Not as good as her previous "The Only Street in Paris." Sciolino sets out to trace the length and history of the Seine river from its little spritz of a source in Burgundy, through Paris, to the English Channel at LeHavre. As former bureau chief of the NY Times in Paris (she moves in exalted circles indeed), she gets access to all kinds of places, collections, artifacts, curators, government ministers' apartments that the rest of us would never see. It's a friendly, rambling, discursive journey... pretty much a well-written series of travel articles, but not much else. The epilogue, added after the Notre Dame fire, was the best chapter - the courage and devotion of the pompiers who climbed those flaming towers bearing hoses filled by the water of the Seine is moving. For insatiable Francophiles. ( )

Calm tour of the Seine from its source, continuing on through Paris and out to Le Havre.

Should have ended at the end of Chapter 28: Reinventing the River, which is the conclusion of the story of Sequana and also ends with the charming line "And there, on the banks of the Seine, we danced." ( )

Loved it. Such a great history of not only the river, but of France as well. From the bridges to art works, from music to book selling, just a wonderful book. ( )

**I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

Sciolino writes a love letter to the river Seine. Part travelogue, part history, and with a dash of memoir, Sciolino brings to life the Seine in all of its facets. From its beginning to its end, she travels and visits with historians and locals who explain the importance of the Seine to French society and to French history. Most of her book focuses on the Seine’s impact with Paris and the multitude of experiences one can have on the Seine in Paris. Sciolino writes in a journalistic style – she is a trained journalist – so passages have a journalistic flare.

I was captivated by this book. I’ve yet to visit France, let alone the Seine, but just reading Sciolino’s words made me feel a part of the journey. She captures the spirit of the river, with its good points and its bad points. She conveys a sense of urgency in conservation of the river and its resources, as well as the importance of knowing its history. So much was lost during World War II; yet, in areas that received bombing and devastation, there is hope and a remembrance of the past. She makes everything sound so picturesque – truly a love letter, full of enchantment and longing.

This is a perfect book for anyone who enjoys French culture, French history, or even someone who likes to read about nature. Highly recommended. ( )