All Good Things: From Paris to Tahiti: Life and Longing

by Sarah Turnbull

In this lushly written follow-up to Almost French , Sarah Turnbull explores a new Tahiti.

Having shared her story in her bestselling memoir, Almost French , Australian writer Sarah Turnbull seemed to have had more than her fair share of dreams come true. While Sarah went on to carve out an idyllic life in Paris with her husband, Frederic, there was still one dream she was beginning to fear might be impossible—starting a family. Then out of the blue an opportunity to embark on another adventure offered a new beginning—and new hope. Leaving behind life in the world’s most romantic and beautiful city was never going to be easy. But it helps when your destination is another paradise on Tahiti.

Genres: Travel, Memoir, Nonfiction, France, Biography, Parenting, Australia

336 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2013

Reviews

[Lauri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, but not nearly as much as Sarah Turnbull's first one. After over ten years in Paris, Sarah and Frederic move to Tahiti, where his company has opened an office; as Frederic heads to the office on the ferry each day, Sarah has plans to work on her novel. I loved the descriptions of the islands/atolls and the sometimes confusing interactions with the native Tahitians; it was eye-opening to think of living in the South Pacific, which most of us associate with paradise, as an isolating experience. However, much of Sarah's focus, during their time in Tahiti as well as throughout much of the book, is on the couple's struggles with unwanted childlessness and infertility. In fact, the book is as much an introspective as it is a travel memoir. Readers should be aware of this, since I was somewhat unprepared for it. Overall, the book doesn't have the humor or charm of the first one, despite Sarah's enjoyable writing style and her cross-cultural insights.

[Helen King · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely book - a gentle journey to a new country, a new life, and attempts to realise a dream of the couple (which I won't give away). The descriptions of the local area, the swimming, the interactions, the challenges with shared aspirations that are not coming to fruition - all are treated beautifully.

Just finished, and loved the final notes, but wanted to capture these two descriptions. This first, from Tahitian life, because I have never heard this feeling of emotional flatness described in this way:

'J'etait fiu': the last word, 'fiu', was Tahitian. Pronounced 'phew', everyone on these islands knew exactly what it means. She was fed up / over it / over everything. What had caused Nelly to feel this way she didn't say: there could be one reaon or many or none easily identifiable. The expression refers to a state of mind that might account for a for a decision to spend the day in bed or to walk out on a husband or wife or simply disappear for a while, perhaps to an outer island to stay with relatives. A local psychiatrist who studies the condition likened it to depression. Importantly, instead of denying it or maintaining appearances, Polynesians allow themselves to succumb to it. Just like the wet season rains, feeling fiu is considered a normal part of the life cycle and it is understood it will pass eventually.'

And the second? 'What made me leave Australia in my mid twenties was a desire to be pulled out of my comfort zone, exposed to something exciting and new. In a foreign culture daily life retains a frisson of novelty...Now at forty, I longed for the intimacy of old friendships. I wanted to put down roots ... An Australian friend who lived for years in London put it this way in an email: 'Sooner or later we yearn for the one place we don't need to constantly explain ourselves'.

[Randee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read Ms. Turnbull's memoir "Almost French" several years ago and loved it. Her life in Paris after moving from her home country of Australia read like a particularly interesting combination of diary/travelogue. My copy actually is in a bookcase of my very favorite books. So, I was delighted to find another book recounting her move from Paris to Tahiti. I didn't find it as interesting and this might be for several reasons. To be fair, Paris is more interesting than Tahiti to me. But, I believe the bigger reason I found this less interesting is that a major portion of the book is about her and her husband's efforts to conceive a child. If I had known this, I might not have read it. Having children holds no interest for me and I felt disappointed in that I felt this was almost a misrepresentation of the core topic, especially since her first book was about her love affair with the city of Paris. I like travel writing and expected this to be more along those lines.

