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3rd out of 23 books
—
10 voters
Bringing Home the Birkin: My Life in Hot Pursuit of the World's Most Coveted Handbag
by
Michael Tonello (Goodreads Author)
For more than twenty years, the Hermes Birkin bag has been the iconic symbol of fashion, luxury, and wealth. With a fabled waiting list of more than two years to purchase one, the average fashionista has a better chance of climbing Mount Everest in Prada pumps than of possessing this coveted carryall. Unless, of course, she happens to know Michael Tonello. . . .
With down
...moreHardcover, 272 pages
Published
April 22nd 2008
by William Morrow
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PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Starred Review
In a funny, whip-smart memoir sure to be a sensation among Vogue and W devotees, erstwhile hair and makeup artist Tonello (now a columnist for HuffingtonPost.com) chronicles a surprising (even to him!) trans-Atlantic move from Provincetown, R.I. to a city he’d fallen in love with on a short trip: Barcelona, where he knows no one and doesn’t speak the language. Tonello’s initial euphoria dissolves when his new job fails to materialize. To stay afloat, Tonello starts...more
Starred Review
In a funny, whip-smart memoir sure to be a sensation among Vogue and W devotees, erstwhile hair and makeup artist Tonello (now a columnist for HuffingtonPost.com) chronicles a surprising (even to him!) trans-Atlantic move from Provincetown, R.I. to a city he’d fallen in love with on a short trip: Barcelona, where he knows no one and doesn’t speak the language. Tonello’s initial euphoria dissolves when his new job fails to materialize. To stay afloat, Tonello starts...more
(Reprinted from the Chicago Center for Literature and Photography [cclapcenter.com]. I am the original author of this essay, as well as the owner of CCLaP; it is not being reprinted here illegally.)
So are you familiar already with what's known as the Birkin bag? It's the product of Hermés, one of those European "designer boutiques" that exists for no other reason than to severely overcharge rich people with self-esteem issues; you know, one of those places that sells hundred-dollar handkerchiefs...more
So are you familiar already with what's known as the Birkin bag? It's the product of Hermés, one of those European "designer boutiques" that exists for no other reason than to severely overcharge rich people with self-esteem issues; you know, one of those places that sells hundred-dollar handkerchiefs...more
8 likes · like · see review
This book is a perfect example of how you can live vicariously through someone else by reading their stories. Michael Tonello stumbled onto a career that allowed him to live the high life in Europe while also working from home in his PJs - all in pursuit of this bag called the Birkin. I'd heard of it before, but didn't fully realize the whole Hermes culture. The bags go for thousands of dollars and wait lists are over two years. Can you imagine?!
Tonello, however, came up with a "formula" to byp...more
Tonello, however, came up with a "formula" to byp...more
Jul 17, 2008
Paula
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
armchair travellers, fashionistas and people who want a funny, light read
Recommended to Paula by:
new title buying
Shelves:
2008-reads
I have an ARC of this and so far (27 chapters in) it's made me giggle at least once per chapter. Some chapters it's been so hilarious I can't help sharing it.
It's light, funny, and the story draws you along. The characterisations are fantastic - it's easy to view people and scenes in your mind's eye (important to me!). Michael Tonello doesn't take himself too seriously and better still, knew when to give it all up.
It's going on the shelf as a re-read. A keeper - for at least a while, and I'm off...more
It's light, funny, and the story draws you along. The characterisations are fantastic - it's easy to view people and scenes in your mind's eye (important to me!). Michael Tonello doesn't take himself too seriously and better still, knew when to give it all up.
It's going on the shelf as a re-read. A keeper - for at least a while, and I'm off...more
May 02, 2008
Erik
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Fashionistas, arm chair travelers and anyone looking for a fun book to read
Shelves:
nonfiction-shelf
If the sight of orange Hermes boxes makes your heart go pitter-patter, this will be a page turner. Even if you're not familiar with the Parisian luxury goods maker, it's still a fun (and funny!) sneak peak into that world. The author, Michael Tonnello, is openly gay and writes with an acerbic, gay man's humor that is quite enjoyable without being overly campy.
