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A Town Like Paris: Falling in Love in the City of Light
At the age of twenty-eight, stuck in a dead-end job in London, and on the run from a broken heart, Bryce Corbett takes a job in Paris, home of l’amour and la vie boheme; he is determined to make the city his own—no matter how many bottles of Bordeaux it takes. He rents an apartment in Le Marais, the heart of the city’s gay district, hardly the ideal place for a guy hoping...more
Paperback, 304 pages
Published
April 1st 2008
by Broadway
(first published 2007)
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This started off with promise, and I was looking forward to reading a book set in modern day Paris, and what it's like living there, as an Australian. I was somewhat disappointed. Corbett was quite an unlikable character, completely full of himself and a whinger to boot. He seemed to genuinely enjoy Paris, and goes into raptures constantly about how wonderful and beautiful it is, but then complains consistanly about French people. He heads back to Australia at one stage, full of the greatness of...more
Parisiens are apparently hard on Aussie expats! On a whim, the author moves to Paris and tries his best to assimilate into French life and concludes its tres impossible. Outsiders can't get in. It was a fun read, which is the saving grace for this book because the author writes very, very well. Some of it reads like prose, so beautiful I reread some passages out loud. And in other places, I laughed out loud. You get a sense of a few neighborhoods including the Marais, but little else in the way...more
I was so irritated by the condescending and self-important writing in this book, not to mention its dreadful lack of structure (it is a series of lazy, over-written yet underdeveloped essays) and its endless cliches. It is an exercise in turning a book supposedly about a magical city into a shrine to the author's ego and narcissism. Thoroughly unpleasant reading experience.
This book was about a Aussie bachelor who unfortunately wrote about his wild lifestyle that I don't want to read (the reason for "2 stars"). I was only interested in how he lived and deal with a French country through his job, government, food, housing problems (like plumbing and how no one will come asap and he was forced to take showers else where, that's how things get done very slowly) and just enjoying living in Paris. It was funny regarding the problems he has to deal with but there are sw...more
I've read a lot of books like this, foreigner coming to live in Paris. Funnily enough, a lot of them were Australians, as is this author. Bryce Corbett writes about French customs with a lot of humour while still managing to remain respectful of the differences. He certainly makes you want to move there and partake of the 35 hour week, hour long lunch that is paid for by the government, and long vacations weeks.
Being an expatriate in Paris has it's ups and downs, but when you end up with a fanta...more
Being an expatriate in Paris has it's ups and downs, but when you end up with a fanta...more
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Australian Bryce Corbett somehow finds himself in the most bewitching, the most bewildering of towns, Paris. He bungles his way through working at his new job, finding an apartment, going to the doctor, visiting the gym, and trying (desperately) to find a girlfriend.
A quick, funny read for all of us who can’t get enough of the exploits of those who try to take on the City of Light.
A quick, funny read for all of us who can’t get enough of the exploits of those who try to take on the City of Light.
I was so irritated by the condescending and self-important writing in this book, not to mention its dreadful lack of structure (it is a series of lazy, over-written yet underdeveloped essays) and its endless cliches. It is an exercise in turning a book supposedly about a magical city into a shrine to the author's ego and narcissism. Thoroughly unpleasant reading experience.
I'm not going to lie: I'll read pretty much anything about Paris. If, say, Rush Limbaugh or Andrew Dice Clay wrote a book about living in Paris, I'd probably read it. (Maybe.) So even though I got the impression that Bryce Corbett was not the sort of person I'd ever want to hang out with in real life, I was nonetheless semi-enchanted by his account of life in Paris. Had one of my favorite cities not been the backdrop, however, I'm not sure if reading about an endless stream of drunken nights wit...more
Bryce Corbett's tale of his Parisian existence is rather amusing... mostly because of the fact that it takes place in Paris and that he is rather witty and interesting. I really enjoyed reading this book because of its Parisian slice-of-life quality, though I could have done very well without Corbett's habit of using the same "choice" words too frequently. He has a penchant for the words: bemused, proffered, prophylactic, aversion, among others.
