Walking is the best way to experience the romance, history, and off-the-beaten-path pleasures of Paris (and life itself, perhaps). In that spirit, ...
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reviews
Dec 29, 2011
Julie
rated it: 
This silly book barely warrants the ten minutes it will take to type this review. I suspect the editor spent all of seven minutes editing the manuscript. There are so many errors, including the worthless map on the opening page that marks the Luxembourg Garden on the RIGHT BANK.
I could almost excuse the crap editing if the author wasn't a wretched combination of arrogant and boring. Baxter, an Australian, has an ironic chip on his shoulder for Americans, he is weirdly gleeful at mar More...
I could almost excuse the crap editing if the author wasn't a wretched combination of arrogant and boring. Baxter, an Australian, has an ironic chip on his shoulder for Americans, he is weirdly gleeful at mar More...
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Oct 13, 2011
Chocolate & Croissants
rated it: 
I am having some difficulty reviewing The Most Beautiful Walk in the World; A Pedestrian in Paris. I wanted to like the book, I should have liked the book. I love everything about Paris. I would be in Paris every weekend if I could. And the title is so appropriate; Paris belongs to pedestrians. It is one of the most walkable and pretty cities I have ever visited. I enjoyed the book. However there were some moments of boredom and disillusionment.
This may have been my own doing More...
This may have been my own doing More...
Jul 25, 2011
Meagan
rated it: 
This book is full of loosely connected short chapters about the various aspects of Paris as it relates to walkers, which would have made it an ideal book to pick up and put down as time allows. (Provided I put it down more than once or twice while I was reading it. Which I didn't.) I'm a sucker for a travel book, and this one was nice because it covered a few of the big tourist draws but was mostly filled with lesser-known spots and anecdotes.
Interestingly, it did lead me to one maj More...
Interestingly, it did lead me to one maj More...
Jul 07, 2011
Gaby
rated it:
The Most Beautiful Walk in the World: A Pedestrian in Paris by John Baxter
ISBN-10: 0061998540 Paperback $14.99
Publisher: Harper Perennial (May 24, 2011), 320 pages.
Whether you it’s your first trip or fifth or upteenth, or if you’re just imagining your ideal vacation, John Baxter’s The Most Beautiful Walk in the World: A Pedestrian in Paris is a worthwhile read. An Australian expatriate and writer, Baxter has lived in Paris for over twenty years and has built a reputation fo More...
ISBN-10: 0061998540 Paperback $14.99
Publisher: Harper Perennial (May 24, 2011), 320 pages.
Whether you it’s your first trip or fifth or upteenth, or if you’re just imagining your ideal vacation, John Baxter’s The Most Beautiful Walk in the World: A Pedestrian in Paris is a worthwhile read. An Australian expatriate and writer, Baxter has lived in Paris for over twenty years and has built a reputation fo More...
Sep 21, 2011
Carol
rated it:
What a hodgepodge! Yes, there are some interesting ideas and stories, but there are so many errors in this book that one wonders if anyone bothered to proof-read or edit this book. Examples: there is quite a nice looking map of Paris, with an accompanying key designed to show the location of some of the places discussed in the book. The problem is, the numeral 22 is used for two different places which threw off all the rest of the key so that places on the Left Bank are indicated as being o
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Dec 09, 2011
Nathalie
rated it:
This book has everything I love--reminiscing about beautiful places and memoirs--funny and interesting bits about history, the arts, culture, geography, food and so forth. The author, John Baxter, is actually an Australian who married a French woman, Marie-Do and right away, you learn John is the one who is the chef in the family. His wife waited till they were safely married and had a child on the way to reveal the deep dark secret of her family---none of them can cook worth spit! They rely on
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Sep 18, 2011
Nicole
rated it: 
This is what a book about Paris should be like. John Baxter is an expat who gets it. He doesn't over generalize the city or the people. He understands that everyone's experience in Paris is different even in the ways that it's the same. The book is a series of amusing, thought-provoking, beautiful vignettes about Paris life: the good, the bad, and the bizarre (the chapter about real estate made me laugh out loud with sympathy!) Having spent a lot of time in Paris myself, I still learned a lot ab
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Sep 08, 2011
Allison
rated it:
I felt lukewarm about this book at first, feeling like he was just another one of those modern day Parisian writers, who seem to think that the city bestows upon them some literary genius, when, in fact, they are just pretentious Americans writing their memoirs. This is harsh of me, because this category was started by some phenomenal people (Julia Child, Adam Gopnik) but I just feel that it's been exploited.
I digress. John Baxter,(who actually happens to be Australian) does write a More...
I digress. John Baxter,(who actually happens to be Australian) does write a More...
