The Riviera: The Rise and Rise of the Cote D'Azur (Hardcover)

'Ring gives some nice descriptions of the beautiful pleasure-craft that bobbed about on the azure coast, but he also records the champagne louts' dismay when fibreglass made sailing cheaper.' -- Daily Telegraph 20040612 'Jim Ring's Riviera corrals an array of vignettes of the Cote d'Azur's most famous habitues, from the Romans to the Rolling Stones. ... a stylish and pleasingly gossipy overview of the region's fluctuating fortunes.' -- Book of the Week, Time Out 20040609 'Jim Ring paints its history in vivid strokes, evoking all the glamour and gaudiness you could shake a face-lift at' -- The News (St Albans) 20040625 'There's a nostalgic, period feel to this reverie about the Riviera' -- Saga Magazine 20040801 'Jim Ring explores the rich history of the alluring southern French coast, the setting for a vibrant and escapist culture of intoxicating beauty and splendour' -- Financial Times 20040626 'An entertaining, highly readable mixture of social and cultural history, and it manages to capture the timeless allure of a unique area of the continent' -- Leicester Mercury 20040629 'Entertaining survey ... [Ring] has a fine nose for the telling detail.' -- Sunday Telegraph 20040613 'Ring's tale rattles along merrily with marvellous period anecdotes' -- Jeremy Gates, Liverpool Daily Post 20040724 'A light-hearted and entertaining picture of the region' -- Lloyd's List 20050729 'Highly readable and entertaining' -- Diplomat 20050701 'An amusing read. It is the ideal book to hide your smirk behind on the Promenade des Anglais as yet another roller-blading granny glides past in a leopard-skin thong.' -- Sunday Telegraph 20040613 'Delightful and informative evocation of the Cote d'Azur at various epochs ... [by] its loving chronicler' -- Critic's Choice, Daily Mail 20040612 'A highly readable account ... as an introduction to the Cote d'Azur, it works wonderfully well' -- Traveller magazine 20040801 'An energetic guide ... an entertaining cautionary tale' -- Independent 20040625 'Lively new history ... entertaining' -- Mail on Sunday 20040829 'Ring covers the ground with just enough detail to titillate' -- Sunday Times 20050508 'Ring, I'm glad to say, rises to the Riviera's defence...a highly readable history' -- J G Ballard, The Guardian 20040731 'Enormously entertaining' -- Daily Express 20050722 'Crammed full of fascinating accounts of disgraceful behaviour on the beaches and in the villas of the world's most decadent playground' -- Guardian 20050507

'Energetic ... entertaining'