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Le Road Trip: A Traveler's Journal of Love and France
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 road.
Le Road Trip tells the story of one idyllic French honeymoon trip, but it is also a witty handbook of tips and advice on how to thrive as a traveler, a captivating visual record with hundreds of watercolor illustrations, and a chronicle depicting the incomparable charms of being footloose in France. Armchair travelers, die-hard vagabonds, art journalists, and red wine drinkers will all find something to savor in this story.
Le Road Trip tells the story of one idyllic French honeymoon trip, but it is also a witty handbook of tips and advice on how to thrive as a traveler, a captivating visual record with hundreds of watercolor illustrations, and a chronicle depicting the incomparable charms of being footloose in France. Armchair travelers, die-hard vagabonds, art journalists, and red wine drinkers will all find something to savor in this story.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published April 10, 2012
13 people are currently reading
1096 people want to read
About the author
Vivian Swift
5 books77 followerswww.vivianswiftblog.com
All my books go very well with a glass of wine, but my blog can be paired with a cup of tea as well as a flute of champagne. Join us every Friday for a watercolor lesson, some behind-the-scenes tales about the publishing business, maybe a voyage to someplace far away, and definitely some crankiness about the way of the world.
I would make a great Boss of Everybody because I have the right job experience: I've been a Faberge expert for Christie's auction house in New York; a hotel maid in Reno (Nevada); the Bio-terrorism Administrator for the Tea Association of the USA; a book store clerk (in a mall!); a receptionist for a Manhattan hedge fund; a Peace Corps Volunteer in Africa; a junior administrator at Cartier; an au pair in Paris; etc. I have never taken a writing class or a single painting lesson.
Just goes to show you that if you speak fluent French and have an extremely very low tolerance for boredom, you are guaranteed a wonderfully meandering career path.
All my books go very well with a glass of wine, but my blog can be paired with a cup of tea as well as a flute of champagne. Join us every Friday for a watercolor lesson, some behind-the-scenes tales about the publishing business, maybe a voyage to someplace far away, and definitely some crankiness about the way of the world.
I would make a great Boss of Everybody because I have the right job experience: I've been a Faberge expert for Christie's auction house in New York; a hotel maid in Reno (Nevada); the Bio-terrorism Administrator for the Tea Association of the USA; a book store clerk (in a mall!); a receptionist for a Manhattan hedge fund; a Peace Corps Volunteer in Africa; a junior administrator at Cartier; an au pair in Paris; etc. I have never taken a writing class or a single painting lesson.
Just goes to show you that if you speak fluent French and have an extremely very low tolerance for boredom, you are guaranteed a wonderfully meandering career path.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
July 31, 2025
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.
May 2, 2021
Oh, I was really looking forward to reading this. I love illustrated books, memoirs, and anything to do with France, especially now of all times, when travel isn’t going to be happening any time soon.
This is basically a travel journal of the author’s honeymoon and it was just okay. The writing wasn’t interesting. It was unorganized and choppy. I normally love watercolor illustrations, but even those weren’t really to my liking. While reading it, I was honestly looking forward to it coming to an end. This seldom happens to me with books like this.
I didn't engage with the author and didn’t care for the way that she portrayed her husband either. Some other reviewers pointed out that it was odd how much time she and her husband would spend apart on their honeymoon of all things. I had the same exact thought. To each their own, I guess.
All in all, she just rubbed me the wrong way. She came off as arrogant and stuck up, considering herself an expert in all things French, never mind the tiresome narrative that France and Europe are the best and America sucks. Gosh, I am so tired of hearing that attitude.
If you’re looking for some books on France, there are far better books out there.
My Life in France is one of my favorites.
Flirting with French was enjoyable.
This coffee-table book on Monet's House is gorgeous!
Given my low rating, there are some quotes that I liked regardless.
She describes laundromats as “a delightful experience in any foreign country.”
Yes! I love visiting laundromats wherever we go. I have so many memories and have had conversations with the most interesting people. I hate washing clothes in the hotel sink. It’s too much work, and then there’s that nasty wet laundry smell. My favorite laundromats are the ones that are obviously the most convenient, where you can drop off your clothes and pick them up later. That way, it doesn’t take up too much time and you can get on with sightseeing or whatever.