I'd also recommend it if you're interested in traveling to Europe just because it gives an American's insight into being dumped into land...more
I'd also recommend it if you're interested in traveling to Europe just because it gives an American's insight into being dumped into land...more
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I assumed it would be poorly written and mildly entertaining (if at all). Instead, it was surprisingly well-written and generally very funny. I read it in five hours on a quiet Saturday afternoon (it's definitely a quick read). Michael Tonello details his adventures as a "re-seller" of Hermes products, namely crocodile Birkin bags (around US$30,000 a piece for those not in the know). The whole story is a little surreal--clearly you need money to make mone...more
Michael Tonello never planned to start a business selling Hermès on eBay; he stumbled into it when he began offloading his own designer duds to raise cash after he found himself jobless in Barcelona. This memoir about how his personal closet-cleaning lead to a lucrative career procuring and reselling Hermès' elusive Birkin bag is a highly entertaining, funny, and unexpectedly exciting read.
Though the book got off to something of a slow start for me, by the time he got to writing about sticker s...more
Though the book got off to something of a slow start for me, by the time he got to writing about sticker s...more
4 likes · like · see review
I like to dip my toe into shallower literary waters from time to time, so dipping into this frothy literary confection was a treat. I'm a sucker for anyone stumbling into entrepreneurial success, and what's flukier than bringing home a self-employed salary of high-six figures just for finding and marking up overpriced, hard-to-find handbags? I personally think anyone who'd pay $30,000 for a handbag has far too much time and money on their hands. I wouldn't pay that much for a bag made out of the...more
Dec 30, 2012
Clackamas
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Girly-girls and people who like humorous memoirs
Recommended to Clackamas by:
Goodreads
**Reread Dec, 2012. This review still stands but I'm upgrading my rating to 4 stars because it still makes me giggle. I don't know why I was so hard on it the first time.**
This was a cute story (I'm sure the author will cringe at my use of the word "cute", but that's how I felt about it). I'm not one for chick-lit and would not have thought to read this if it hadn't been given to me, but I'm glad I did.
This story was quite anecdotal in parts. It didn't feel forced at all or take itself too seri...more
This was a cute story (I'm sure the author will cringe at my use of the word "cute", but that's how I felt about it). I'm not one for chick-lit and would not have thought to read this if it hadn't been given to me, but I'm glad I did.
This story was quite anecdotal in parts. It didn't feel forced at all or take itself too seri...more
Oct 16, 2008
Carrie Golden
rated it
2 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
People who like fashion
Recommended to Carrie by:
My friend Cyndi
This was a lighthearted read, quick read. Nothing too deep here. The author recounts his high-flying days as a reseller of Hermes accessories, especially the ridiculously expensive and hard to get Birkin handbag.
This is coming from someone with a strong handbag fetish...I cannot believe people pay such ridiculous amounts of money for a status handbag. Thousands of dollars! You could buy a car instead...and a NICE one. But apparently some rich ladies (and men) collect them like some the rest of...more
This is coming from someone with a strong handbag fetish...I cannot believe people pay such ridiculous amounts of money for a status handbag. Thousands of dollars! You could buy a car instead...and a NICE one. But apparently some rich ladies (and men) collect them like some the rest of...more
1 like · like · see review
Michael Tonello made a life changing decision and moves to Barcelona, Spain, with the promise of a job from a friend. The job falls through and he's ensconced in a five-year apartment lease. Enter Ebay. Tonello begins auctioning off some gently worn cashmere (not as much call for that in Spain) and discovers a Hermes scarf, only worn once. The active bidding and subsequent contacts he makes through emails begins a wild journey through Hermes stores across Europe, as he makes a living procuring a...more
I was looking for something light to read in the Providence airport, and as soon as I realized this story had an eBay tie I felt a kinship with this book. The fact that I read it in a day and a half speaks well of the story, but while I respected the author's decision to be himself and tell his story (meaning his whole life, not just the Birkin bag quest), I wasn't that fond of his personal style, his affectations or his tendency toward quips. It's still very good plane reading, though, and the...more
1 like · like · see review
This is a book that lends itself to right timing, the right product and a man with a VERY high credit limit. Read during my "Psychology of Luxury" research phase, I must say that I was swept away by the true story aspect of this book. How did one American man with from his luxury apartment in Barcelona and a studious business plan, knock legendary bag / lifestyle taste maker Hermes off it's inflated pedestal by finding and buying Birkins and scarfs and selling them on Ebay.com? The answers are s...more
As a self admitted handbag addict I saw this book on Jen Lancaster's blog of summer reads and instantly added it to my ever expanding list of "to reads".
