Castles of the Loire: Past and present

I probably looked at 8 books on the Loire chateuaxs, and this was the best. Great photographs, laid out well, great information on each of the castles/chateauxs, lots of photos of the inside decoration and furniture. This book gave me a better understanding of the landscaping around the castles as well. If you are planning to visit the Loire valley, and you are trying to decide which castles to visit, this book is a must. It is also and excellent armchair-traveller/coffee-table book.