Oct 31, 2011
Julie
rated it:
I zeroed in on this book because it made me think of my brown eyed boy, Benjamin. I sent him to Paris in 2002 with a high school group, and again in 2004 with his brother. I wanted to impress on my sons their ability to end up anywhere in the world they desired to go, even the most beautiful city in the world. Despite never having been to Paris myself, I enjoyed the book as a fellow walker, and was pleased to see the author point out the benefits of eschewing motorized transport. Although food a
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Jul 05, 2011
Chris
rated it:
If I hadn't seen the movie Midnight in Paris the night before I saw this book in the shop, I never would have looked twice at it. But having enjoyed that film, this book caught my eye. I also love a good book about wandering around, and this one certainly fits the bill. It isn't really a heavy memoir, or a heavy "go here, do that" travelogue about Paris, it's just kind of a short little ramble delivered in the way that people might swap stories over the lunch. Not being a foodie, or a
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Jan 17, 2012
Natalie
rated it:
From the first moment I was in Paris, I fell madly in love. It felt like magic - a place of beauty and light. The first day we were there we went on a seven mile walk - up and down boulevards, streets and through gardens. It was lovely- truly the most beautiful walk in the world.
Paris is a place for pedestrians, and that is what drew me to this book. I liked it because it was about Paris, I didn't love it because it was heavily focused on American authors in Paris and I don't give More...
Paris is a place for pedestrians, and that is what drew me to this book. I liked it because it was about Paris, I didn't love it because it was heavily focused on American authors in Paris and I don't give More...
Aug 28, 2011
Meagan
rated it:
"A walk is not a parade or race. It's a succession of instants, any one of which can illuminate a lifetime."
There were quite a few vignettes in this book that I really loved. John Baxter is good at pulling you into his version of Paris. It's his Paris and anecdotes that are most charming. Not all chapters are completely successful in connecting though; these feel more like essays inserted at random, still good, just a little lost.
Some of the highlights for me were More...
There were quite a few vignettes in this book that I really loved. John Baxter is good at pulling you into his version of Paris. It's his Paris and anecdotes that are most charming. Not all chapters are completely successful in connecting though; these feel more like essays inserted at random, still good, just a little lost.
Some of the highlights for me were More...
Nov 07, 2011
Drew
rated it:
I bought this after I came back from Paris and enjoyed it very much - it's really a 3.5. Baxter is an expat who's been living in Paris for many years and was a walking-tour guide for a while. He espouses the view of tourist as flaneur, which is my style too. One never knows what one might find! Baxter describes the geography of literary and artistic life in Paris in the '20s, interspersed with humorous anecdotes about his life there. Most of what he described was new to me including several
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Jun 21, 2011
NerdGirlBlogger
rated it:
Who wouldn't love reading a memoir set in Paris?
You don't have to be a fan of great literary authors or artists to enjoy this book. You can be a hopeless romantic, a fan of Paris or travel memoirs, or even an unsuspecting lover of reading to enjoy going on this adventure with Baxter. He has experienced life and travel in a unique way in a city many have written about, or experienced first hand for themselves. If you are like me, and enjoy reading about how other people have lived, th More...
You don't have to be a fan of great literary authors or artists to enjoy this book. You can be a hopeless romantic, a fan of Paris or travel memoirs, or even an unsuspecting lover of reading to enjoy going on this adventure with Baxter. He has experienced life and travel in a unique way in a city many have written about, or experienced first hand for themselves. If you are like me, and enjoy reading about how other people have lived, th More...
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Dec 08, 2011
Gmr
rated it: 
This is a case of how one is captured by a book; for me, it was the title and the cover more so than the actual content. Allow me to explain. First, the title….who WOULDN’T want to experience that and when you find out it’s set in Paris, it’s almost a guarantee. They are known as the city of lights for a reason and their beautiful architecture speaks for itself. Second, let’s look at that cover. Every time I look at it I get lost in the waterways of the top image or imagine myself strolling down
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Aug 06, 2011
Sarah
rated it:
For those who have been fortunate enough to travel à Paris, you will certainly recognize aspects of this tenderly written, yet honest portrayal of the adopted city writer John Baxter has come to love.
A well-known author in his own right, Baxter has the ability to call to mind the historical events and pleasures of ex-pat authors such as Hemingway and artists such as Man Ray. His intimate knowledge of the streets of Paris and of those who have traveled upon them before his time led Baxt More...
A well-known author in his own right, Baxter has the ability to call to mind the historical events and pleasures of ex-pat authors such as Hemingway and artists such as Man Ray. His intimate knowledge of the streets of Paris and of those who have traveled upon them before his time led Baxt More...
Sep 21, 2011
Martin
rated it:
This is a perfectly enjoyable book, especially since I read it while on vacation in Paris. There is nothing here that one doesn't already know if one is familiar with Pari. What one does find here is that John Baxter's perspective as an American married to French woman and raising their child in Paris is refreshing and honest. Reading this almost makes me want to move there given the realistically romantic presentation of walking in the city of lights.