A great quick read filled with humor and enviable (and sometimes not so enviable) tales of great handbag pursuit.
The Birkin will still remain elusive and mythological to me but it was a great read to hear Michael's adventures. I couldn't imagine having all that Hermes merchandise passing through my hands!
Quick, fun and fabulous!
A great quick read filled with humor and enviable (and sometimes not so enviable) tales of great handbag pursuit.
The Birkin will still remain elusive and mythological to me but it was a great read to hear Michael's adventures. I couldn't imagine having all that Hermes merchandise passing through my hands!
Quick, fun and fabulous!
Apr 28, 2008
Donna Lehtonen
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Anyone wanting a fun and light hearted book to escape into.
I loved this book! I could not put it down,and stayed up way past my bedtime to finish it.
I love the authors writing style and storytelling talent. This book is fun and funny, interesting and international.
This is a book that only comes around once in a lifetime!
Michael Tonello went where no man had dared to go. He was the first and the last maverick
in the history of Hermes;to round up such a herd of hides.
Oh, and the cover of the book is too wonderful to hide on a shelf!
I love the authors writing style and storytelling talent. This book is fun and funny, interesting and international.
This is a book that only comes around once in a lifetime!
Michael Tonello went where no man had dared to go. He was the first and the last maverick
in the history of Hermes;to round up such a herd of hides.
Oh, and the cover of the book is too wonderful to hide on a shelf!
I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked this up, but I'd heard some good reviews from people who I trust, so I wanted to give it a chance. What I found was a delightful, engaging and light-hearted read about a man who toes the line between a normal existence and living amongst the privileged people. He does this by selling Hermes via Ebay. What starts as a small foray in selling scarves turns into a five-year journey across the globe as Michael hunts for the highly coveted Birkin bag (a ridic...more
Let's face it. For 99% of the world, an Hermes Birkin bag is virtually a mythological creature. We will read about it. We may even see pictures of it. But, we will likely never see one in person, much less touch one or own one! Michael Tonello tells his story of morphing from a New York based make-up artist to a Barcelona based, globe trotting, Birkin-buyer and he does it well. There are times where, Bringing Home the Birkin reads like he's performing spy missions and is practically a modern-day...more
a three-star review that should really be more of a 3.5. call me shallow but i was pretty entertained by this memoir. tonello writes about living with one of his best friends in provincetown (descriptions of which made me homesick for massachusetts) & running his own all-in-one photography business (he himself is a make-up artist, & joined forces with stylists, hair dressers, et al to create a business where clients only have to make one call to get all the folks they need for shoots--ki...more
Ah a book about shopping and travel.. turns out I loved it. I could not help but to imagine myself moving to Barcelona and living the fabulous life that the author lived in. He made shopping seem like a game. It all stemmed from selling his belongings on ebay so he could get by in Spain after a job fell through. There is no deep thinking involved in this book, unless you count what color would I want? But I couldn't put this light hearted read down. Tonello does describe his life during this tim...more
I first heard about Birkin bags on an episode of Will and Grace when Will mentioned that the waiting list for a Birkin bag was 2 years long. So, when I saw this book at the library, I thought, "oh, now I can find out why you have to wait two years for a handbag!" I have absolutely no knowledge of the fashion industry or designers (you know, outside of ANTM), but I sure enjoyed this book.
It's a memoir about how Michael Tonello learned he could make a tidy profit by buying Hermes products in pers...more
It's a memoir about how Michael Tonello learned he could make a tidy profit by buying Hermes products in pers...more
Aku mengenal Hermes pertama kali lewat film Le Divorce. Di film itu, tokoh yang diperankan oleh Kate Hudson diberi hadiah, oleh pacarnya yang om-om, sebuah croc Kelly bag warna merah. Dan di akhir film, tas super mahal itu dilempar begitu saja dari menara Eiffel ke bawah. Mungkin akan lebih dramatis kalau tas itu adalah Hermes Birkin bag, yang croc juga. Harganya bisa jauh lebih mahal :D.
Buku ini menceritakan petualangan penulis berburu Birkin bag. Dengan cara coba-coba penulis akhirnya menemuka...more
Buku ini menceritakan petualangan penulis berburu Birkin bag. Dengan cara coba-coba penulis akhirnya menemuka...more
Love it so far!
