Customer Reviews

The Traveling Professor's Guide To Paris

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I purchased this book as an afterthought after buying Frommer's and Rick Steve's guides. Both of those books stayed in my suitcase as I carried the Professor's guide on the streets of Paris.

The book's restaurant recommendations are excellent. The advice and info on attractions really helped us in terms of planning our daily itineraries. The money (and time) saving tips were also very helpful. My only regret is that I did not take the Professor's advice when selecting my hotel.

I think this book is a big improvement over those "traditional" travel guides and I heartily rate "The Traveling Professor's Guide to Paris" as a "buy".

My wife and I just went to Paris for our honeymoon. It was the first time either of us were there. She had a several-hundred-page Fodor's manual and I had Professor Solosky's book.

One of the best aspects is that I was able to read this book while on the plane heading to Paris, and, in the two or so hours that it took me to read it, I already had a good idea of where we might like to go without having done any research beforehand and well before the wheels of the plane touched the runway. My wife was reading the Fodor's manual for days, which, although filled with a lot of in-depth helpful information, didn't have some of the extremely useful information that this book has, such as which Museums take Museum Passes (which will save you a lot of time standing in lines) and comments on how to get along with the locals.

The information cabout interacting with Parisians was short, but very helpful. We followed the advice throughout our trip, and everyone was very helpful and polite in return. We watched a waiter (who had been very polite with us) give a nasty tongue-lashing to the tourist in front of us who was not following the same protocol.

There are a few drawbacks to the book, such as the lack of any maps. I would recommend buying Fodor's to conduct some more in-depth research of the sites that seem interesting from an initial read-through of Mr. Solosky's book, as well as to map out the locations and how to access the sites by public transportation. But for what this book is -- which is apparently meant to serve as a brief but fairly comprehensive overview for someone with limited time -- this book is definitely worth the time and money. I recommend this book for anyone who has never been to Paris before, and for those who have been but were not able to see nearly close to everything that Paris has to offer.

This is a refreshing, honestly written and truly helpful guide to the beautiful City of Lights. The way it is written and orgainized makes you feel empowered to take on this grand city and feel completely at home. There is everything from romantic to gastronomic tips, to practical Metro data to lovely side trips that give you a satisfying big picture of France. Enjoy this portable, lovely guide and bon voyage!

I purchased the Professor's guide after my first trip to Paris. I wish I had a copy before my trip. The guide is very easy to read and filled with practical and useful information such as using the metro (yes, do hold onto your stub!), the VAT refund (didn't discover this until several large purchases were made)and tipping protocol (apparently I was excessively tipping). Had I known about this resourceful guide book, I would have saved myself money and aggravation. Luckily, I will be travelling back to Paris again in a few weeks to celebrate my birthday (could there be a better place?!). This time it will be with the Professor's guide book in my hand leading me in all the right directions. I must add that I was fortunate enough to stumble upon two of the Professor's recommendations on my own (hotel and restaurant) and do agree with him. The Professor has also been helpful via e-mail correspondence regarding my upcoming trip. Merci beaucoup Professor Steve for sharing all your advice and recommendations!!!!!!!

We just bought this "book." It has useful practical information, but it is really a pamphlet that is padded by lots of white space and blank pages, and it has no maps. It is also, although casual and informal in style, cryptic. More information about what you are seeing (when you visit a recommended site) would be very useful. Some of the practical information (such as the advice to take a copy of your passport and watch for pickpockets)is sort of standard for travel; on the other hand, some is quite useful and not always in other guidebooks (e.g., RER from CDG). Use this guide to annotate a more complete guide.

I first became acquainted with Professor Solosky through his blog and newsletter on Paris. I find them very informative.I purchased his book hoping that it would be as well written,organized and personal.I have not been disappointed. When I read his book I feel as if I am sitting across the table from a friend who has an extensive personal knowledge of Paris through his own travel experience to this beautiful city: Paris.It gives great support to someone who has never been there as well as to a more traveled individual.Professor Solosky's enthusiasm and appreciation for the city of lights shines through. One feels like packing up and catching the next plane!

What I like about this book is that it is very concise and to-the-point. The other guides I dragged with me to Paris were over 425 pages each, with lots of information we never used. The Traveling Professor's guide boils down what you need to know in about 150 pages and I really thought it was a great guide for us, first-timers to Paris.

It was easy to carry around on the streets and easy to find the information we wanted to know about museums and especially restaurants.

We ate in four of the restaurants he recommended (Cafe Constant, Le Pre Verre, 1728, and Ardoise). They were excellent choices that we would have never found by ourselves.

Like one other reviewer said, I wish we had used this book to choose our hotel.

Professor Solosky exudes more than relevance in his writings. His many travels to Paris assures accurate information for anyone considering a trip to La Belle France! His guide is concise and thorough but doesn't bog down with unecessary data. Steve paints a very nice picture of France. His opinions are up-front and honest. The Traveling Professor's Guide to Paris is a must read!

This book is a must have if you are traveling to Paris for the first time. It answers all the basic questions like "What should I wear?", "How much should I tip?" and my favorite... "Are Parisians Rude?" If you don't have your own tour guide, then this book can be your guide! It is like traveling with a good friend who knows the ins-and-outs of Paris all its hot spots! I recommend it to all who travel to Paris.

This was a welcome addition to the slew of books I took out in preparation for a recent trip to Paris. What makes this book unique is its concise format and straightforward delivery. It is easily transportable (we had it with us 24/7) and organized so that it cuts right to what you need to know about each item. The book is written in such a tone that you feel like you're getting advice from a friend or a helpful fellow traveler, which was something other guide books lacked. Because of this, during our trip my boyfriend and I constantly referred to what "The Professor" said about each destination before going there. Included is information on museums, restaurants, and shopping, as well as general information on Paris travel.