France

Both TT: France and TT: Paris are perfect companions on a trip to France. They put you in the mood to experiment when you travel and provide an eager anticipation of French culture. I've read both and will probably take them on an upcoming trip to France as pleasant refreshers. They're good enough that I've written to James O'Reilly and asked for sequels to both books, hoping to deepen exposure to things French.This book is truly eclectic -- stories about French waiters; demolition teams working on removing explosives from the two world wars; the Celtic stones in Brittany; the Wild West atmospher of l'Ardeche; and stories of invasion and Normandy. Just about all of the stories have been published in newspaper or magazine articles, but are very carefully selected to show a new dimension to France. You'll recognize a few of the authors (Jon Krakauer, 'Into Thin Air,' and Peter Mayle, 'A Year in Provence'). The margin notes are also a great addition to the flavor of the book.

We found this book very enjoyable in preparation to spending 2 months in France. Good cultural introduction. We read it out loud to our kids and found that it was a good jumping off point to other books and authors excerpted in the book. Best read before you go. Don't carry it with you.