[Erika Daniels · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was mildly enjoyable but did not hold my interest throughout. Usually I enjoy memoirs--especially ones that take the writer to various parts of the globe. With All Good Things, though, I couldn't figure out what point Sarah Turnbull was trying to make. The historical information about and physical descriptions of Tahiti were interesting but dragged on a little too long. Her struggles with infertility were poignant, but it seemed like she was trying to hard to be existential in her descriptions of the emotional journey. All told, I didn't dislike the book so much as I just couldn't find much in it with which to engage.

[Jenny Esots · Rating 4 out of 5]

All Good Things
Another book that reflects on the microcosm of living on an island (have just read The Light Between Oceans). The author reflects on Tahiti and Australia as islands and is able to incorporate research without it being an onerous task for the reader.
But also the comparison to France, which looms large, as they emigrate from their home in France. Well this is her adopted home, having a French husband ‘Freddie’.
This searching for a place to call home surfaces throughout.
It seems that she is in the fortunate position of having a partner with a well-paying job (lawyer). Which gives her a ticket to Tahiti and time to write.
France is where he doesn’t have to explain himself, to use my friend’s expression. Australia is that place for me. P. 314.
It is about finding a sense of place, which turns out is a nebulous concept. As the sense of place adapts. Australia, France, Tahiti, Australia.
The author relates ‘Yet Australia is where I grew up, mostly; here my nationality is of no interest to anyone. Of all the places in the world it is where I stand out the least’.
The book focuses on the wanting to have a child and the perils of having IVF.
The raising and dashing of hopes.
The lighting of prayer candles, despite being agnostic/ambivalent? Or having a bet each way.
Being drawn to the Notre Dame des Victories.
This is a very successful memoir. It equates to a wander along beside someone who writes of their trauma and triumphs so well. You can see yourself on in the waters of Tahiti as you contemplate a dive. Or the streets of Sydney, finding the IVF clinic.
So the topics centre on; Fertility, country, home, sense of place, Tahiti’s heritage, motherhood.
The stories open up, but to quote the author ‘Miracles do happen’. P 28.

[Danfam · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dull & boring. She has a very lucky life to be able to not work bc her husband can afford it & living in great places but this book with all the blah blah blah about not having a child & then all the blah blah blah about ivf, doctors,appointment, & endless descriptions about pregnancy birth & the child is so boring. I'd rather have read a pregnancy book if I wanted to hear all about that. I loved reading her first book & so this was terribly disappointing.

[Doody Richards · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unlike her previous 'Almost French', Turnbull takes us to her much more 'intimate' personal life about living in a little island; beautifully narrated. As life goes on a little island, the story is rather relaxing, a bit lazy, and flat. For me the most boring bit is talking about an effort to get a baby. I should have skipped that part.

[Santhi · Rating 4 out of 5]

#LitWorld2018GB - French Polynesia /Tahiti
Across continents and the South Pacific... It's been a fantastic eye-opener to worlds beyond land

[Bibliophilic Word Nerd · Rating 2 out of 5]

You may have noticed how long I've been trying to finish this book. So, yes, it was okay, but didn't really interest me. That said, I'm not a did-not-finish person. So I plodded through. There was one chapter near the end that saved me because it grabbed my interest. Something happened. Hooray!

The book was well-written. But there were too many descriptions of blue lagoons, smooth water, fish, sunsets, and all of that. Endless descriptions. Nothing happening.

Not my cup of tea. Would I recommend it? *sigh* No. If memoirs are your thing, and you enjoy lots of descriptive prose, sure, give it a go. Otherwise, read about someone who is more interesting.

