Customer Reviews

Frommer's Irreverent Guide to Paris (Irreverent Guides)

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4 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

If you still believe that all French waiters are rude, that Parisians structure their lives around making unsuspecting Americans feel bad, and that being in France's commercial establishments means always being on your guard, then this is the book for you. Unevenly written (can't Frommer afford copy editors?) and sometimes downright silly, what this book nevertheless has going for it is an excellent and up-to-date list of restaurants, shops, bars, and hot spots (although look elsewhere for accommodations). That alone makes the book worth a look. The map of recommended establishments and the excellent bits of advice on how to take care of daily necessities make this book valuable, but it is unnecessarily smug, ultimately feeding into the same tired stereotypes of the French we've heard for years. As in any major city, no one in Paris much cares about insulting or dissing you, but this book would sometimes have you believe that it's the national pastime.

I bought the Irreverent Guide to London when I traveled to Britain two years ago, and I had such a good experience with that book that I bought this one for my upcoming trip to Paris. I have also read Fodor's and have done extensive research online, but I like the irreverent book because it's small, informative, and opinionated. I don't need another sixty pages listing the museums in France. What I need is for someone knowledgable to tell me which museums are worth the time and which ones aren't

If being irreverent is stating that Parisian waiters can be rude, then I've missed the point of this book somewhere. Everbody KNOWS that Parisian waiters can be rude. Just be rude back!

I can't help feeling that Alexander F. Lobrano (Heidi Ellison in the first edition) have just dug around to exaggerate the things they don't like, and played down (or even omitted) the good things. For example, in a section marked 'Secret Gardens', how can Parc Andre Citroen be considered secret and Jardins Albert Kahn completely missed? It makes a mockery of claiming to be a true guide. Much better (if you're French-speaking) to get yourself a copy of 'Paris inattendu' by Michel Dansel. You get the truth AND a lot of fresh information.

If you have bought other travel guides to Paris such as Frommer's or Fodor's, this "Irreverent Guide" will add nothing of value to your experience of Paris. It seems to me that the title is misleading and very gimmicky. Invest the ... + shipping in a good lunch for one. Or give it away to someone who needs it, or simply save it. This book is not worth it. I rate this book one star.