by Leonard Pitt

For many years they were taken for granted, but to author and collector Leonard Pitt, vintage, hand-painted French postcards from the late 19th and early 20th centuries are nothing less than "little works of art." More than this, they also serve as historical documents. In this gorgeous collection, Pitt has chosen postcards that show readers a Paris that no longer exists. In his fascinating introduction, he discusses the birth of the postcard. The postcard, he writes, "revolutionized communication and created the first form of social networking equivalent to today's e-mail." (But, of course, at a much slower pace.) Each postcard is accompanied by informative captions. Pitt also includes sample postcards from American visitors to Paris writing to loved ones back home. The images here are often famous (the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the Moulin Rouge) and majestic (Paris' grand boulevards), but there also are plenty of examples of ordinary Parisians going about their business. It's an utterly charming collection that captures a moment in time. — Chicago Tribune