Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perfection, May 15, 2001
One might say I'm a travel book junkie, and I believe this is the best of all the rest. I generally travel with 5 or 6 guidebooks, but on my recent sojourn to the South of France, Orgasmic Days was the only one I used. The only preference would have been to join the circle of family and friends so fortunate to have the author, Ms. Keller, as their guide, but that unlikely scenario was not possible, so my wife and I happily contented ourselves with this wonderfully written, beautifully illustrated book. Orgasmic Days is part travelogue, part guide. The journal is so enticing that my wife and I, frequent travelers, couldn't wait to land at the Nice Airport to try out some of the suggestions. We felt as though the book introduced us to townspeople we would meet, and that's exactly what happened. We talked with M. Bissieres at the Vence restaurant, Le Vieux Couvent, and to Dou Tchon-Koui at Yang Tseu Kiang in St. Laurent du Var. We were charmed by Serge at the Verrerie in Biot, and by Stephan in Les Templiers, another wonderful Vence restaurant we never would have found. The guide, written as 25 orgasmic days, was so interesting. It sent us to Renoir's House, open to the public, to Matisse's home, near the extraordinary chapel he created, to the stunning Villa Kerylos in Beaulieu. We had a cappucino at the Cafe Van Gogh in Arles. One of the most memorable sections of this book gives short, interesting bios of the people who lived in various southern French villages. We'll never enter Nice again without thinking of Isadora Duncan entangling her scarf in the wheel of an auto, dying of a broken neck. We'll never go to St. Paul de Vence without picturing Yves Montand and Simone Signoret lunching at the Colombe d'Or. I loved learning about Scott and Zelda's connection to Antibes, Jean Cocteau's to Villefranche, and on and on. All one needs is Orgasmic Days and a detailed map for driving. I highly recommend this, the most perfect travel guide I've ever used, to anyone interested in a spectacular vacation in the South of France.
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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The next best thing to being there..., September 7, 2000
"Orgasmic Days in the South of France" had just arrived. I didn't want to be late for an appointment, so I just glanced through the book. Returning immediately to the beginning, I decided to read the five page introduction...and just a few more pages. The charming anecdotes involving family, friends and well-known people, the wonderful descriptions of towns, and streets and people and events and restaurants and food, the amazingly interesting writing style, the exciting original artwork in this book - invaded my sensory faculties. I can "see" the hillside in the old quarter of Cannes that Barbara Keller described. I can "hear" the 'boules' or 'boccie' sounds at the court of the Cafe de la Place formerly owned by Yves Montand and Simone Signoret. I can smell the 'bouillabaisse' in Cagnes-Sur-Mer and I can almost taste the 'noisettes of lamb' at Don Camillo. If the well-written stories, historical references and beautiful artwork were not enough, the back of the book is filled with categorized names, addresses and phone numbers of museums, restaurants, shopping areas, etc. Is this book compelling? I cut short my appointment, rushed back to finish the book, and have made my plans for next spring! Whether you've gone, are going, or just dreaming - what a great little book!
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20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Beautiful southern France, September 8, 2000
A Kid's Review
My wife and I thought we were South of France "experts." We've enjoyed the area so often so that when this book became available it seemed to be something we might appreciate. Now that we've read it we can't wait to go back. Orgasmic Days in the South of France has introduced us to so many hilltop towns we've never known existed, and museums off the beaten path. What's more, the author tells charming stories of artists, authors, and other celebrities who we never realized lived in the beautiful French villages. The book is written in an interesting conversational tone. We love the journal and the stories of the friends and family who visited Barbara Keller in France. Both my wife and I find ourselves picking up the book and re-reading portions. I think anyone planning on visiting the South of France should first read this book. It isn't typical. It's both informative and enjoyable.
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