Liver Pate
“The flavors are so much more mischievous than anything I normally tolerate. With each bite, I taste velvet dresses I’ve never owned, poems I should know by heart, the life I might have had if I’d been born on the Ile-de-France instead of Montana.” – That last part, here we go again. I guess the grass is perpetually greener on the other side. I shared that, since I really liked the rest of her description about liver pate.
This is basically a travel journal of the author’s honeymoon and it was just okay. The writing wasn’t interesting. It was unorganized and choppy. I normally love watercolor illustrations, but even those weren’t really to my liking. While reading it, I was honestly looking forward to it coming to an end. This seldom happens to me with books like this.
I didn't engage with the author and didn’t care for the way that she portrayed her husband either. Some other reviewers pointed out that it was odd how much time she and her husband would spend apart on their honeymoon of all things. I had the same exact thought. To each their own, I guess.
All in all, she just rubbed me the wrong way. She came off as arrogant and stuck up, considering herself an expert in all things French, never mind the tiresome narrative that France and Europe are the best and America sucks. Gosh, I am so tired of hearing that attitude.
If you’re looking for some books on France, there are far better books out there.
My Life in France is one of my favorites.
Flirting with French was enjoyable.
This coffee-table book on Monet's House is gorgeous!
Given my low rating, there are some quotes that I liked regardless.
She describes laundromats as “a delightful experience in any foreign country.”
Yes! I love visiting laundromats wherever we go. I have so many memories and have had conversations with the most interesting people. I hate washing clothes in the hotel sink. It’s too much work, and then there’s that nasty wet laundry smell. My favorite laundromats are the ones that are obviously the most convenient, where you can drop off your clothes and pick them up later. That way, it doesn’t take up too much time and you can get on with sightseeing or whatever.
Liver Pate
“The flavors are so much more mischievous than anything I normally tolerate. With each bite, I taste velvet dresses I’ve never owned, poems I should know by heart, the life I might have had if I’d been born on the Ile-de-France instead of Montana.” – That last part, here we go again. I guess the grass is perpetually greener on the other side. I shared that, since I really liked the rest of her description about liver pate.
August 22, 2020
"Every road trip has its ups and downs, just like a love affair or the stock market. But more like a love affair."
I enjoyed Vivian Swift's quirky account of her French honeymoon, structured around the parallels she draws between a road trip with a loved one and the stages of a romantic relationship.
Swift and her new husband, James, travel from their home in America to Paris before setting out to explore Normandy, Brittany and Bordeaux, before returning to the capital via the Loire Valley. Swift first travelled to Paris as a young adult, and returned to live there for a time in her 20s. Her knowledge and understanding of French culture, while not native, is extensive and respectful. She is in her late 40s and her husband in his early 50s when she returns for the honeymoon which is the subject of this book. Approaching the half-century myself, I found her perspective relevant and in accord with my own experience of travel in (young) middle age.
The book is comprehensively illustrated with Swift's own whimsical watercolour illustrations which are perfectly matched to the feel of the book.
Illustration from Le Road Trip: Vivian Swift
While I enjoyed the armchair travel experience to many areas and attractions I have visited myself, and others I'd love to get to one day, I felt Swift's writing was most evocative and amusing when she ventures outside the purview of the travel guide and into the inevitable irritations and downsides of travel - whole days spent in transit, attractions which fail to live up to expectations and the friction that is unavoidable when you're in another human's company 24/7 over a 3-week period. The impression is of real, fallible and occasionally irritable, people going for a trip somewhere beautiful but challenging.
The parallels Swift draws between the stages of a trip and a developing relationship are also very clever. Haven't we all experienced that euphoric rose-coloured feeling, so similar to the first stages of infatuation, upon arrival in a much-anticipated new destination? Isn't it a relief when we reach that stage of a trip where the logistical challenges have slotted into some sort of predictable routine, not unlike the stage of a relationship where we've settled into comfort zone with a partner?
The book also draws on the experience of other travellers, with many relevant and frequently amusing quotes from classical travellers and writers sprinkled through Swift's own travelogue.
This was a light and amusing read, which took me on an evocative virtual journey around Paris and Western France - just the thing for this strange year of staying at home waiting out the Covid-19 pandemic.
Highly recommended.
