"I cannot tell you what an immense impression Paris made upon me. It is the most extraordinary place in the world!" ~ Charles Dickens (1812-1870), English author
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BIG BARGAIN BOOK SALE March is the month of our "world famous in Christchurch" book sale. - Friday 11 March, 9:00am - 7:00pm
- Saturday 12 March, 9:00am - 4:00pm
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| No Baggage: A Minimalist Tale of Love and Wandering by Clara BensenWhile it's not uncommon for couples to meet on a dating website, it's a bit unusual when an early date lasts three weeks and covers eight countries. But after introverted 20-something Clara (who'd only recently recovered from a mental breakdown) and larger-than-life, unconventional professor Jeff met, that's what happened. With only the colorful clothing on their backs (a bottle-green dress for her and cherry-red chinos for him) and no hotel reservations or real plans, they traveled via plane, car, train, ferry, bus, and bike in Turkey, Greece, Hungary, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, England, and more, before finally heading home to Texas. This engaging, romantic travelogue questions what freedom is and we really need in life, and it thoughtfully deals with mental illness. |
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| The Road to Little Dribbling: Adventures of an American in Britain by Bill BrysonGreat news, Bill Bryson fans: his first travelogue in many years is finally here! In this delightful sequel to Notes From a Small Island, Bryson once again travels across Great Britain. But both Britain and Bryson have changed in the 20 years between books; he's older and more well-traveled, but feels like he understands his adopted country about as much as he did when he first arrived, and Britain...well, you'll need to read the book and see! With wry musings and observations, Bryson once again proves to be a persnickety but charming guide. For a similar U.K. tour but by a native Englishman who's lived in New Zealand for years, try Joe Bennett's Mustn't Grumble. |
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Tiger Heart : My Unexpected Adventures to Make a Difference in Darjeeling, and What I Learned About Fate, Fortitude, and Finding Family Half a World Away
by Katrell Christie
Katrell Christie was a thirty-something artist turned roller-derby rebel who opened a tea shop in Atlanta. Barely two years later, her life would make a drastic change--and so would the lives of a group of girls half a world away. "I chose the name of my tea shop--Dr. Bombay's Underwater Tea Party--because it sounded whimsical. India wasn't part of the equation. Not even remotely. I didn't do yoga. I had no deep yearning to see the Taj Mahal or tour Hindu temples. Indian food? I could take it or leave it." Yet on a whim, Katrell did go. She witnessed the throngs at the Ganges River, toured the tea fields of Darjeeling, and helped string pearls in conservative Hyderabad. But it was in a crowded Buddhist orphanage where she crossed paths with some girls who would change the course of her life
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Pier Review: A Road Trip in Search of the Great British Seaside by Jon BoundsTwo weeks. One eccentric road trip. Before the seaside of their youth disappears forever, two friends from the landlocked Midlands embark on a hare-brained journey to see all the surviving pleasure piers in England and Wales. With a clapped-out car, and not enough cash, Jon and Danny recruit Midge, a man they barely know, to be their driver, even though he has to be back in two weeks to sign on...Taking turns to tell their madcap story, Jon and Danny invite us to join them as they take a funny and nostalgic look at Britishness at the beach, amusement in the arcades and friendship on the road.
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Billy Connolly's Tracks Across America by Billy ConnollyIn the years that have passed since the previous book, Billy has had more than his share of challenges - in 2013 he was diagnosed with prostate cancer (he's now been given the all-clear); on the same day he was diagnosed with the early stages of Parkinson's disease. But being a determined 72 year-old, Billy won't stop the illness (which has already robbed him of the ability to play his beloved banjo) put him off one more exploration of the country he knows and loves so well.
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| The Geography of Genius: A Search for the World's Most Creative Places... by Eric WeinerHow do you define "genius"? In Eric Weiner's case, simply being super-smart isn't good enough; he thinks of "genius in the creative sense," meaning those people who think of amazing and useful new ideas. Because he's fascinated by the topic ("in much the way a naked man is fascinated by the subject of clothing," he says), he traveled the world to examine the connection between setting and innovation. Weiner talked to locals and scholars to better understand why places like ancient Athens, Renaissance Florence, 20th-century Vienna, and modern-day Silicon Valley have incubated an exorbitant number of geniuses. This "witty, entertaining romp" (New York Times) is a good fit for curious fans of Bill Bryson looking for other amusing authors to read. |
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Crossing the plains with Bruno by Annick SmithSmith brings together a mix of travel and relationship, western history and family history, human love and animal love centering one the two-week journey she and her dog Bruno took in her car to visit her mother. Her meditations, triggered by place, explore how the past impinges on the present.
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| Lunch in Paris: A Love Story, with Recipes by Elizabeth BardWhen Elizabeth, an American working in London, meets Gwendal, a Frenchman in England for a conference, they instantly connect. Before long, they are having lunch together in Paris, falling in love, and getting married. Using food as a frame, Elizabeth documents their courtship, describing mouth-watering dishes (such as molten chocolate cake and summer ratatouille) as well as shopping in a foreign language (her Parisian butcher looks like Matt Dillon) and choosing a wedding cake (one that's not gaudy). If you'd like a charming tale of an ex-pat in love with food, France, and her Frenchman, try Lunch in Paris. Recipes are included -- bon appétit! |
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| The Most Beautiful Walk in the World: A Pedestrian in Paris by John BaxterIn this delightful memoir, author John Baxter discusses his ex-pat life in the City of Light. Between musings on Parisians' penchant for walking and recollections of his own strolls, he shares amusing anecdotes about family life (he's married to a French woman, but no one in her family can cook) and everyday life as well as offering fascinating historical insight into the city by discussing literary lights like Hemingway and covering a serial killer and World War II. Baxter's stories provide an evocative, multi-faceted view of one of the greatest cities in the world. For another walking tour of Paris, try Edmund White's The Flaneur. |
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A passion for Paris : romanticism and romance in the City of Light
by David Downie
A unique combination of memoir, history, and travelogue, this is author David Downie's irreverent quest to uncover why Paris is the world's most romantic city--and has been for over 150 years. Abounding in secluded, atmospheric parks, artists' studios, cafes, restaurants and streets little changed since the 1800s, Paris exudes romance. The art and architecture, the cityscape, riverbanks, and the unparalleled quality of daily life are part of the equation. But the city's allure derives equally from hidden sources: querulous inhabitants, a bizarre culture of heroic negativity, and a rich historical past supplying enigmas, pleasures and challenges. Rarely do visitors suspect the glamour and chic and the carefree atmosphere of the City of Light grew from and still feed off the dark fountainheads of riot, rebellion, mayhem and melancholy--and the subversive literature, art and music of the Romantic Age.
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| Paris to the Moon by Adam GopnikAh, Paris: the city of light, love, sinfully delicious pastries...and expatriate Americans searching for that certain je ne sais quoi. Adam Gopnik, a writer for The New Yorker, had loved Paris since he was eight years old, so he was quite happy to move to the French capital with wife and son in tow and write a "Paris Journal" for the magazine. This book, consisting of previously published essays and excerpts from his diary over a five year period, describes family life Parisian-style as Gopnik finds an apartment, joins a gym, welcomes a new baby, and thoughtfully reflects on the city's mystique and allure. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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