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What Could I Do With This Monster?

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As I dream of this book hitting Oprah’s “Book of the Month” chart (too bad I can’t go on her show now that it’s off the air), I’m starting to think that the structure, style and content of the book may lend itself to a multiple series of these niche travel guides…

…yes, I know. There has to be a market for it. Read More What Could I Do With This Monster?

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Where Did They Put the Guillotine?

Execution of Louis XVI. Engraving (unknown: mid-19th century). Author's collection.

In the spring of 1965, a young boy, aged ten, stood on the Place de la Concorde in Paris and looked around at this giant space that now contained an Egyptian obelisk, two big fountains and swirling mass of automobiles going around in a circle.

He was trying to imagine what this site might have looked like in 1789 and throughout the French Revolution and the period of time known as “The Terror”. He knew that this was the place where the guillotine had been erected and many people, including the king and queen of France, had been executed.

As he stood there with his parents, he asked a very simple question; “Where did they put the guillotine?” No one knew the answer. Read More Where Did They Put the Guillotine?