I enjoyed Vivian Swift's quirky account of her French honeymoon, structured around the parallels she draws between a road trip with a loved one and the stages of a romantic relationship.
Swift and her new husband, James, travel from their home in America to Paris before setting out to explore Normandy, Brittany and Bordeaux, before returning to the capital via the Loire Valley. Swift first travelled to Paris as a young adult, and returned to live there for a time in her 20s. Her knowledge and understanding of French culture, while not native, is extensive and respectful. She is in her late 40s and her husband in his early 50s when she returns for the honeymoon which is the subject of this book. Approaching the half-century myself, I found her perspective relevant and in accord with my own experience of travel in (young) middle age.
The book is comprehensively illustrated with Swift's own whimsical watercolour illustrations which are perfectly matched to the feel of the book.
Illustration from Le Road Trip: Vivian SwiftWhile I enjoyed the armchair travel experience to many areas and attractions I have visited myself, and others I'd love to get to one day, I felt Swift's writing was most evocative and amusing when she ventures outside the purview of the travel guide and into the inevitable irritations and downsides of travel - whole days spent in transit, attractions which fail to live up to expectations and the friction that is unavoidable when you're in another human's company 24/7 over a 3-week period. The impression is of real, fallible and occasionally irritable, people going for a trip somewhere beautiful but challenging.
The parallels Swift draws between the stages of a trip and a developing relationship are also very clever. Haven't we all experienced that euphoric rose-coloured feeling, so similar to the first stages of infatuation, upon arrival in a much-anticipated new destination? Isn't it a relief when we reach that stage of a trip where the logistical challenges have slotted into some sort of predictable routine, not unlike the stage of a relationship where we've settled into comfort zone with a partner?
The book also draws on the experience of other travellers, with many relevant and frequently amusing quotes from classical travellers and writers sprinkled through Swift's own travelogue.
This was a light and amusing read, which took me on an evocative virtual journey around Paris and Western France - just the thing for this strange year of staying at home waiting out the Covid-19 pandemic.
Highly recommended.
September 7, 2015
I always think that reading books about travel will satisfy my own itch to hit the road. It doesn't, of course. It makes it worse. It reminds me of the places I haven't seen, the things I haven't done, the stuff I missed last time, the places I want to revisit. It's frustrating, wanting to travel but lacking the funds. Even though reading books like this makes me desperate to go somewhere that's else, they're still better than nothing at all.
Le Road Trip was a delight to read. Vivian Swift is not one of these capital t Travelers who ascends her pedestal and sets down her traveling commandments from on high. She has been many places, she has lived overseas, and she does value a non-tourist experience, but she's not obnoxious about it. She encourages travelers to dress like themselves, even in Paris. She points out that the very image-focused, Franco-centric French won't want to get to know you regardless of how you dress, so you may as well enjoy the American laid-backness and be casual. Tottering through Paris on stilettos will not make for a memorable experience, especially since it won't even really win you French approval. She also encourages travelers to try new things, but not feel bad about avoiding stuff that squicks you out, like eels. She says to abandon the schedule. Expect things to go wrong. Enjoy the moment. This is all stuff that resonates with me. I loved her advice.
The best part, though, is the memoir. She writes about this trip with such affection that it's impossible not to be charmed. It's hard to resist the urge to try recreating their trip, instead of making your own. (Although making your own experiences is always better.) And her sketches and watercolors really bring the journey to life. Makes me wish I had artistic leanings.
The one thing I walk away with, though... the thing I'm desperate to try, is the DIY scrapbook out of index cards. You tape index cards together, fold them like an accordion, and then all along your journey attach stamps and tickets and the little bits and pieces you acquire on your trip. Instant space-saving memento! It's on my to-do list for my next big trip. It'll be either London, Iceland, or Norway, I think...
Le Road Trip was a delight to read. Vivian Swift is not one of these capital t Travelers who ascends her pedestal and sets down her traveling commandments from on high. She has been many places, she has lived overseas, and she does value a non-tourist experience, but she's not obnoxious about it. She encourages travelers to dress like themselves, even in Paris. She points out that the very image-focused, Franco-centric French won't want to get to know you regardless of how you dress, so you may as well enjoy the American laid-backness and be casual. Tottering through Paris on stilettos will not make for a memorable experience, especially since it won't even really win you French approval. She also encourages travelers to try new things, but not feel bad about avoiding stuff that squicks you out, like eels. She says to abandon the schedule. Expect things to go wrong. Enjoy the moment. This is all stuff that resonates with me. I loved her advice.
