First Class: Legendary Train Journeys Around the World

This enchanting book, which comes with a slipcase designed to resemble a steamer trunk, takes readers on memorable journeys on the Orient Express, le Train Bleu, the California Zephyr, and others across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Readers encounter the elegant porters and bellboys as well as the beautifully dressed millionaires, kings, and maharajas who were their clients.

The great old and new trains are all here, and a reader can feel the gentle sway and anticipate the delicious dinner about to be served in a plush and paneled dining car. There are maps showing the routes of the great expresses, quotations from famous literary figures, and images of some of the beautiful destinations they reached. This is a perfect gift for train buffs and world travelers.

Patrick Poivre d’Arvor is the anchor of the most widely watched television news program in France. He has also written numerous books including France From the Air and has produced and anchored several television programs covering literary and political subjects. Poivre d’Arvor lives in Paris.