Also, I would have preferred that he spare us from...more
Also, I would have preferred that he spare us from...more
With my love affair with Paris in full tilt boogie, this was a nice read. Nice writing style, like you are sitting at a cafe or bar with him and he's telling you his story of Paris. Nice observations, sentimental without being cheesy. Looking forward to see if he writes any more books.
While books about time in Paris number in the hundreds if not thousands, this is unusual in so much as it is written by an Australian man. His interpretation of the French Femme Fatale is rather amusing and for francophiles, it is a refreshing perspective on our beloved city..
An Australian moves to Paris after answering to a job add placed in the Economist. Being underqualified he none the less wins the job finds and apartment and gets involved with a Paris showgirl. A quick summer read for those who love Parisian novels.
yuck.only read if you care about a white male from Australia's take on living in Paris. Boring. He ends up marrying a show girl. The only funny thing in this book was the author's observations on the faux bohemians sleeping at Shakespeare & Co.
Unless you are interested in the intimate details of the author's self-absorbed life, this book is a bore. Although the title suggests the book is about Paris, it offers no insight on the city. I suggest you skip this one.
I liked and hated this book at the same time. There were funny stories but it often felt like I was reading a 200+ page brag book by a self-confessed narcissist. But Bryce writes well, even when irritating and overly pompous.
Excellent review of the city of lights. And a great off the beaten track travel guide too! Although he's probably spoiled some of these places now by telling everyone about them.
I thought it was really boring. I tried to finish it, and I'm usually a trooper, but I just couldn't. His writing style just couldn't capture the excitement of the city.
Good, easy read, written in that classic Aussie style, which makes you miss your travels and long to go away again. Paris: one of the most beautiful cities on earth. sigh!
I found this on an Anthropologie sale shelf and bought it because I had a few remaining dollars to spend on a gift card. I didn't have high hopes, but it actually wasn't bad. A little long-winded and repetitive at times, but definitely made me laugh out loud a few times. And now I want to visit Paris!
Good in places but I was left with the overall impression that the author drank and partied his way through the city, sobering up only occasionally and noticing where he was.
Cute stories about an Aussie's coming of age in Paris. I loved reading it on the plane ride to and from Paris. What could be more appropriate!?
This semi-nonfiction smart-alecky story from a former gossip columnnist is not the sort of book I'd normally read or enjoy. My wife reads everything David Sedaris writes, plus some David Rakoff & Augustin Burrows. I like hearing about the funnier stories, but I don't read them myself.
In fact, I picked up A Town Like Paris as a gift for her, but then I decided to read it myself. It was only because we both went there on vacation last March that I got a good kick out of it. Funny Paris observa...more
In fact, I picked up A Town Like Paris as a gift for her, but then I decided to read it myself. It was only because we both went there on vacation last March that I got a good kick out of it. Funny Paris observa...more
The true story of a man who lied on his resume to get a job in Paris and have the time of his life. LOVE IT
An expat's story. My favourite kind of reading. And anything that takes place in Paris is okay with me.
The extra star is because he recommends plenty of places to eat and drink. Light, enjoyable read.
I liked this book but definitely didn't love it. Some chapters were more interesting than others. I could have done without many of his bachelor stories, which are all too common and could have happened anywhere. I felt the title was a little misleading. His "falling in love" doesn't happen until much later in the book. Or perhaps I missed the point. The writing felt a little bland, not expressing much emotion, funny or otherwise. For this type of genre, I would recommend "Almost French" by Sara...more
It's a fast read and mildly amusing, but it didn't so much capture the mood of Paris, as chronicle how he liked to party and drink; got a case of the crabs; formed a rock band on the side; and dated a show girl. All this stuff could've happened anywhere. Yes, he sprinkled some passages that hinted at what it's like to live in Paris, but that all seemed incidental to his partying. Heck, except for one token Frenchman, his circle of friends was composed of ex-pats! I was expecting something more l...more
This book really makes me want to up and move to Paris! A great read while traveling.
I liked this guy's writing style and humor. Learned more about scooters and showgirls than I had expected, but very funny bit about the inner workings of Parisian immigration/visa procedure. Brought back a lot of memories from our trip to Paris and made me want to return sooner than later.
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