Review by Paris Traveler:

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”.

Review by Patricia A. Ruggero:

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!

Review by Jesse Kornbluth:

Dollar skidding, plane fare soaring — it’s not likely I’ll be having dinner in Paris any time soon.

But that doesn’t mean I can’t eat in Paris by proxy. Naturally, the lucky stiff who’s having the meals I’m missing is an American — someone with an expatriate’s appreciation of culinary greatness. This person can write as well as he/she can enjoy the handiwork of a fine chef. And, finally, this gourmet can appreciate the value of the dollar.

On the basis of Hungry for Paris, Alexander Lobrano is my Paris rep.

He’s so American: “My first visit was in August 1972, en famille, with my parents, two brothers and sister. We stayed at a now-vanished hotel just off the Champs Elysees and every day began with a glass of warm TANG, which my late father mixed up in the bathroom water glasses, as a bit of thrift.”

Lobrano is an ideal guide because he remembers who he was, how he became the expert he is now, and how you can acquire expertise. And he can do that hard thing — see what’s in front of him: “The French never drink Perrier with meals because they think its large bubbles make it too gaseous to go well with food.” He has a good ear for the quotable restaurant owner: “Come on, eat! Go ahead! I’m going to charge you a lot of money, you know!” He can let it rip: “A heavy rain filled the gutters with bronze-covered chestnut leaves last night, and the city is suddenly the city is nude.” And, above all, he has an awareness of ultimate goodness: “It is hard to imagine a better lunch than a creamy wedge of Camembert smeared on a torn hunk of crackle-crusted baguette and a glass of red wine.”

But, eat in restaurants he must, so he’s off to 102 of his Paris favorites. Some of them are mine, too. Most, refreshingly, are not. And, refreshingly, he’s not shy about explaining his enthusiasms. Le Pamphlet: “the best risotto in Paris.” L’Alcazar: “better service, better lighting and a more cosmopolitan menu” than La Coupole. L’Epi Dupin, which he hears about from “the nice lady at the post office.” Le Florimond serves his beloved stuffed cabbage “in a pool of brown gravy so lush it had already skeined on its way to the table.”

Reputation means nothing. Neither does atmosphere. Lobrano is all about what’s on the plate. L’Ami Louis is “for high rollers more interested in a brand-name experience than good food.” Bofinger’s “beautiful decor…can’t compensate for the kitchen’s mediocrity.” Le Divellec is “stuffy…and exorbitantly expensive.”

Even if you never go to Paris, this book is wonderfully educational. I’ve seen aligot on a menu; I didn’t know that the whipped potatoes are mixed with Tomme de Laguiole cheese and garlic until they have “the texture of molten latex.” Joel Robuchon makes spaghetti carbonara with Alsatian bacon and creme fraiche — I’ll try that at home. And more, and more, until the meal fantasies merge and I have to…well, if truth be told, I need to pour a small glass of red wine, tear off a hunk of baguette and slather it with cheese.

Alexander Lobrano serves up gastro-porn of the highest order.

Review by Inveterate Gourmet:

Having just returned from Paris, I highly recommend HUNGRY FOR PARIS as a superb source of restaurant information and an absolutely wonderful read. What I especially loved about this book is that it offers a brilliantly chosen selection of restaurants for every possible occasion and pocketbook; guidebooks that offer 500 or 1000 restaurants are of no use to me–how do I know which ones are really good? Lobrano’s sensible selection solves this problem, and even better, his writing is sublime. With great originality, he’s created a hybrid book that’s a mixture of a guidebook, a memoir and a delightful portrait of Paris. I loved this book!

Review by H. Nandell:

I read this book in two days, not because I couldn’t put it down, but because I knew if I did, I wouldn’t pick it back up.

My husband and I spent several days in Cortona in June 2007, so naturally when I found this book, I had to get it. Unfortunately the book was more about a self-absorbed baby boomer than about a beautiful Italian city. She spent more time describing, in detail, how she takes a shower than in any of the remarkable sites she visited. Her descriptions sound like they came straight out of the brochure from the tourist office.

For example, “Church of S. Agostino built 1256-1273. There are paintings of the Madonna of S. Carlo Borromeo, St. John the Baptist and St. Anthony by Jacopo Chimenti (1554-1640)”

But Charlotte, what did it look like? Was it dark? Were there locals inside praying or just tourists, such as yourself? Did it stir any emotion in you? I want you to make me feel like I’m standing there with you, not that I’m reading a text book!

Not only was the content disappointing, the editing was atrocious. In this book, you’ll be in for such grammatical treats as, “There apartment is on the top….” and, “Bake in a preheated over 400 for 5 minutes…” Does that mean to bake in an OVEN at 400 degrees, or bake OVER 400 degrees?

The only reason I gave the book 2 stars instead of one, is because of a recipe for Crostini all’Aretina. It sounds remarkably similar to something we had whilst in Cortona. I hope it’s the same thing.