The best part, though, is the memoir. She writes about this trip with such affection that it's impossible not to be charmed. It's hard to resist the urge to try recreating their trip, instead of making your own. (Although making your own experiences is always better.) And her sketches and watercolors really bring the journey to life. Makes me wish I had artistic leanings.
The one thing I walk away with, though... the thing I'm desperate to try, is the DIY scrapbook out of index cards. You tape index cards together, fold them like an accordion, and then all along your journey attach stamps and tickets and the little bits and pieces you acquire on your trip. Instant space-saving memento! It's on my to-do list for my next big trip. It'll be either London, Iceland, or Norway, I think...
September 26, 2012
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 tired of the whole "everyon else is so capitalist, they don't know how to enjoy the world, I know better, bla bla"
Anyhow, let's get past that, because maybe it was just my impression, and let's get on to the good stuff. This book was BEAUTIFUL. Never in my life have I wanted to travel so much. I've been to lots of places (France included) but the way Vivian Swift sees travelling, the way she compares it to being in love, it's just amazing.
My favorite type of illustrations (watercolors, which I love to paint) made the experience all the more special. It's like walking barefoot on grass. It's a comfortable, delicious, relaxing book. It came right when it should, I've been so anxious and so busy and along comes this gift, this random thing I picked up at a bookstore in one of those days you're feeling romantic and adventurous.
It makes you want to sit at a cafe in the middle of an old city, eating chocolate pie and reading a book while looking at the beach. It makes you thing about how life has these wonderful little moments, these things we overlook, these things we have to look forward to.
I loved it. Pick it up. Read it. Get lost.
You won't be sorry.
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 tired of the whole "everyon else is so capitalist, they don't know how to enjoy the world, I know better, bla bla"
Anyhow, let's get past that, because maybe it was just my impression, and let's get on to the good stuff. This book was BEAUTIFUL. Never in my life have I wanted to travel so much. I've been to lots of places (France included) but the way Vivian Swift sees travelling, the way she compares it to being in love, it's just amazing.
My favorite type of illustrations (watercolors, which I love to paint) made the experience all the more special. It's like walking barefoot on grass. It's a comfortable, delicious, relaxing book. It came right when it should, I've been so anxious and so busy and along comes this gift, this random thing I picked up at a bookstore in one of those days you're feeling romantic and adventurous.
It makes you want to sit at a cafe in the middle of an old city, eating chocolate pie and reading a book while looking at the beach. It makes you thing about how life has these wonderful little moments, these things we overlook, these things we have to look forward to.
I loved it. Pick it up. Read it. Get lost.
You won't be sorry.
March 9, 2018
I wanted this book to be better. I love illustrated stories. I love books about France. I love traveling vicariously through other peoples stories. There was just something about the writing of this book that left me feeling disconnected. I was not invested in the narrative. I couldn't picture myself traveling through France (which is tough considering I was provided with illustrations for everything). I just didn't care. The illustrations were fun. The story idea was good. The execution just was just lacking the connection that I was looking for.
November 23, 2015
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.
September 22, 2012
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.
July 2, 2012
"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.
December 7, 2017
A memoir of life, love, and travel, filled with good advice for all three, and accompanied by beautiful watercolor illustrations. This hit me right in my wanderlust feels and also gave me some happy sighs remembering my own trip to Paris a few years ago.
July 10, 2012
Love the illustrations! Hard to read as a book, but fun to skip around in.
June 15, 2016
The only thing that saved this book were the wonderful watercolor illustrations.
September 7, 2021
What a fun journey! I wish I had the talent to illustrate my journals or remember my travels like this... Lovely.
September 11, 2020
The author's drawings and paintings are nice and do remind me of France which is why I gave this 2 stars. If it weren't for the artwork though, I probably would've ranked it lower. It's basically a scrapbook/diary and not even a really interesting one. On a rare occasion something humorous will happen, but it's mostly just mundane, whiny, and disjointed. Also, it's super weird that two people on a honeymoon spend so much time apart doing independent activities. Maybe I don't know what I'm talking about, but my 26-year, first and only, marriage begs to differ.
