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Le Road Trip: A Traveler's Journal of Love and France
by
Vivian Swift
Road trip: those are still the two most inspiring words to vagabonds and couch potatoes alike; after all, the great American spirit was forged by road trippers from the Pilgrims to Lewis and Clark to the Dharma Bums. Le Road Trip combines the appeal of the iconic American quest with France's irresistible allure, offering readers a totally new perspective of life on the roa...more
Hardcover, 208 pages
Published
April 10th 2012
by Bloomsbury USA
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"Every road trip has its ups and downs, just like a love affair, or the stock market. But more like a love affair."
"Pack for the person you are on Saturday morning...what you wear on Saturday morning shows the world your personal style, tells the truth about what represents your most authentic self. That's who you need to be on the road."
It's helpful to read this one with a French-English dictionary close by. Lovely watercolors made me wish that I was a painter.
"Pack for the person you are on Saturday morning...what you wear on Saturday morning shows the world your personal style, tells the truth about what represents your most authentic self. That's who you need to be on the road."
It's helpful to read this one with a French-English dictionary close by. Lovely watercolors made me wish that I was a painter.
So, for anyone that knows me, you know this isn't AT ALL my kind of book. I'm not the Elizabeth Gilbert, Meg Cabot, Marian Keyes or whatever kind of girl. I like fantasy, science fiction, adventure, magic.
Well, as it turns out, some authors can bring the magic of everyday life to your attention.
Let me start with the negatives (or negative I should say): Vivian Swift comes across a biiit snobby. It breaks my heart to say so, because I really loved this book, but at a certain point you kinda get t...more
Well, as it turns out, some authors can bring the magic of everyday life to your attention.
Let me start with the negatives (or negative I should say): Vivian Swift comes across a biiit snobby. It breaks my heart to say so, because I really loved this book, but at a certain point you kinda get t...more
A lovely book based on what could have been a trite conceit -- love and travel compared and contrasted via a honeymoon trip to France -- which is pulled off beautifully thanks to the author's delightfully wry observations. The ups and downs of romance and travel are deftly illustrated with the author's charming watercolors.
The reason for 4 instead of 5 stars (which I gave to her first book, "When Wanderers Cease to Roam") is that I did find the illstrations too predictable by about midway throu...more
The reason for 4 instead of 5 stars (which I gave to her first book, "When Wanderers Cease to Roam") is that I did find the illstrations too predictable by about midway throu...more
Now this is what I call a fun summer read. With her refreshing, authentic voice, Vivian Swift sounds like someone I'd enjoy knowing. She's intellectually curious, adventurous, good-natured, humorous, and artistic. I loved how she illustrated her and her husband's wanderings with her own watercolors. Readers get to encounter not just famous tourist attractions, but such charming sights as the country's motley cats, intricate lace curtains, elegant little cakes, a packed wheelbarrow, and a Parisia...more
Vivian Swift does an impeccable job of capturing the illusive style and charm of France in her book Le Road Trip. A delightful combination of love story and travel guide Swift intertwines the story of how she met her husband and honeymooned in France with helpful tips and facts about France, this is a divine feast for the senses. While Swift's prose is entertaining and thoroughly readable, the best part of this book is her alluring watercolors and pen illustrations which appear on every page. I...more
This book was a delight! Whether you are an armchair traveler, or a veteran vagabond, you are sure to appreciate Vivian Swift’s lovely drawings and her smart, tart and savvy take on the joys and frustrations of travel. Part memoir, part travelogue, this charming book besides being visually delightful—it is typeset in gorgeous calligraphy by Swift— provides lots of useful travel advice told most engagingly! Enjoy while drinking a glass of Bordeaux ;)
Have you ever loved? And loved traveling? And dreamed of traveling (back) to France? If you answered yes to one of the above, you absolutely have to read this book.
Wow, what a cool book!
- first Le Road Trip is about a trip to France, so of course I am going to be biased. I liked a lot how Vivian Swift presents her adventures and discoveries. All along her book, she makes the parallel between love and travel, with the evolution between love at first sight and maturity, based on her own personal s...more
Wow, what a cool book!
- first Le Road Trip is about a trip to France, so of course I am going to be biased. I liked a lot how Vivian Swift presents her adventures and discoveries. All along her book, she makes the parallel between love and travel, with the evolution between love at first sight and maturity, based on her own personal s...more
Delightful book that had me laughing out loud. It is a light read that is mostly watercolor journaling. Something that I for one would love to be able to do. There are several good tidbits on travel in France, but mainly it is just fun to see how this couple milled around the French courtyside thru the charming pictures the author painted.
As I was going to the checkout desk at the library, I saw this book.
One glance at the cover told me I wanted this book. When I finished
reading/looking at it, I am so glad I found it. This is not a book
for everyone; but if you are French, like France, have visited France,
or want to, I highly recommend this book.
