Cathedrals of the Flesh: My Search for the Perfect Bath

Paperback - 07 February, 2004 - Bloomsbury USA
Usually ships in 24 hours
By: Alexia Brue
ISBN: 1582343608

Buy this book from Amazon.com

List Price: ~~$13.95~~
Amazon.com Price: $11.44
You Save: $2.51

Reviews by readers

A reader from Iowa.

Having experienced first hand the joys of public bathing, I was excited to see a travel book about bathing cultures. I wasn't disappointed. Brue's book blends historical narrative, social commentary on our daily ritual of bathing and travel writing into a witty and engaging journal of self discovery. This fun, interesting read will inspire you not only to embark on new travels, but also to seek challenges and adventures in your own life.

"Sex and the City" go searching the perfect bath

Did someone give the author an idea that in order to sell a non-fiction today, it has to have a Sex and the City flavor? Otherwise how can one explain this constant accidental meetings between good-looking exotic males and the writer, who is a single, thirty-ish, female New Yorker. From my view, this book could stand by itself without this boy meets girl side-story. At times it was very distracting to otherwise an excellent travelogue. I regret this because the central theme of the quest for the perfect bath is an honest effort with not too much cliche or stereotypes.

Good Style, Great Resources...BUT...

As an avid travel reader and as the spouse of a Hungarian I was pleased to pick up this book. Ms. Brue has a wonderful writing style, both informative and with a wry wit that shines thru beautifully. Cathedrals of the Flesh is a great read. At the end, the author lists major baths from around the world and indeed this is what inspired me to pick it up *several baths in Budapest are listed*. I am assuming that the author did in fact visit the baths listed, but there is nothing in the book on public baths in Hungary. Considering the rather large chapter devoted to Russia, this is disappointing to say the least. Having said that and admitting that this is a personal criticism on my part, the book istelf is very good. I look forward to reading more from this author.