Another must-read for my book club. This book had me howling in laughter. My son walked up and asked me why I was laughing hysterically. I happened to be on the page where Michael is learning the price of the coveted Birkins, and I read aloud to my six year old. Rather or not he understood it, he laughed at the thought of a man running out of a store screaming which is exactly how I would have reacted to those prices as well.
Actually, my children saw me smiling and laughing so much while readin...more
Actually, my children saw me smiling and laughing so much while readin...more
Jun 13, 2008
Hope
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
anyone who shops (whether they like to or not!)
Read the whole thing in one sitting- really couldn't put it down. A very amusing story, and I laughed and cheered the author on his quests. The descriptions of the cities he stayed in and his travels were a wonderful counterpoint to the business driven plot. This was so great to read, with a surprising amount of heart. It wasn't just about a brand-name; far from it. Highly entertaining, made more so by the fact that the events actually happened.
1 like · like · see review
This book made me realize a few things: 1) I seem to be gravitating towards books about Americans who decide to move to Europe (in this case Barcelona). Hmmm. 2) When necessary, some of us can become very resourceful. 3) Whomever came up with the idea of making this handbag (which personally I think is UGLY), making it sound very exclusive and hard to get, so then you can charge whatever price you want, was a marketing genius!
That in essence is what this book is about. The author decided to move...more
That in essence is what this book is about. The author decided to move...more
Bringing Home the Birkin: My Life in Hot Pursuit of the World’s Most Coveted Handbag
By Michael Tonello
* Hardcover: 272 pages
* Publisher: William Morrow [April 22, 2008]
* ISBN-10: 0061473332
First, this isn’t a YA book. Thought I’d give ‘ya a heads up. I found it on the shelf at the library under New Books the other day, and I sat down and started reading it. I left five hours later, having finished it.
The book is a nonfiction memoir, and the author recounts how, in a period of about five years...more
By Michael Tonello
* Hardcover: 272 pages
* Publisher: William Morrow [April 22, 2008]
* ISBN-10: 0061473332
First, this isn’t a YA book. Thought I’d give ‘ya a heads up. I found it on the shelf at the library under New Books the other day, and I sat down and started reading it. I left five hours later, having finished it.
The book is a nonfiction memoir, and the author recounts how, in a period of about five years...more
I had a lot of fun reading this book, which I'm not inclined to write off as a small compliment. The book reads like a long, slightly more introspective than normal e-mail from a friend. So is it particularly well written or thought provoking or insightful? No. Definitely not. But it's fun. It chronicles the authors time spent acquiring and selling Hermes products -- especially Birkins -- on eBay. I like clothes and fashion and shopping, and so I found his tales of attempting to acquire the bags...more
What a fun book to read! I love fashion. I love buying fashion on the cheap. But I've never really been a Hermes fan. And after reading this book I'm still not a Hermes fan. However I'm definitely a Michael Tonello fan.
He writes so conversationally. Each chapter was like sitting down with a friend over some yummy cake and ice cream and having your friend tell you all about his latest adventure.
The book is a fun read but I'm terrified of the prices of a Hermes bag! Scray! I would love try out h...more
He writes so conversationally. Each chapter was like sitting down with a friend over some yummy cake and ice cream and having your friend tell you all about his latest adventure.
The book is a fun read but I'm terrified of the prices of a Hermes bag! Scray! I would love try out h...more
Read this while travelling to Florida during prime summer travel season. Chapters were nice and short so I could easily pick it up or put it down. I have been intrigued by the Hermes Birkin bag ever since my friend Maggie plunked down $18,000 to purchase TWO of them. The story was very entertaining. Great travelling book!
You know when someone tells their friend, "Hey, you've lived such an interesting life, you should write a book!" they don't really mean it? Michael Tonello did it anyway. I have to admit, reading about how he decided to move to Barcelona and how he got into selling high-end clothing on eBay, eventually moving on to Hermes products, was kind of interesting. But it soon devolved into a running list of the fancy hotels he stayed at throughout Europe, and the fine restaurants he ate at, with a coupl...more
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I grew up in Massachusetts. I traveled the world as a makeup artist and hairdresser until a chance job assignment in Spain proved fateful, and I resettled in Barcelona. Pressed to find a profession that did not necessitate working papers, I became a lucrative eBay luxury reseller of all things Hermes. I am a columnist for HuffingtonPost.com and live in Barcelona with my partner, Juan, and our two...more
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Apr 12, 2008 08:16am
Jun 21, 2008 02:51pm