One thing that really bothered me was her stereotyping of the French. Paraphrase: "Oh, the French are rude and will hate you because of your poor French accent if you even try to speak it." Having visited France on multiple occasions, I wholeheartedly disagree. Other than one shop worker who decided to close early, no one in France was ever rude to me or my companions. And they greatly appreciated our efforts at speaking French because it's just polite to try to embrace the culture of the land you're visiting, add they appreciate politeness.
Another thing that bothered me was her anti-American sentiments. She mentioned that most Americans at the time pretended to be Canadian instead. (I don't believe that's true.) She also responded to a taxi driver, when he asked if they were American, "yes, but we didn't vote for George Bush". I have a couple of thoughts about this. 1. If you're ashamed to be an American, either stay home so you don't have to endure the embarrassment in public *eye roll*, or go become a citizen of somewhere else. Maybe then you'll appreciate what you had as an American. 2. Know your audience. The taxi driver who asked the question was in Normandy. The Normans LOVE Americans because we saved their asses. (I mean, really we saved all of France's asses (with help from friends, of course), but the Normans saw it first-hand and haven't forgotten.) You would think that she would be aware of the Normans' predilection towards Americans since, as she so frequently reminds us, she lived in France for a while and this is basically a homecoming for her. 3. Keep your politics out of an apolitical book unless you'd like to distance yourself from about half of your home-based audience.
If you want to read a better book/memoir about France that is a truer representation of its people and culture, check out "How to Make a French Family" by Samantha Vérant.
One thing that really bothered me was her stereotyping of the French. Paraphrase: "Oh, the French are rude and will hate you because of your poor French accent if you even try to speak it." Having visited France on multiple occasions, I wholeheartedly disagree. Other than one shop worker who decided to close early, no one in France was ever rude to me or my companions. And they greatly appreciated our efforts at speaking French because it's just polite to try to embrace the culture of the land you're visiting, add they appreciate politeness.
Another thing that bothered me was her anti-American sentiments. She mentioned that most Americans at the time pretended to be Canadian instead. (I don't believe that's true.) She also responded to a taxi driver, when he asked if they were American, "yes, but we didn't vote for George Bush". I have a couple of thoughts about this. 1. If you're ashamed to be an American, either stay home so you don't have to endure the embarrassment in public *eye roll*, or go become a citizen of somewhere else. Maybe then you'll appreciate what you had as an American. 2. Know your audience. The taxi driver who asked the question was in Normandy. The Normans LOVE Americans because we saved their asses. (I mean, really we saved all of France's asses (with help from friends, of course), but the Normans saw it first-hand and haven't forgotten.) You would think that she would be aware of the Normans' predilection towards Americans since, as she so frequently reminds us, she lived in France for a while and this is basically a homecoming for her. 3. Keep your politics out of an apolitical book unless you'd like to distance yourself from about half of your home-based audience.
If you want to read a better book/memoir about France that is a truer representation of its people and culture, check out "How to Make a French Family" by Samantha Vérant.
Read
March 2, 2016This book is a great read both because the information is interesting, but also because the art is beautiful and fun. I love the water colors in this book. They are so pretty and make me feel like each one is a postcard from the place Vivian Swift is talking about. What I love about this book is how it marries (no pun intended) love/marriage with travel. I think the two go together well and the two relate to each other well. And Swift manages to combine both her personal experiences with real life facts about travel, about marriage, and about specific places. The travel tips in this book are great. I am totally going to borrow the index card idea on the next trip I take. As someone who has done solo traveling as well as traveling with my husband, I can relate to so many of the experiences and memories that Swift had. I really enjoy how real she is about traveling with her husband. How he is the most wonderful travel partner and then sometimes he takes off his shirt and wears it on his head and she is not sure if that is for comfort or for fashion. I loved that. Some of Swift's travel experiences are like mine so it was nice to read about someone who isn't always drawn to the major sites just to see the sites. But like some of the other readers here, I did find her a bit snobby at times. Actually, I am not sure if snobby is the right word, there was an air of something I couldn't quite put my finger on and it leaned toward snobby. I found that to be a bit of a turn off at times. But her humor and practical advice more than made up for it. I love that this is not only a travel memoir but also sort of a guidebook. You don't find that too often. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to travel to France, especially to the regions that she went to. I also would recommend this to anyone who wants to travel in general.
