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A Bright Sun and Long Shadows
vacation and part research in preparation for our retirement. When, at last, we purchased the village ruin we would someday call home, we took several "before" pictures. The early photos, like our vacations, had dual purposes. They documented the condition of the property and provided help in our planning. We used them to sketch the revisions, giving the builders the visual aide they needed to help us pull out of these old stones the inherent potential that we saw in them. But the unexpected, perhaps symbolic, purpose of our photographs was seen in the shadows. Our first pictures were marred often by deep shadows created by the angle and fierce brightness of the sun. Pictures of the front elevation of our village house were almost impossible. First, there was the narrowness of the street. We could not get a photo straight on, because we could not get the camera far enough away from the façade, even with our wide-angle lens. Secondly, there was the shadow cast by the sun. The sun, which highlighted the rustic beauty we wished to capture, also created deep shadows that obscured the architectural and structural detail. In time, we found photographic ways to overcome the shadows. But little did we know, that this was just the beginning of a way of life for us in France.
This is not the book I had intended to write. A Bright Sun & Long Shadows is a picture of life in France unlike the many we read during our years of preparation before we made the decision to retire to the Midi. In retrospect, our armchair research, our on-site preparatory vacations, and our personal contacts over a ten-year period heightened our anticipation about the best that France had to offer. We learned too little about the shady side of life in the Midi. Originally, the book I intended was of tales from our first year of adjustment to the new life in France. We expected culture shock and the stress that accompanies major life-changes - even when we so eagerly sought these changes for ourselves. The book, as originally envisioned, would have been like too many others. It would have chronicled our adjustments to French life. It would have reflected its charming curiosities with a little irony, and a lot of "looking at the bright side of things". Yes, A Bright Sun & Long Shadows does reflect our experience of creating our new life in France. But, it has also grown beyond the initial intent; grown into a book that reflects how deeply the building of our new life has been affected by the dark side of French culture and the everyday ways of the people living around us
This is not the book I had intended to write. A Bright Sun & Long Shadows is a picture of life in France unlike the many we read during our years of preparation before we made the decision to retire to the Midi. In retrospect, our armchair research, our on-site preparatory vacations, and our personal contacts over a ten-year period heightened our anticipation about the best that France had to offer. We learned too little about the shady side of life in the Midi. Originally, the book I intended was of tales from our first year of adjustment to the new life in France. We expected culture shock and the stress that accompanies major life-changes - even when we so eagerly sought these changes for ourselves. The book, as originally envisioned, would have been like too many others. It would have chronicled our adjustments to French life. It would have reflected its charming curiosities with a little irony, and a lot of "looking at the bright side of things". Yes, A Bright Sun & Long Shadows does reflect our experience of creating our new life in France. But, it has also grown beyond the initial intent; grown into a book that reflects how deeply the building of our new life has been affected by the dark side of French culture and the everyday ways of the people living around us
150 pages, Paperback
First published June 18, 2007
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January 24, 2009
Over the years, a variety of authors have asked that I consider providing reviews for their books. Never, however, have I been so impressed with a personal account as I have been with Val Littman’s A Bright Sun & Long Shadows. Littman is not only a very talented descriptive writer, but a man who has bravely exposed vulnerabilities for the sole purpose of allowing his reader to become deeply involved in a personal journey.
A Bright Sun & Long Shadows shines from beginning to end with the hilarious antics of French workmen who attempt to bring Littman’s home from ruin to warmth in the south of France. Still, his honesty about romanticizing the dream of leaving Chicago and retiring in France moves quickly into despair and depression over the every-day realities of living in a land with different cultural boundaries, traditions, languages—and levels of productivity.
Do not allow insignificant typos in this book to deter you (Trafford Publishing editors should take note before a second printing). I not only recommend this book highly but feel it should be a requirement for anyone who even remotely ponders the idea of living abroad for any extended period of time. I was hopelessly lured into Littman’s side-splitting recounts of misplaced poodle poop, a child’s toy named Godzilla, or the charms of Monsieur Good Morning, among others. On the flip side, I agonized with Littman during tireless efforts to renovate his home which included tons of stone being delivered to the city hall parking lot rather than his front door. If you're thinking Under the Tuscan Sun, think again. This book has depth. Amid chapters and diary excerpts, Littman also finds a way to intertwine pertinent quotes from famed authors or leaders which induce further thoughtful moments for the reader. Don’t miss this cerebral trip to the south of France, and if you get there—literally—visit Littman and his wife, Linda Korolewski, at their B&B, le petit jardin de l'ame in Florensac."
Carrie Swearingen
magazine feature writer and author, Chicago
A Bright Sun & Long Shadows shines from beginning to end with the hilarious antics of French workmen who attempt to bring Littman’s home from ruin to warmth in the south of France. Still, his honesty about romanticizing the dream of leaving Chicago and retiring in France moves quickly into despair and depression over the every-day realities of living in a land with different cultural boundaries, traditions, languages—and levels of productivity.
Do not allow insignificant typos in this book to deter you (Trafford Publishing editors should take note before a second printing). I not only recommend this book highly but feel it should be a requirement for anyone who even remotely ponders the idea of living abroad for any extended period of time. I was hopelessly lured into Littman’s side-splitting recounts of misplaced poodle poop, a child’s toy named Godzilla, or the charms of Monsieur Good Morning, among others. On the flip side, I agonized with Littman during tireless efforts to renovate his home which included tons of stone being delivered to the city hall parking lot rather than his front door. If you're thinking Under the Tuscan Sun, think again. This book has depth. Amid chapters and diary excerpts, Littman also finds a way to intertwine pertinent quotes from famed authors or leaders which induce further thoughtful moments for the reader. Don’t miss this cerebral trip to the south of France, and if you get there—literally—visit Littman and his wife, Linda Korolewski, at their B&B, le petit jardin de l'ame in Florensac."
Carrie Swearingen
magazine feature writer and author, Chicago
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review