[Darlene · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was not a bad read. Different from what I usually read. At times it did not hold my interest, but I kept reading it because I wanted to finish it to see how it ended. Not reading the first one by this author, perhaps I missed some of the story that followed into this one. I do find that authors from other countries, such as England, Ireland, they don't hold my interest in how they write. I have read other books and felt the same why as I did about this one. The story was good. The writer told about the lives of a couple that meet, married and lived in Paris. Then moved to Tahiti because of the husbands job. She was a writer and thought she could finish her book there. Also, they were trying to have a baby and had underwent numerous IVF treatments through the years and then just when they gave up hope, she ended up pregnant. That was a happy part of the story and I myself, if writing a memoir, probably would have spent more time writing about the ups and downs of what they went through and how it may have affected the marriage. I did feel that some pieces in the book probably could have been left out. I could relate to the mother when her son had hurt himself and she was trying to do everything she thought was right. For I have faced something like that myself and for most women, their mother instincts kick in even if they never had them before. You could feel the hurt she experienced and the guilt as well. I was glad that the father did not blame the mother for what happened. I did think that they might stay in Tahiti when his job fell through that took them to Australia, but they went ahead and left and decided to tour around Australia before settling in to a normal life again. Maybe I will read the first book and it may give me a better understanding of this one. Like I said, this wasn't a bad read, just not what I am used to.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

What a disappointment after Almost French. This is not a travel book, it's an infertility book. The details on Tahiti were rather lacking, and the book was mostly about her struggle to get pregnant. Not a topic I'm particularly interested in or can relate to. I struggled to finish it.

It's also not very well written. Lots of repeated details and several repeated anecdotes.

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Turnbull's memoir, Almost French, about living in Paris and was looking forward to catching up with her. Unfortunately, this memoir of her moving to Tahiti with her husband didn't hold my attention very well. Guess Tahiti isn't the place for me.

[Steph · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was not what I expected. Almost French was so good. This one was more about her wanting a baby and her fertility issues. I found it a bit tedious.

[G.L. Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not a travel book. A book where real people live in different places. A five star read.

I found it a bit hard to get into, but after a while I was captivated by this book. The Australian author and her French husband live in Paris, then Tahiti, then Australia. And they really live there - life with its ups and downs, its beauties and its ugliness. Turnbull's magic is to describe every day things and make us see them in a different light. Her descriptions are wonderful. A five star read.

[Marianna Sharktooth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story about a woman who wants, needs, lingers, prays with the might of her insides. Sarah's story about moving to Tahiti with her husband, while absolutely and painfully wanting to become a mother. This was the subject, the theme, the main issue... so, when there was talk of famous people traveling in Tahiti, however poetic, I just wanted to scream; "please let's just get to the point!".
Sarah Turnbull writes wonderfully, and I really wish her well, for all she's been through.
Oh, and "Orama" means the same in greek too.

[Liralen · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Almost French, Turnbull described a change in pace from Australia to France; here, she describes another change in pace, this time to Tahiti, where she and her (French) husband temporarily relocated. Much of Turnbull's experience had to do with the fact that she was struggling with infertility. She wanted to write a novel and she wanted to have a baby, and neither was proving easy.

It's a pretty quiet book, this one. Setting aside a few external trials and tribulations, most of the tension is internal; even when it comes to infertility, it's less a question of can I get pregnant here (they were viewing Tahiti largely as a break from trying) and more a question of how do I deal if I can't. I read the book for the travel aspect, but...how do I put this? As somebody who doesn't have much interest in either pregnancy or island life, this wasn't a great fit for me.

Turnbull ultimately, in this book, gets some of what she wants. There's quite a lot in here that she certainly never planned or expected to be part of the story, and I wonder whether she wrestled with where to end the book. Do you end in Tahiti, when things are going so well? Do you skip the trauma that comes late, late in the book? Do you write about driving around Australia? (In case you're wondering, her answers were no, no, and sort of.) I wonder if there is another memoir yet to come from Turnbull.

[Sherry Mackay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gave this book 3 stars but it is a bit generous of me. Nowhere on the cover or the fly piece does it mention that most of the book is about the couple's IVF attempts, and their subsequent child being born. I am not really interested in this aspect of her life, and feel a bit cheated that there was no hint of the book's content in this regard. As I have a sister in law who is married to a Frenchman, lives in France and has a half French son, I was interested to read about the cultural differences and difficulties of being torn between 2 countries as I feel my sis-in-law must also be. I did read this quickly as it was an easy read, and fairly enjoyable, just a bit different to what I had expected.