August 16, 2012
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 stories. Her notes on France and the French people sound very accurate to me, very objective too: she does not hesitate highlighting some neat encounter in the countryside somewhere, but also how some Parisians can be a pest with tourists.
- and then, it is so beautifully illustrated by the...
To read my full review, please got to:
http://wordsandpeace.com/2012/08/16/i...
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 stories. Her notes on France and the French people sound very accurate to me, very objective too: she does not hesitate highlighting some neat encounter in the countryside somewhere, but also how some Parisians can be a pest with tourists.
- and then, it is so beautifully illustrated by the...
To read my full review, please got to:
http://wordsandpeace.com/2012/08/16/i...
October 13, 2014
This little travel book is a joy to read. The author has provided a combination of travel journal, diary and marriage guide about her extended honeymoon trip around France in her late forties. There is so much here to enjoy and appreciate; I've read it three time already, and I'm not one to revisit a book once finished. If the text weren't enough, it's richly illustrated with her hand-drawn and colorful pictures any one of which would be a treasure to frame and keep at your desk. On some pages, there are several, such as three scenes of the Seine at twilight. Absolutely gorgeous, all of them. I marvel at how she achieved the skies, the bricks of old castles, the scenery. And equally as remarkable, the entire text of the book has been typeset by hand by the author. And we did purchase this book at an independent bookstore of the type to which the author says she owes her success. A modern day treasure.
August 6, 2012
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 Parisian balcony bathed in l'heure bleue. Then there are her idiosyncratic musings that range far and wide, from songbirds in a private forest to getting lost in Brittany. The book was over all too soon.
December 25, 2015
Having been to France several times and heading there again in 2016 inspired me to read this book. I liked it. It was entertaining at times and the watercolors were charming. On the other hand at times there were pages that did not fit into the book at all and I wondered how /why they appeared. In my mind I could nit help comparing this book with Susan Branch's "A Fine Romance". Both books are about a newly married/anniversary celebrating couple traveling in Europe. I think the Susan Branch book has much more charm and is also shorter which would have been a good thing with this book too. Still, if you love France this book is highly recommended.
May 16, 2012
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 recommend it.
July 27, 2012
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!
November 3, 2012
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.
April 5, 2013
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 ;)
May 31, 2015
A charming hand-illustrated travelogue of the author's travels by way of honeymoon up and down the north and west of France. Some of it is light as meringue but there are a few episodes that touch profundities concerning relationships and the meaning of why some people love to travel. It isn't all happiness and sunshine and bliss but the missteps along the way help keep things grounded. I read it as part of my preparation for my own vacation in France this year and found it charming.
January 10, 2017
This book is about far more than traveling in France with a spouse, although it is filled with first-hand, researched and reflective interesting experiences. It is about acknowledging and accepting ones time and place. Get to know where you are and what is there. Take what you learn from Swift in this book to observe your place, wherever you are, with an eye for pattern, repetition, contrast, harmony and elegance.
October 6, 2016
Swift narrates her honeymoon in a series of vignettes, line drawings, and charming water colors. She includes a few flashbacks to earlier travels as well. Swift likens traveling to romance--it entices us with anticipation, it infatuates us, it sometimes gets tough, and sometimes it gets comfortable. Swift has awakened my own wanderlust.
She also makes me wish I could draw and paint. Her pictures capture something that photographs cannot.
She also makes me wish I could draw and paint. Her pictures capture something that photographs cannot.
June 5, 2012
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!
January 8, 2013
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.
June 1, 2013
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.
July 27, 2013
I read an actual hardcover book from the library! I don't think this would've worked as well for me in another format.
This is delightful tale of an illustration artist's honeymoon road-trip through Paris, Normandy, Brittany, Bordeaux, with a brief stop in the Loire. Fit with my current research needs as far as inspiration goes, and held quite a few gems on travel.
This is delightful tale of an illustration artist's honeymoon road-trip through Paris, Normandy, Brittany, Bordeaux, with a brief stop in the Loire. Fit with my current research needs as far as inspiration goes, and held quite a few gems on travel.
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