That being said, I cannot recommend this book. If you’ve been to Cortona, you don’t need it. If you want to go to Cortona, your money would be better spent on a guide book. If however, you’re a Charlotte Phillips enthusiast or just enjoy the daily minutia of an aging self-described Goddess, then this is the book for you!

Review by John H. Padgham:

Don’t waste your time or money on this one. The editing is abymsal – worse than a 9th grade term paper. Clearly the author and her editor do not know the difference between “its” and “it’s” – I lost count of the typos or grammatical errors at 107….It’s not really a book, but rather a collection of very small essays or letters to her friends back home.

There are MANY better books to read on Tuscany – any by Dario Castagno, Frances Mayes, Ferenc Mate, or Marlena Di Blasi. The author doesn’t know much about Italy, and makes even the smallest discovery sound relevant. Spend your time and money on other books that will really inform and educate….

Review by Ill Iterate:

I love the matte finish on these books. Definitely feels like a travel log, more than like a commercial travel guide.

Review by April:

Pictures are fantastic! I especially enjoyed reading each writer’s comments on respective countries. This book makes me want to visit the film shooting locations and they definitely are beyond “tourists’ places.” It’s so special. I would definitely recommend this book to bring with you when you travel.

Review by heatherc:

This book is sure to surprise and delight even the most serious art lover! It’s filled with dramatic and personal stories from the artists’ lives, all based on the places where they work. Once you realize how these artists lived, you begin to see their art in a new way.

Not only that, this book is gorgeous to look at! It’s the perfect kind of book to pick up again and again.

Review by Charles E. Stevens:

First of all, congratulations: this book will fundamentally change how you travel. If you’re new to the world of Rick Steves AND planning your first trip to Europe, a special congratulations to you: you will not regret picking up this book. In many ways, Europe Through the Back Door (ETBD) is the bible of traveling the Rick Steves way. It’s more than just travel tips and advice–although there is much of that–it is an entire travel philosophy based on experiencing a culture like a local, resulting in more fun, greater understanding, and less money spent. Steves’ philosophy focuses on thinking of travel in terms of experiences and not destinations, being a participant instead of an observer. Steves’ blend of detail-oriented pragmatism and big-picture philosophy comes from decades of his own travel experiences as well as leading other travelers through Europe. The result is a travel philosophy–and wealth of guidebooks–that allow the independent traveler to maximize his or her time in Europe … and keep him or her awake at night thinking of ways to go back!

ETBD starts with 400+ pages full of practical travel advice centering around planning, packing, sleeping, eating, getting around, etc. that is absolutely essential for beginning travelers, and is surprisingly useful even for more experienced travelers. Getting the details right is often the difference between a disappointing and a great vacation, and in many cases “less is more” when it comes to travel success. Steves packs a lot of information into this section, but his writing style is clear and conversational, making it a joy to read (especially if you’re used to the usual dry presentation of “practical information” found at the start of most guide books).

After taking in this massive amount of valuable information, you will hopefully be itching to jump on the next plane to Europe. In the second half of the book, Steves introduces some of his favorite “back doors”: places that are more often than not off the beaten path and give you a chance to experience the “real”, non-touristy Europe. Unfortunately, in some cases Steves is a victim of his own success: some of these “back doors” have now become more mainstream thanks to the popularity of Steves’ guides (and other guides’ taking his recommendations). The Cinque Terre, which is perhaps the epitome of Steves’ back doors is such a place. However, even these places retain their magic outside of the midday tour group rush, meaning that these are still must-visit places. Even still, I would say that these no-longer-true-back-doors … “side doors”, shall we say? … are the exception rather than the norm. I think of my trip to Gimmelwald–another of Steves’ favorite back doors–a few years ago and was amazed at how pristine, still, and non-touristy it was: the mountain calm was broken only by the occasional bleating of a goat or a far-off avalanche. This is not to discount the big city experience–one has not been to Europe without seeing London, Paris, or Rome–but to highlight the fact that there are a wealth of experiences off the beaten path. Many of my fondest European memories are from these “back door” locales.

What more can I say? I consider Steves’ ETBD an essential–perhaps *the* essential–read before a trip to Europe. If you enjoy and agree with Steves’ travel philosophy, and chances are you will, pick up his guides specific to the country or countries of interest to you. Most of all, as Rick would say, keep on traveling!

Review by P. Yanover:

This book is chock full of critical information on planning and executing your European trip. Even if you are an experienced traveler, this is a goldmine of information and tips. This is geared toward the type of traveler that likes to design his/her own trip rather than hop on a bus with a guide and a bunch of fellow citizens. Rick’s point is that individual travel gets you in closer contact with the people and cultures you are there to experience. It is also geared for the budget to moderate traveler, not as much for the rock-bottom 100 pennies a day group.