[Luna Blue · Rating 3 out of 5]

After 'Almost French' I waited years and years for Sarah's next book. But I guess after writing Almost French so brilliantly, the second book was bound to disappoint.
Even so, I would will always purchase any book written by Sarah, just because of how much I loved Almost French.
Her descriptions of life in Tahiti are exceptional, you can smell the flowers, the beach as you read. You can feel the night air on your skin. I just found the story line revolving around her trying to get pregnant tedious. I would have preferred a novel about life in Tahiti not a novel about infertility, set in Tahiti.
However I would say, give this Author a go, if you haven't already. At the very least, by the end of it, you could say you have been to Tahiti.

[Laila · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won an advanced reader copy of this through a Goodreads giveaway.

I wanted to like this memoir more than I did. Initially I thought I'd be interested in learning about Tahiti, and I had enjoyed her first memoir Almost French. This is a much more personal book, in that she explores her infertility issues and struggles, as well as her experience of writer's block. She also includes some tidbits of French Polynesian history, highlighting the artist widely associated with Tahiti, Paul Gaughin. It's all sort of a mish-mash, however, and I thought it was clunky - just too much. Life on the island, the cultural and social interactions with Tahitians, that was very interesting.

[Philippa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Almost French when I first read it all those years ago, in 2003, not quite living the life I'd envisioned for myself. Over a decade later, here's the follow up and it's as charming, engaging and perceptive as Sarah Turnbull's first. And I think I identify with the stories she shares in All Good Things even more.....for at its heart, this book is about longing, in many of its forms - longing for a child, a family, adventure, home; creative longing; and BElonging. Any expat who has been gone from their country a long time will find themselves nodding along to a lot of Turnbull's thoughts and observations. I loved it.

[Nicole Campbell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a hard book to read. It felt disjointed, like the author was trying to pack so many things into the story but lost her way somehow. I found my myself drifting off and thinking of other things as I was reading it. She annoyed me a lot as well, and came across as full of self pity and poor me but in actual fact she has had a better life than many people and she has experienced a lot in life that most people only dream about.

[Kati · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun account of another move to a faraway, strange locale and the wonder that every new culture and people brings into one's own understanding of life and what is important. This memoir is honest and moves quickly from jubilation, to loneliness, to fear and loving attention. Really brings home the fact that a vibrant life is one that accepts changes and challenges because you know that you will grow from each step.

[Bonnie Franks · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did not read this author's book Almost French. I did understand her feelings for France from reading this book. I felt she was great at describing her surroundings, the customs, her feelings toward new and unusual circumstances. I also appreciated her frustration during her process of IVF. While this is not my usual style of book, I have to say I enjoyed it as the writing is good and the story mostly flowed.

[Lisa Houlihan]

Eh. This lacks cohesion or unifying theme. Unfairly, ignorantly, I group it with Eat Pray Love and Wild: Polynesia, Indonesia, potato, tomato, with some hiking, or I don't read much memoir and those are the only two recent enough to associate with this. She's less annoying than either of those women but if there's anything less interesting or compelling to me than a stranger's infertility treatments I don't want to know. (Yours is fascinating.)

[Irene Waters · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very different book from Almost French but equally as enjoyable. Her trials and thought processes regarding her desire to conceive were spot on as were the sidelines on French Polynesia. Gaugin and Matisse created a joining thread between island life, desire for children and writer's block.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book, but for very personal reasons. We were going on vacation to Moorea and I sought out a beach read to take along. It was a surreal experience to read the author's descriptions of the island and lagoon while lounging over that very lagoon and staring at the island's peaks.

