The French cafe epitomises the French art of living. Through its timeless glass doors float the aromas of strong coffee & black-tobacco, hot milk & fresh croissants. The cafe, open early until late, is both focus & microcosm of society. Friends talk; lovers linger; the white saucers pile up as the world goes by; a lone customer comes in to read the newspapers or for a petit verre at the bar. The French cafe is a refuge, a place to meet, to sit inside or out, somewhere to see & be seen. For anyone interested in French life & culture, here is a an intimate look at a great institution, from the grand establishments dating from the all rural bistro from the workers` local cafes to the legendary Parisian cafes where the poets, painters & philosophers gathered. From Directoire decoration to Starck style, this book reveals the rich variety & extraordinary inventiveness of cafe design. Marie-France Boyer is a freelance journalist, & represents in Paris the magazine ” The World of Interiors”. Her last book wass ” Cabin Fever: Sheds & Shelters, Huts & Hideaways” (1993), also published by Thames & Hudson. Eric Morin is a Paris-based photographer who contributes to many magazines on interior design including ” The World of Interiors”. ...

At once touching, ethereal & warm, Rachael's unique viewpoint has made her one of the most successful animal photographers in the world today. When she recently embarked on a new life in France, it was inevitable that she would turn her talents to capturing the beauty of the new world around her. The result has been two stunning new books, The French Cat & The French Dog, in which Rachael has captured a host of captivating felines & canines in a variety of stunning locations, from stately chateaux, to chic Parisian addresses, to cobblestoned streets in quaint villages. These mini editions are the charming follow-ups to these highly popular books, with Rachael's stunning image accented by ephemera "es from famous French dog & cat lovers & literary greats. ...

Honest, fresh & satisfying food is the essence of French country cooking
- it's not expensive or complicated & never goes out
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The French Dog combines evocative photography of some of the world`s most beautiful countryside with an endearing celebration of man`s best friend. After relocating with her family to the South of France, acclaimed animal photographer & self-confessed dog-lover Rachel Mc Kenna turned her insatiable lens to capturing the scenes around her: the breathtaking vistas, the character-filled buildings & the canine inhabitants of her new home. Following on from the success of Rachel`s previous book, The French Cat, The French Dog is set to become a Christmas favourite. Beautifully designed with a padded hardcover & priced at only GBP16.99, it`s the perfect gift title of the season. ...

At once touching, ethereal & warm, Rachael`s unique viewpoint has made her one of the most successful animal photographers in the world today. When she recently embarked on a new life in France, it was inevitable that she would turn her talents to capturing the beauty of the new world around her. The result has been two stunning new books, The French Cat & The French Dog, in which Rachael has captured a host of captivating felines & canines in a variety of stunning locations, from stately chateaux, to chic Parisian addresses, to cobblestoned streets in quaint villages. These mini editions are the charming follow-ups to these highly popular books, with Rachael`s stunning image accented by ephemera "es from famous French dog & cat lovers & literary greats. ...

It`s said that everyone has a book inside them. Cal King doesn`t have just one though; he`s bursting with ideas for everything from children`s books to (in his mind) prize-winning novels. Unfortunately for Cal, his ideas are all a bit silly. However, refusing to be deterred by rejections from publishers & agents (or the laughter of his girlfriend) he managed to secure a meeting at a top publisher & arrived at their London offices with a head full of dreams & a folder full of concepts. At the end of the meeting (during which the editor seemed to have the most terrible cough) it was gently suggested that Cal compile his pitches into a collection of `terrible book ideas` for the joke book market. Slightly hurt by this suggestion, but driven by a desperate & all-consuming need for approval, he agreed. & here it is... ...

Ever since 1066 there has been a substantial French presence in London. It is now said to be the sixth most populous French city & this book illustrates, explains, & exposes how this came about over more than a 1000 years. Full of individual stories & overlooked details covering a common history, from William the Conqueror, via the Huguenots (e.g. David Garrick`s family), & the emigres of the French Revolution (such as the families of Joseph Bazelgette, Augustus Pugin & Isambard Brunel), & on to London, the capital of the Free French during WWII. It is also a guide book to those streets, museums, monuments, churches & art dedicated to the French of London. Voltaire, Rimbaud, Verlaine, Foch & dozens of others are all honoured by plaques or statues. Traces & stories of those escaping the French Revolution & the Commune are remembered. Talleyr&, Chateaubriand & Madame de Stael all lived in London during those turbulent years. ...

Carolyn Westbrook brings you her first-hand knowledge, acquired through years of combing French flea markets for unique treasures, of what makes a beautiful French interior. Designer & decorator Carolyn Westbrook`s love affair with all that is French inspired began long before she ever travelled to France. Growing up in the US, her Southern heritage was infused by French influences
- from the chic elegance of New Orleans to the romance of southern plantation houses. Subsequent travels to France filled her with a passion that has influenced her designs & interiors ever since & ` The French Inspired` has become her own signature style. Immerse yourself in her own beautiful plantation house, a sleek urban apartment or a classically elegant town house. Each home featured has its own distinctive style, but all are essentially ` French` in their inspiration, whether it comes from a distressed, gilded carved mirror, or a faded, frayed rug that exudes age in just the right places & could never be purchased from a department store. Carolyn Westbrook prides herself on these French-inspired interiors that are classic & timeless but never stuffy. These interiors are not about the latest trends, but meant to inspire longevity & a true romance with your own home. The French have mastered the art of this time-worn yet sophisticated style of living, & you too will fall in love with the colours, the textures & the inspiration that is truly French.
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Beyond the affluent centre of Paris & other French cities, in the deprived banlieues, a war is going on. This is the French Intifada, a guerrilla war between the French state & the former subjects of its Empire, for whom the mantra of `liberty, equality, fraternity` conceals a bitter history of domination, oppression, & brutality. This war began in the early 1800s, with Napoleon`s lust for martial adventure, strategic power & imperial preeminence, & led to the armed colonization of Algeria, Morocco & Tunisia, & decades of bloody conflict, all in the name of `civilization`. Here, against the backdrop of the Arab Spring, Andrew Hussey walks the front lines of this war
- from the Gare du Nord in Paris to the souks of Marrakesh & the mosques of Tangier
- to tell the strange & complex story of the relationship between secular, republican France & the Muslim world of North Africa. The result is a completely new portrait of an old nation. Combining a fascinating & compulsively readable mix of history, politics & literature with Hussey`s years of personal experience travelling across the Arab World, The French Intifada reveals the role played by the countries of the Magreb in shaping French history, & explores the challenge being mounted by today`s dispossessed heirs to the colonial project: a challenge that is angrily & violently staking a claim on France`s future.

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French gastronomy is renowned for its classic recipes passed from generation to generation. From Burgundy to the Auvergne, Provence, the Loire & the Pyrenees, traditional family cooking has always been at the heart of the French kitchen & lifestyle. With its delicious dishes & exquisite ingredients as diverse as the regions from which they come, heritage cooking & family values from provincial France have stood the test of time. In this book Michel Roux Jr, star of the BBC`s MASTERCHEF & owner of the two-Michelin star Le Gavroche in London, explores the heritage of his native French cuisine
- from the rustic to the haute. With classic recipes using delicious ingredients, Michel Roux Jr will help you bring provincial French cooking into your kitchen & helps you to recreate the `je ne sais quoi` that only French cuisine can embody.
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