Lead Review – Uplifting and fun!
- Book: At Home in the Pays d’Oc: The story of two accidental expatriates
- Location: The South of France (Le Midi)
- Author: Patricia Feinberg Stoner
An upbeat memoir about moving to France and becoming a village local.
The author, and her husband, have a fantasy of living in France and eventually buy an old house which includes an aptly named “Spider Room”. Their experiences of moving and settling in the village is told from the author’s perspective (ie a woman’s view) and has many laugh out loud moments and wry looks at British eccentricities. There are wonderful (and mostly funny) descriptions of French culture around eating, drinking and general village life. And then there is the dog who unexpectedly enters their lives and completely changes everything.
This is a celebration of the differences between British and French cultures, and a great read for anyone who has ever entertained the thought “wouldn’t it be nice to live here” whilst on holiday, or has even taken the plunge. A great holiday read, or for curling up with on a rainy day.
I did find the author’s referring to her husband as “Himself” throughout the book a little irritating to begin with, but once I’d accepted it I stopped noticing it. Indeed there are many memorable anecdotes in the book, many of which I could relate to, and what “Himself” is getting up to is all part of the fun.
A great “pick me up” positive book.
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