One glance at the cover told me I wanted this book. When I finished
reading/looking at it, I am so glad I found it. This is not a book
for everyone; but if you are French, like France, have visited France,
or want to, I highly recommend this book.
The perfect book for those who believe that when good Americans die, they go to France. Delightful bits of information and trivia. For this bitter divorcee, too many words spent on the wonders of being middle aged and having a husband. Still, the author captures the spirit of a happy wanderer.
Overall a sweet little book. The illustrations are lovely, but the font was hard on the eyes. It seemed as if it was written by someone younger (as in less mature), which was a little odd to me. She seems to have gotten cranky in her old age but not wiser; perhaps she'd take that as a compliment? Still worth picking up-- I love road trip books!
A fun, quick read that takes the reader on a jaunt through France. The author includes sketches throughout that help take the reader to France.
See my complete review of the book on my blog: http://paulita-ponderings.blogspot.co...
See my complete review of the book on my blog: http://paulita-ponderings.blogspot.co...
What a lovely book! The typeface took a bit of getting used to, but the illustrations were beautiful. Personally I prefer other locations in France and less public transporation, but, if on her next trip, Ms Swift would like to ditch her new husband and take me, I ready anytime!
A perfect beginning to my "Paris in July" reading! Le Road Trip is full of thoughts on travel, love, and France. The artwork/illustrations perfectly complement the tone of Swift's writing. It left me energized and excited to continue my armchair travel through France. Le Road Trip is a beautiful book.
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This book was very cute. It was a combination travel journal/sketchbook/travelogue. The author humorously tells her story of her honeymoon in several locations in France, and the trip to a relationship: anticipation, infatuation, reality check, honeymoon, going gets tough, comfort zone, end of the road. Her illustrations were watercolors and very sweetly done. She made me fondly remember some of MY favorite places and built excitement for some we are going to see! Very cute book and highly recom...more
This is a really unique travel journal about France. It is written like a journal, and is filled with watercolors of the things the author saw. This book really inspired me and made me want to make my own illustrated journal.
This is a wonderful book for armchair travel. Make a fire, brew a pot of tea, pick a pastry, and settle in for a fun couple of hours. This illustrated travel journal reflects on the highs and lows of travel and love. A fun romp through parts of France.
I just loved the dreamy quality and gorgeous paintings in this book. I love the concept of the author illustrating her honeymoon for her readers. Nothing terribly deep here - just pure fun.
Not my usual fare at all, but I really enjoyed reading this book. I loved all the travel tips and honesty about long term traveling with a loved one. The water color illustrations of her snapshots were so beautifully done, it just made the book far more interesting than simple photos. I felt like I was along for the ride and it was really fun. I spent a lot of time lingering over it just to savor the trip. Recommended.
You really have to see this book to really appreciate how lovely it is. Yes, Vivian Swift has written the story of the road trip she and her new husband took through Paris and France, and that’s lovely in itself, but she is also an artist who takes the tiny details of a trip and shares them with her readers through her compelling drawings, and that takes you right to what is beautiful and amazing about France.
I loved this book.
I loved this book.
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Her second book does not disappoint! Great drawings and paintings, stories of her travels in France, facts about France, and more of her wonderfully sometimes-snarky humor.
Very entertaining with beautiful sketches! Makes me want to take such a journey through France. And I will, but my relatives won't know I'm there so that I can travel peacefully.
Fulfilling a momentary desire to head back to France. If not this year, for sure in two years. I'm planning now! Such a cute & unique travel book.
This was a great read- very funny, beautiful illustrations and water colours. I love her sensibilities and found many of her remarks spot on. It was very personal and introspective, and revealing. Familiarity with much of her subject matter provided delight rather than annoyance which actually added to my enjoyment.
Something I would actually buy for myself Nd which was discovered from revisiting a long avoided library-that will teach me!
Very pretty images but it didn't really grab me that much. I think in the winter, I might have been more enthused. That's just a feeling.
I enjoyed reading about France and especially liked the watercolors. Alot of funny stories about touring in France!
Ranged from really enjoying this to it being ok. End result, enjoyable but not memorable. Fluff reading.
I feel I can't truly rate this because the PDF I was reading seemed to be missing quite a few pages.
Picked this up on a whim and was enchanted my the layout and artwork. A delightful mini vacation.
This made me really want to go to France, but I loved her travel tips and ideas in general, it is good information and a fun story about the bad and the good of travel!
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“Anticipation. In love and travel, getting there is half the fun. The lustful impatience, the passionate daydreams, the nerve-wracking waiting... lovers and travelers are all alike when they find themselves on the brink of a new adventure.”
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4 people liked it
“Travel Tip: Relax. It's not a crime to want to sit in a cafe and not take a walking our of all those historic monuments in your peripheral vision.”
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4 people liked it
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