Fifty Places to Bike Before You Die
by Chris Santella
Santella showcases a wide variety of expertly selected places to bike, from the Dalmatian Coast in Croatia and the Indochina Trail in Vietnam to the urban jungle of New York City.
The Rhine: An Eco-Biography, 1815-2000
by Mark Cioc, William Cronon (Introduction)
A scholarly, well-researched environmental history of the Rhine, particularly its role in European economic and German national history over the past 200 years.
The Habsburgs, Embodying Empire
by Andrew Wheatcroft
With skillful scholarship and engaging style, Wheatcroft reveals the history of this family of eccentric monarchs.
Corkscrewed, Adventures in the New French Wine Country
by Robert V. Camuto
An American journalist living in the south of France, Camuto travels far afield from Bordeaux visiting new winemakers from the Alsace to Mayonnaise, Corsica and Burgundy for this celebration of the culture and diversity of French wine.
Hero Tales and Legends of the Rhine
by Lewis Spence
These classic tales, first published in 1915, introduce Odin, Brunhild, Lorelei, Siegfried and a host of mythic figures associated with magic and mystery of the Rhine. Organized by chapter from source to sea, the map, illustrations and introductory chapters on history, geography and people set the stage for a river cruise.
Strasbourg Map
by IGN
A city map of Strasbourg at a scale of 1:10,000.
Alsace, Lorraine Map 516
by Michelin Travel Publications
An up-to-date regional map at the very good scale of 1:200,000 published by Michelin.
Michelin Green Guide Alsace, Lorraine, Champagne
by Michelin Travel Publications
A guide to Alsace, Champagne and Vosges in the classic Michelin style.
A Tramp Abroad
by Mark Twain, David Eggers (Introduction), Kerry Driscoll (Introduction)
Written 11 years after Innocents Abroad, this is Twain's second foray into European travel. Filled with his characteristic wit and humorous observations, it documents his journeys through Germany, Switzerland, France and Italy. Now with an introduction by Dave Eggers.
The Debacle
by Emile Zola
This is Zola's novel of the Franco-Prussian War and the Commune, as seen through the stories of common soldiers. Strong on historical detail, it remains one of the most famous and powerful pieces on the devastating conflict that brought Alsace under the control of Germany.
The Cathedral Builders of the Middle Ages
by Alain Erlande-Brandenburg
This pocket-size encyclopedia of the art, architecture and culture of the Middle Ages features hundreds of drawings, color illustrations and a brief chronology.
All Along the Rhine
by Kay Shaw Nelson
Subtitled "Recipes, Wine and Lore from Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria, Liechtenstein and Holland" this tribute to the Rhine Valley complements its history and culture with 130 recipes.
Germania, In Wayward Pursuit of the Germans and Their History
by Simon Winder
Winder's witty, entertaining and opinionated portrait of German culture is both an illuminating history and a wonderfully digressive exploration of the powerful and often confounding nation.
The Burgermeister's Daughter, Scandal in a Sixteenth-Century German Town
by Steven Ozment
Meticulously researched and absorbing, this narrative by a Harvard historian traces the legal battle of the daughter of a well-to-do family who was thrown out of her home and disinherited in 1525.
The Food of France
by Waverly Root
An evocative and beautifully written survey of French food. First published in 1958 and revised in the mid-1970s, the book covers the important regions of French cuisine by dividing them into domains of Butter (northern France), Fat (Alsace) and Oil (the south).
