Though it's only about the size of Texas, France presents an astonishing variety of landscapes to the aerial observer-each of which reveals itself in the pages of this breathtaking photographic journey. In 200 full-color photographs, Yann Arthus-Bertrand captures all the undulating curves and harmonious lines of this vibrant, verdant, sometimes rough but always generous land. Here is a France of green fields and red brick roofs, dotted with steeples and church towers, worn by the sea along its handsome coasts and rife with rolling hills. Here are the great French landmarks-the Pont du Gard, Notre Dame, Loire Valley castles, and Bordeaux vineyards, to name just a few, with accompanying text by journalist Patrick Poivre d'Arvor that makes each one come alive as if seen for the first time.

The most comprehensive coverage to date of Air France 447, an Airbus A330 that crashed in the ocean north of Brazil on June 1, 2009, killing all 228 persons on board. Written by A330 Captain, Bill Palmer, this book opens to understanding the actions of the crew, how they failed to understand and control the problem, and how the airplane works and the part it played. All in easy to understand terms. Addressed are the many contributing aspects of weather, human factors, and airplane system operation and design that the crew could not recover from. How each contributed is covered in detail along with what has been done, and needs to be done in the future to prevent this from happening again. Also see the book's companion website: UnderstandingAF447.com

This consequential work by a pioneer aviation historian fills a significant lacuna in the story of the defeat of France in May-June 1940 and more fully explains the Battle of Britain of July–October of that year and the influence it had on the Luftwaffe in the 1941 invasion of the USSR. Robin Higham approaches the subject by sketching the story and status of the three air forces--the Armée de l’Air, the Luftwaffe, and the Royal Air Force--their organization and preparation for their battles. He then dissects the the campaigns, their losses and replacement policies and abilities. He paints the struggles of France and Britain from both the background provided by his recent Two Roads to War: From Versailles to Dunkirk (NIP, 2012) and from the details of losses tabulated by After the Battle’s The Battle of Britain (1982, 2nd ed.) and Peter Cornwell’s The Battle of France Then and Now (2007), as well as in Paul Martin’s Invisible Vainqueurs (1990) and from the Luftwaffe summaries in the British National Archives Cabinet papers. One important finding is that the consumption and wastage was not nearly as high as claimed. The three air forces actually shot down only 19 percent of the number claimed. In the RAF case, in the summer of 1940, 44 percent of those shot down were readily repairable thanks to the salvage and repair organizations. This contrasted with the much lower 8 percent for the Germans and zero for the French. Brave as the aircrews may have been, the inescapable conclusion is that awareness of consumption, wastage, and sustainability were intimately connected to survival.

Combining daring aerial photography with the restricted airspace over Paris provides both breathtaking and unparalleled views. From sunrise to sunset, Paris is one of the most photographed cities in the world. Shooting with the newest high-resolution medium-format professional cameras while leaning out of helicopters making steep turns with the door off, Milstein captures the highly detailed, iconic, straight-down images that set his work apart. Milstein's distinctive style--straight down--leads to fresh insights of the urban design of this great city. In a way that is impossible from street level, you can see the old neighborhoods of Montmartre and Montparnasse; iconic historical monuments like the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe or the Invalides; and modern Paris like La Défense or the new neighborhoods around the Bibliothèque Nationale. As a bonus, there is a portfolio of images of the gardens and buildings of Louis XIV's great palace, Versailles. Milstein brings his unique and unmatched aerial vistas of Paris to life--every angle, every moment, every season. This is sure to be treasured by tourists and Parisians alike.

For those who enjoy painting outside and have wondered what a painting vacation would be like. this is the record of the author's first overseas painting holiday. He traveled to the south of France with 11 painter friends and spent two weeks in the small town of Limoux. See the record of this trip in the 40 paintings and many photographs the author produced during his time in France.