Bridges Of Paris – Book Review
Are you a budding or professional photographer who enjoys perusing the photographs of other artists to see what you can glean from their craft?
Are you a seasoned or arm-chair traveler who has a love and passion for Paris and would like to see a side of the city from an unusual perspective?
Do architecture, history and culture fascinate you?
If so, then Bridges Of Paris by Michael Saint James is a book that you will want to add to your library!
Bridges Of Paris isn’t an ordinary book: it’s a large-format coffee table book filled with over 350 spectacular color photos that focus on the 37 bridges that cross the Seine River – bridges that connect the unique neighborhoods of France.
The first bridge of our photographic journey takes us back in time to the days before Julius Caesar. The last bridge of our tour is the first bridge built in the new millennium.
All of the photographs were taken by American photographer Michael Saint James, who was asked by an art student, “Which is your favorite Paris bridge?
Realizing that he did not have a good answer to this question, Michael decided to take what he calls “a classical mythological journey [as] an American artist in Paris” and set aside an entire year immersing himself in French culture to discover his authentic artistic self. During that time, he studied each bridge and sought to capture the essence of each in their many different facets.
As a result, Bridges Of Paris is a labor of love that is filled not only with stunning photographs that capture the heart and soul of Paris in all of its splendor and facets, but also with facts, fancy – even poetry!
The book is well organized. The Table Of Contents is divided into four sections: Island Bridges, Palace Bridges, Downtown Bridges and Upstream Bridges, with each of the bridges identified for your convenience. The book also contains Maps, an Index, and a Bibliography for those seeking more information on the topic.
Bridges Of Paris is one of those books that you not only enjoy pouring over, but will also want to proudly display in your home. It is the perfect gift for business associates and those impossible-to-please people on your gift list.
I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars.
Video – Bridges Of Paris Book Trailer
About Michael Saint James
Michael Saint James’ artistic pursuits include award-winning book design, film editing, and sound recording, as well as his first love, photography. Michael is a world traveler who has visited more than 50 countries –doing everything from photographing penguins in Antarctica to trekking the Himalayas.
As an educator with California teaching credentials, Michael has taught media production and technology arts as well as photography, art history and visual storytelling. He is an expert speaker on Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art. Indeed, he walked in Vincent Van Gogh’s footsteps through the Netherlands, Belgium, and France in order to immerse himself in that troubled master’s vision.
The father of two grown children, Michael once owned a café in Berkeley, California. He has bicycled from Las Vegas to Washington, D.C. and is rumored to play a mean blues harmonica.
Bridges Of Paris – Book Tour
Create With Joy is delighted to be a part of the Bridges Of Paris Book Tour, which is hosted by iRead Book Tours!
The Bridges Of Paris Book Tour runs from April 13 to May 8, 2015. Please visit the Bridges Of Paris Book Tour Page to learn more about the author and to see what other bloggers are saying about this book!
Resources
For More Information
- Visit Michael’s Website.
- Visit Michael’s Blog.
- Connect with Michael on Twitter and Pinterest.
- Bridges Of Paris is available on Amazon.
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Bridges Of Paris – Book Giveaway
Create With Joy is thrilled to offer you the opportunity to win 1 of 15 copies of Bridges Of Paris as part of the iRead Book Tours.
To enter this giveaway, submit your entries as instructed on the Rafflecopter form.
This giveaway is open to all Create With Joy readers, 18 years and older, through May 15, 2015.
Additional Information
Please note that this Rafflecopter and Giveaway is hosted by iRead Book Tours and is being hosted on several blogs. They are overseeing the drawing and assume full responsibility for all aspects of this contest, including notification and prize fulfillment.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from iRead Book Tours to review. However, the opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
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Sounds like a great architectural book to have that can also provide valuable photography lessons as well as leisure time enjoying the 350 pages.
You are so right – it is educational as well as interesting!
Best of luck to you in the giveaway – this is an amazing giveaway and the winners are going to be SO happy when they see the book! 🙂
I am learning photography and love to have more great references on the techniques and samples of fabulous photos. And how I miss Paris..and the rest of Europe, with its ageless beauty..
Best of luck to you Indah – this is such a beautiful and interesting book for photographers and travelers!
I would love to win this lovely book! I am a lover of history, photography, travel, architecture and intend on visiting Paris one day soon. Thank you for this wonderful giveaway! 😉
It looks and sounds intriguing
Thanks for tweeting me about this book, it looks interesting. I do like at other photographers and travelers work. And all those bridges – cool, I love bridges.
You know, being from Germany I spent many vacations in France, but never ever (excluding a train trip through it as a teenager) have I been to Paris. This sounds like a wonderful book.
Very interesting.
I love coffee table books.
I do too Heidi!
What a nice book! Thank you for the giveaway opportunity.
mauback55 at gmail.com
Our humans went to to Paris at the end of 2013. It was the first time Mom had been since “65 and Dad since ’64. Since Dad is a photographer, we know he would enjoy it and that both parents would love it as a memory of their trip. And they are celebrating their 42nd anniversary next week, so that would make it an even better gift from us. XOCK, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo
Happy Early Anniversary to you! That would make such a lovely gift from all of you – best of luck in the giveaway! 🙂
A friend of mine likes Paris! I would love to win this book as a Birthday gift for her!
Best of luck to you Melissa!
I both love photography and would love to visit Paris someday. Thanks for sharing this book review with Small Victories Sunday linkup. Pinned to our linkup board.
Thanks for pinning Tanya – I really want to visit Paris after pouring over Michael’s book!
Why would I love to win this book? Let me count the ways.
I love France.
I love architecture.
I love photography.
By default, I would super love something that combined all three!! 🙂
So glad you caught this before it closed Mary – it’s such a fabulous book – best of luck to you!