As I continued reading, though, I was stunned that the memoir about moving to a new tropical home was actually a journal of her infertility battles. I had just finished a round of IVF and was looking for an escapist travel memoir and was speechless that I had landed on an account of exactly what I had just been through. Her writing was pitch perfect about what it's like to struggle through infertility and I was moved by multiple passages that summed up the entire experience. Although I had to stop reading once she was successful in her treatments, as I'm not there yet and reading her happy passages brought out uncomfortable feelings, I really enjoyed reading about her personal experiences and reflections on infertility.

Honestly, the book is mis-marketed/wrongly advertised. If you're interested in travel to Tahiti, it does an ok job covering the islands and inspiring travel lust. But it covers more personal experiences with infertility, and you're either interested in that or you're not. And if you're interested in it because you're in the middle of fertility struggles, it might be painful to read a reflection from someone who has been successful and is no longer writing from the depths of the anger, fear and depression of infertility. I stumbled on a story that mirrored my own experience and it elicited a ton of emotion, but if you're just looking for a travel log, this book takes a lot of twists and turns in between that content.

[Katy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have had his book on my to read pile for quite some years. After having read a few fiction books, thought it about time I read a memoir. I have very fond memories of her first book Almost French, and this book has left me feeling the same way.

Before I say anything, I will give a bit of a warning. This book delves into the issue of IVF and all the emotional roller coaster emotions that go along with that journey. So please, if this has been your path in life, you have been forewarned.

This book starts in Paris, and before long due to a job offer, it sees Sarah and her husband move to Tahiti. Confession here, I did not know much about Tahiti on the outset of this book. So it was a wonderful way to explore it, just as Sarah was seeing it for the first time too.

I do love her style of writing, she knows how to capture the colours of life, the bubbles of emotion we feel within us, the excitement and fear all rolled into one as you experience something new.

What I enjoyed most of all, was the connection to the art world, the impact Tahiti had on artists, the contribution it’s beauty had to the creation of some very famous paintings. Her natural beauty of the islands, the colour, the vibrancy ... it’s lush freshness.. Turnbull has captured all this and more.

This book is like taking an island holiday without leaving your couch, and don’t we all need that at the moment!

[Bookish207 · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this book through the Early Reviewers program, and even if I didn't it likely would have been a book I picked up at the bookstore. Would I recommend it to friends after having read it? Nope. While the author deals with some thought-provoking themes such as infertility, the expat life, etc., she honestly just tries.too.hard. It's like she had a thesaurus next to her while writing, and instead of selecting perfectly good descriptive words she pulls in some very flowery language that actually pull the reader out of the story, not deeper into the story. In addition, the first half of the book drags a lot, to the point where I was wondering where the actual story was. If you read this book, the story starts about halfway through, so wait for it.

This one is pretty "meh" in my book. Definitely not one I'd read again.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read Turnbull’s “Almost French” The year before I moved to the UK. I read it four times. I then might have visited her street in Paris and seen her and her dog Maddie, but been too star struck to say hello! “All Good Things” picks up 10 years later. After a decade in Paris Sarah and Fred move to Tahiti to a house on a tropical lagoon. This is just as much about life in paradise as it is about their IVF journey and questioning whether all good things really do come to those who wait. Turnbull has a delightful way with words- maybe because she’s bilingual or maybe just because she’s a writer. There were many phrases I read twice just so soak up the way they sounded. I’m happy to add this to the camp ground library as it’s a perfect beach read. (13_2018)

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my second time reading this book. I decided to visit this old friend (it's only from 2013, so I must have read it sort of recently) in preparation for our trip to Tahiti this fall. This was the book that first made me want to visit Mo'orea. If you're into armchair traveling to a remote, tropical island then I cannot recommend this book enough. The opening scene where she is swimming in a lagoon will be enough to make you want to pack your bags. There's also a lot about their infertility and IVF treatments but that didn't bother me like it seemed to have for some readers. If you like travel memoirs, pick this one up.