown to the casual traveler, is a collection of articles he has previously published about the secret of what makes Paris so unique.
Written in conversational style, yet with a flair for dignity, Reeves shares the cultural riches of Paris, allowing the reader to not only 'visit' the special places in the city with him, but also providing the depth of history that has placed the inimitable patina on what we too often simply take for granted as the special aura of being Parisian. Less a guide book than a diary, Reeves joins us in excursions through the Jardin des Plantes, Saint-Sulpice church, the church of Val-de-Grace hidden away in the faubourg Saint-Jacques, pauses to explain the culture of dogs in Paris, the tradition of the macaron, and hard to find eating spots that not only carry a long history of fine wines but also some commentary about the past.
Each article or essay is accompanied by photographs and designates the year in which each bit of information was first shared. It is a book that is easy to read, a resource of invaluable insights, and a perfect way to begin to plan that next escape to the City of Light!
– Grady Harp, Top Ten Amazon.com reviewer, December '09
Click here to access the book on Amazon.com.
Our book: Dining Out in Paris—What You Need to Know before You Get to the City of Light