Oh, nice. A recommended reading list! ;-/
Actually, I will read some of these in preparation for the trip. Here's hoping the library can get them for me.
My plans will also include re-reading Les Miserables by Victor Hugo and A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens.
Here's the tour core list:
Eyewitness Guide France by Eyewitness Guides
This superb guide to all of France features color photography, dozens of excellent local maps and a region-by-region synopsis of the country's attractions. Handsome, convenient and up-to-date, this is the guide to carry. (FRN01, $30.00)
French or Foe? by Polly Platt
With humor, directness and great insight, this compact book is an expert and entertaining guide to the French and how to get along with them. The expanded third edition addresses France's romance with cell phones and includes a short chapter of recent vignettes. (FRN54, $16.95)
The Road from the Past, Traveling through History in France by Ina Caro
Time travel through France by way of its finest castles, chateaux, cathedrals and monasteries. This unusual travelogue is an invaluable companion for traveling in Paris, southern France, the Dordogne and the Loire Valley, combining personal observation with large doses of well-presented history. (FRN03, $17.00)
France Map by Michelin
A colorful, accurate and up-to-date map of France at a scale of 1:1,000,000, with scenic routes highlighted. We also carry a variety of more detailed regional and city maps. One Side. 40x61 inches. (FRN07, $11.95)
Also Recommended:
Normandy Map 513 by Michelin
A colorful, detailed map of Normandy at a scale of 1:200,000, featuring Rouen, Le Havre and the route of the Seine from west of Paris to the Atlantic. (FRN49, $11.95)
Paris Map by Borch Maps
A sturdy laminated map of the city center at a scale of 1:12,000 and all of Paris at a scale of 1:15,000. (FRN400, $8.95)
Fodor's Paris' 25 Best by Fodor's
This shirt-pocket map and guide includes essential information on the city's history, highlights and sightseeing, ideal for a short visit to the City of Light. (FRN41, $11.99)
Lonely Planet French Phrasebook by Marie-Helene Girard | Anny Monet
This handy phrasebook focuses on pronunciation, basic grammar and essential vocabulary for the traveler. (FRN120, $8.99)
Made in France, A Shopper's Guide by Laura Morelli
Morelli's illustrated, personal guide to where to find authentic, locally crafted, hand-made textiles, porcelain, crystal, digestifs and more. (FRN706, $24.95)
The Food of France by Waverly Root
An evocative and beautifully written survey of French food. First published in 1958 and revised in the mid-1970s, Root covers the important regions of French cuisine by dividing them into domains of Butter (northern France), Fat (Alsace) and Oil (the south). (FRN17, $18.00)
1066, The Year of the Conquest by David Howarth
A crack medievalist and storyteller, Howarth brings to life the momentous events of 1066 in rich, anecdotal history -- a classic portrait of the Norman invasion and conquest of England. (GBR115, $14.00)
A Traveller's History of France by Robert Cole
This fast-moving survey covers the conquests of ancient Gaul through the heady days of revolution to modern times. (FRN08, $14.95)
D-Day June 6, 1944, The Climactic Battle of World War II by Stephen Ambrose
Written by the best-selling historian Stephen Ambrose, this well researched book draws together interviews and government documents to tell the gripping tale of June 6, 1944. This comprehensive account of D-Day contains 32 pages of photos and eight maps. (FRN40, $18.00)
The Most Beautiful Villages of the Loire by James Bentley | Hugh Palmer
An illustrated portrait of the region, its landscape, architecture, and people, featuring 275 color photographs and accompanying lively essays by Francophile James Bentley. (FRN483, $40.00)
Cathedrals and Castles, The Cathedral Builders of the Middle Ages by Alain Erlande-Brandenburg
This pocket-size encyclopedia of the art, architecture and culture of the Middle Ages features hundreds of drawings, color illustrations and a brief chronology. (MED07, $15.95)
The Bayeux Tapestry, Monument to a Norman Triumph by Wolfgang Grape
The story of the Norman conquest of England as told through the scenes depicted on the Bayeux Tapestry. This book places Grape's text alongside full color photographs of the tapestry -- an accessible and visually enjoyable summary of events. (FRN245, $29.95)
Joan of Arc by Mary Gordon
In elegant, insightful prose, novelist Gordon meditates on the courageous, complex young girl and the iconic status she has acquired. (FRN753, $14.00)
Paris to the Moon by Adam Gopnik
Gopnik writes with candor and humor about Paris and Parisian ways in these charming reflections on adapting to life abroad. (FRN208, $15.00)
The Oysters of Locmariaquer by Eleanor Clark
Winner of the 1965 National Book Award, this paper edition of Clark's pleasurable portrait of the hardy oystermen and byways of coastal Brittany is introduced by Mark Kurlansky. (FRN152, $13.95)
France, A Traveler's Literary Companion by William Rodarmor
This collection contains literary gems from all corners of France--not just Paris--by a select group of modern French writers. (FRN767, $14.95)
Chocolat by Joanne Harris
This charming novel set in the Loire Valley pits provincial morals against pleasure. Adapted into a popular movie. (FRN484, $15.00)
In a Dark Wood Wandering, A Novel of the Middle Ages by Hella Haasse
With a cast of thousands including Joan of Arc and the Dukes of Burgundy, this 1949 historical novel renders the political intrigue, people and texture of 15th-century Europe. Haasse captures medieval court life during the Hundred Years War. (FRN86, $21.95)
Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
The landmark novel of a woman who suffers in search of relief from her humdrum life in a provincial village outside Rouen. (FRN301, $12.00)
Murder in the Marais by Cara Black
Literate and thrilling, with a strong sense of the geography and flavor of Paris, the first in a series of mysteries starring Aimee Ledoc shows off the French-American detective's wit and wile. The series continues with Murder in Belleville (FRN562), Murder in the Sentier (FRN563) and many more. (FRN561, $13.00)
