Paris : The Collected Traveler

by Barrie Kerper (Editor)

Paperback, 2011

Status

Available

Publication

New York : Vintage Books, 2011.

Description

Each edition of this unique series marries a collection of previously published essays with detailed practical information, creating a colorful and deeply absorbing pastiche of opinions and advice. Each book is a valuable resource -- a compass of sorts -- pointing vacationers, business travelers, and readers in many directions. Going abroad with a Collected Traveler edition is like being accompanied by a group of savvy and observant friends who are intimately familiar with your destination. This edition on Paris features: Distinguished writers, such as Mavis Gallant, Barbara Grizzuti Harrison, Herbert Gold, Olivier Bernier, Richard Reeves, Patricia Wells, Catharine Reynolds, and Gerald Asher, who share seductive pieces about Parisian neighborhoods, personalities, the Luxembourg Gardens, P#65533;re-Lachaise and other monuments, restaurants and wine bars, le Plan de Paris, and le Beaujolais Nouveau. Annotated bibliographies for each section with recommendations for related readings. An A-Z "renseignements pratiques" (practical information) section covering everything from accommodations, marches aux puces (flea markets), and money to telephones, tipping, and the VAT. Whether it's your first trip or your tenth, the Collected Traveler books are indispensable, and meant to be the first volumes you turn to when planning your journeys.… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member MorgannaKerrie
A wonderful collection of essays on Paris as well as informative resources in Paris.
LibraryThing member RidgewayGirl
The Collected Traveler series is intended to give a visitor a feel for the place through a collection of articles. It's not supposed to take the place of a guidebook and it's not supposed to be too time sensitive. I wish the author had reminded herself of that while she was putting the book
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together. It's a largish book, but a third is taken up with the sort of things one uses a guidebook for; packing guidelines, currency tips, etc.. I think that Kerper, traveling as frequently as she does, wanted to help out the first time traveler, but the result is a lot of filler that is organized better in any Fodor's or Lonely Planet guide. Then there were the articles, several of which were interesting, like the one on how to greet people and how to ask for the bill. The ones on food and wine are always fun, although I was disappointed to find that some were merely a series of restaurant reviews, again something done better by a proper guidebook.

I recently read Kerper's book on Venice and found the same flaws. The concept is amazing, but it's disappointing how poorly it was executed. Every so often, though, an article would be wonderful, full of the kind of history and observations that really makes a trip more interesting, but there is so much more dross than gold.
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LibraryThing member earthforms
I love Paris and was really happy to win this. It's quite long and I'm reading more things at the same time, so I don't know how fast I'll get through it, but it definitely feels like I will love this. As I've gotten through it more, I see that it is more of a companion guide than a travel book,
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but I think that's great. I'd love something like this for any place I go.
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LibraryThing member Mad.River.Librarian
This collection of articles (most re-printed) has something for everyone who is planning, or dreaming of planning, a trip to Paris. Use it to supplement traditional guide books: included are some wonderful pieces about the cafe culture (including etiquette and dos & don't's), specific
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arrondissements (including le Marais, to my delights), areas outside of Paris (Versailles, Chartes, Loire Valley), and little-known treasures within. A love letter to Paris, essentially. Feel free to skim over some parts and dive into others.
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Language

Barcode

6696
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