Sep 25, 2011
John
rated it:
This book is an example of one of my pet peeves about some books - they are not as advertised. You reads the blurbs on the covers and think "this looks like a good book", then the book barely relates to the cover info. This book would have been better titled "Some Interesting Things To See In Paris" - it has little to do with actual walks. Like the author, the book likes to wander. Sometimes it is about art, or food, or movies and sometimes about other towns. Change the title
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Jun 18, 2011
Barbara
rated it:
Fun, quick read about walking and walks in Paris. John Baxter lives in Paris and does tours that focus on the places where authors, particularly American ones, lived and worked. He has a breezy style and I learned quite a few things that will be useful as I walk Paris more.
The downside of the book is that there are some inaccuracies in the book, such as a map that shows the Luxembourg Gardens on the Right Bank.
The downside of the book is that there are some inaccuracies in the book, such as a map that shows the Luxembourg Gardens on the Right Bank.
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Oct 07, 2011
Leanna
rated it:
The few months I lived in Paris were the most ideal of my life. I was completely content—surrounded by beauty, history, and life—and still consider Paris my favorite city in the world. Naturally, I gravitated to John Baxter’s The Most Beautiful Walk in the World: A Pedestrian in Paris.
Walk is a combination of personal narrative and scholarly essay. Baxter relates experiences (sometimes non-walks) from his native Australia to Los Angeles to Paris and interweaves them with historical More...
Walk is a combination of personal narrative and scholarly essay. Baxter relates experiences (sometimes non-walks) from his native Australia to Los Angeles to Paris and interweaves them with historical More...
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Sep 16, 2011
Laura
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This is a walk about book for Paris, written by someone who lives there. John Baxter is knowledgeable, erudite, a story teller, and Hemmingway’s greatest fan. The kind of guy you would want to meet in a bistro who then offers to show you around. I had unfortunately expected more meat on the bones, if you know what I mean, but it was entertaining. Ultimately an entertaining blog between hard covers
Sep 14, 2011
Helen
rated it:
Despite being a book ostensibly about walking there are very little descriptions of walking through Paris or in general. This book is basically a hodge-podge of stories about restaurants and little known places in Paris. Sometimes his stories are schizophrenic and bland. Even the chapters centered around his time as a tour guide in Paris have little to do with his walks but the stories about people and places that he tells his pedestrians while touring. It would have been better if he had titled
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Sep 23, 2011
Megan
rated it:
Really enjoyed the beginning as it almost made me teary remembering and missing my beautiful Parisian walks. This book also made me realize what I am: une flaneur (would it be spelled differently since I am a girl...no idea.) Despite all this, I started skimming during the second half. However, if you are interested in literary Paris this will be right up your alley!
Aug 31, 2011
Redparrot
rated it:
A wonderful book. Literary armchair travel to Paris. Lots of history about Paris and lots of literary / art world stories from E Hemingway and his set.
The author is widely published and now also does walking tours of Paris and environs. Part of the book is how this came about.
Beautifully written ... was so sad when it was over
The author is widely published and now also does walking tours of Paris and environs. Part of the book is how this came about.
Beautifully written ... was so sad when it was over
Sep 03, 2011
Ann
rated it:
I liked the first half of this book. It was funny and related entertaining stories about the Australian author's exploration of Paris and French culture. The second half of the book suffers from too much dry French history. Which is ironic, since the author criticizes a Paris tour guide for giving too much information to the point where people tuned him out. And I could have totally done without the chapter about French child pornography. It's out of place in this book and is just plain creepy.
Feb 19, 2012
I wanted a light read about Paris, while I wait for the next read "Seven Ages of Paris" to arrive at the local bookstore. I'm enjoying this quick and light hearted book. Baxter is authentic Australian, ex pat in places as disparate as London, LA and Paris. I like his style. Looking forward to my walks there soon!
Nov 30, 2011
Sara
rated it:
John Baxter effortlessly merges the stories of his walking tours with bits of additional history, as well as stories from his own life, and what the stories mean to him. He makes you want to binge out on all the books and art he mentions, followed by booking plane tickets. In short, he is a very good guide.
(My full review can be found on Glorified Love Letters.)
(My full review can be found on Glorified Love Letters.)
Sep 03, 2011
Lauren
rated it:
Much more than The Paris Wife (though reading them in parallel certainly had added perks to both) this book is all about MY Paris: so many nights meeting up at Denton for a movie and to wander the streets of Odeon; the daily walk between Montparnasse and Luxembourg with numerous distractions ducking into FNAC or NafNaf or the market at Rennes, or a stop by Sweet Briar at r de Fleurus in-between. I could picture every turn and corner: from my own familiarity, sure, but Baxter's anecdotes bring e
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Sep 15, 2011
Chris
rated it:
Enjoyable account of how the author backed into a second career as a tour guide offering walks around Paris somewhat spontaneously tailored to the participants and sprinkled with interesting anecdotes and suggestions of things to see that are often popular destinations seen from a different angle.
Jul 09, 2011
Cynthia
rated it:
I have never been to Paris. I would have never read this if it had not been given to me. That said, I now feel as if I have been and know the nooks and crannies like a true Parisian. I loved this book. I have to go to Paris soon - what time does the next flight leave? Fun, pleasurable read.
