Customer Reviews

The Secret Life of the Seine

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Actually living on a boat on the Seine is a pain in the backside with leaks, breakdowns and constant maintenance. *Reading* about living on a boat on the Seine is, however, better than being there. Even though this is non-fiction, colorful characters fill the pages. If you love France, you'll love this book about the river through its heart. Rosenblum's writing is supple and never gets in the way.

If you are interested in the plight of peniche and barge owners on the Seine(in the 1990's), and if you want some historical anecdotes culled from other authors, and info on the amount of tonnage that moves up and down the Seine, floods and navigability issues, then this is the book for you. This is definitely not an idyllic look at living on the Seine. A lot of the traveling between locations is done by car, and once on a Tourist Cruise line. The characters are mostly limited to people explaining the plight of the bargees and their possible future on the river. If you are looking for a Peter Mayle-style book, this isn't it. There are a few charming and funny moments in the first part of the book that lead you to believe that you are in for a "tour" of the river, it's food, beauty and local characters. Don't be fooled. I have spent many hours walking the the Paris Seine and there is definitely more romance than is captured in this book. Overall the book is very informative but not what the reviews lead to expect.

This is a great read, particularly if you've been to Paris or are going. It truly gives you a different view of the city. The author is living on a houseboat on the Seine and decides to travel the river from "start" to "finish". Some great characters add to the account of the journey and some interesting history emerges along the way too. I also got a vivid feel for what it must be like without having to actually endure the discomforts!