A Long Way from Paris

by E.C. Murray

Set in 1980, Elizabeth carves out a life without heat, running water, or even a good grasp of French. Far from her younger days as a New England preppie and Oregon hippie, the challenges of farm work daunt her. She befriends an Australian shepherd, reflects on her spirituality, and muses on the man she left behind. Elizabeth grows stronger as she faces self-doubt while still maintaining her humor. She ekes fun where she can. When tragedy strikes Elizabeth’s adopted family, she summons belief in herself and becomes the leader they desperately need.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, Travel, France

186 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 17, 2014

About the author

Born and bred in New England, I headed west - Ohio, Oregon, France, and finally Washington state. I spent many years working with people with developmental disabilities, married, raised my daughter, and returned to school to study writing. My memoir, set in the mountains of southern France, is "A Long Way from Paris," was named a "Kirkus Best Books of 2014."
Switching genres, I wrote the enthralling mystery, An Unfamiliar Guest, which readers have loved for its twists and turns. Additionally, I wrote two "tiny books non-fiction books"Life Kind of Sucks"unique art and short quips with good ideas of what to do on those "bad hair days, and "Writers Unblocked" with tops by some of Seattle's best authors. I publish a Website for aspiring and accomplished writers, Writers Connection www.writersconnection.org and teach and tutor at Seattle Central College and Tacoma Community College.
www.ecmurray.com
www.writersconnection.org

Reviews

[Brie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book in a Goodreads First Reads contest.

I was really surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. It had me reading it all in one night. It is a memoir about a young woman finding herself in the early 1980's as she herds goats in the French mountains. She is American and just out of a bad relationship with a heavy drinker. She is trying to get herself back and find out who she is by backpacking in Europe. She stumbles into the goat herding job and it really changes her life.

My one issue with the book is in one paragraph, a goat's sex keeps changing from male to female. It was during a throat cutting, slaughter, scene so it made the scene a bit jarring in a way that was not intended.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book and am glad I won it so I got the chance to read it.

[Sheila Blanchette · Rating 5 out of 5]

E.C. Murray had me at the first paragraph.

"We are the generation who raved at the Beatles, coveted San Francisco's Summer of Love and hitchhiked around the world. Born in the 1950's, schooled in the 1960's, we graduated after Vietnam and before AIDS. In September 1980, thousands of us roamed Europe."

I was one of the thousands but no one I know traveled Europe quite like Ms. Murray, as a goatherd in the Lanquedoc region of France. Reading this book, I was transported back to my youth; the music, the clothes, pay telephones and hitchhiking.

If you backpacked through Europe or dream of traveling without a plan or definite destination you will love this book.

[Kristine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this book down. The first scene pulled me in, and although I had no idea where the story would take me, I was in for the ride! The author skillfully wove together her story of becoming an unlikely goatherd, with flashbacks to key events that brought her to that place in her life where she had to decide who she was and what to do next. We witnessed the protagonist's growth as she learned she could accomplish things neither she nor her family would have never imagined. We learn a great deal about Languedoc at a certain time and place. The author brings all of the characters to life. I wanted the story to continue! I hope there is a sequel. Bravo!

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wish I could give half stars, because I would give it one and a half. I'm giving it two, though, because I feel it takes courage to write a book and publish it. It's putting your thoughts and experiences onto paper for others to read and critique.
I had high hopes for this book. It has a high rating, excellent reviews, and was given a book of the year award. I don't know if it was translation from print to digital that created so many typos, or if it was bad copy editing. There are other errors, though, like this is supposed to happen in 1980, but there are references to a movie that came out in 1995, and a song that was released in 1984 (which is weird since she makes such a point out of being a music buff). That felt like a lack of attention to details. I think at one point, there was mention of milking a male goat as well (unless I just misread it since I was falling asleep).
The descriptive language is pedantic, the story doesn't have any cohesive flow, and unlike most memories, there's not really a lesson to be learned. Theres a lot of self-congratulations (how many times are you going to remind us you lost weight) and the authors apparent pride in deciding not to have sex with a teenager when she herself is in her late-20's, is too much to stomach.
I very nearly did not finish this book, but I decided to give it a chance, hoping it would get better, but it did not. This was cobbled together from diary entries, and it reads a lot like a diary--something its best if other people don't read.

[John Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book carried me right to the hills of France....and the turmoil and growth of a young woman who is in a foreign country...and really foreign living environment. I really liked how Murray made me visualize sitting in an environment that is completely different from what she grew up with....and working thru it to realize that she can survive and grow from the experience....

I loved it...just kept me turning the pages...

[Gwynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

If Goodreads would allow me more stars for rating the book, I would have to steal them from the universe to give it enough stars. Ms. Murray's story is colorful, heart-felt, fun, and thought-provoking. I especially enjoyed it as I'm of the 60's generation and can relate to the soul-searching that Ms. Murray was going through. I think she did an outstanding job of telling her story.

[Nathaniel Winters · Rating 4 out of 5]

A simple story of self discovery in a place so foreign it became fascinating.A long way from Paris became a longer way for this woman to find her true self before she could go home. Like good French goat cheese, I ate it all up.

[Sharon Hayhurst · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not all books have the ability to sweep you up and take you away from reality from the very first page, this one does. After a scary and gripping start (no spoilers) Elizabeth finds herself on a remote, very basic farm without running water in the South of France, staying with a family who don't speak English and she doesn't speak French. She is hired to herd goats in the mountains and help around the farm, all of which she must learn immediately. The book explores Elizabeth's growth as a person in her confidence and self esteem through hard work and surviving in difficult circumstances. Alongside this are the struggles to form relationships with the family she is living with and coping with loneliness. Tragedy strikes the family and Elizabeth must find the strength to hold the farm together while the family is dealing with their emotions. I would give this 10 stars if I could.

[Rhonda Gilmour · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Met E.C. Murray at the 2015 Write in the Harbor writers' conference in Gig Harbor, WA, where she was a presenter in a workshop on memoir writing. What a charming, touching account of a young woman's personal growth under trying conditions. OK, I'll admit to being a sucker for any good story set in France, but Murray's description of a primitive farm in the Languedoc countryside, her experiences there as a goatherd, the people she met there--it's as if I were truly there experiencing this episode alongside her. I enjoyed Murray's ability to laugh at her younger self, and her deep understanding of the fascinating family she stayed with up in the mountains of southwestern France. She really brings this place to life for the reader. Well done, Ms. Murray!

[Tiffany Heater · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, but I do not understand how it was published full of so many grammatical errors and typos. I received an advanced read copy at no charge from Goodreads, but there was no indication that this was not a finished book. Great story, but needs a real editor.

[Laura Galbraith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable

This was an interesting and sweet story about being young and free and finding one's true self. I enjoyed the writing and characters very much.

[Kenya Starflight · Rating 2 out of 5]

Most books set in France, even non-fiction books, are inevitably set in Paris. This book, if you couldn't tell from its title, takes place FAR from Paris, in the rural mountains of France, and it's actually very refreshing. The author's story is a bit more predictable -- a classic fish-out-of-water story about a girl trying to make a life in a foreign country. And while it's an enjoyable read, it does get a little predictable at times, and the author's tone gets annoying.

Elizabeth is reeling from a bad breakup, and decides to recover by hitchhiking across Europe. She ends up on a goat farm in a remote part of France, and she decides to stay awhile and work for the farmer and his family. Knowing very little English and never having herded goats before, she finds herself in over her head immediately. But she's determined to make a good impression on her hosts, and so she finds herself befriending goats, getting closer to the family, and even falling in love with a fellow expat...

It was nice to see a book set in France that isn't yet another Parisian romp, and I enjoyed learning more about the region and the people who live there. Elizabeth's story also has moments of humor, sadness, and emotion that I appreciated. It's a little uneven and choppy, though, as if pieced together from journal entries. And the writing itself can be bland at times.

One of my biggest issues with Elizabeth is that she comes across as spoiled and self-centered at times. She spends much of the book pining after her ex-boyfriend, obsessing over the fact that she used to be heavy, or moping about being an outsider. I wanted to shake her and say "get over him already and move on!" more than once. It also struck me as odd that she would choose to live for awhile in France without having learned much of the language first, but perhaps that's just me...

"A Long Way from Paris" is entertaining, but a bit mediocre when it comes down to it. I enjoyed the read, but it didn't blow me away.

[Richard Youngstrom · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is very much a journal describing the journey of a young woman as she came to recognize how insular and limited her early life had been into a deeper understanding of the struggles of life most people deal with on a normal routine, learning the value of hard work, the beauty of nature and the joys of being close to nature. At times I marveled at how limited her early life experiences had been and how little college prepared her for adult life as well as how much she sought pleasure or happiness in external things, rather than within herself. Her somewhat accidental path into goat herding served to transform her life and her soul. It is a story of discovery of one's self and personal growth as she deals with the routines of life that she had avoided for many years. The end of the story is somewhat anti-climatic: We are learn from our past and we move forward into a new path of life with a sense of greater understanding and direction

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

When you read the title, you are getting an idea about this book. It takes places a LONG way from Paris in a very remote area of France on a farm with little electricity, no running water and no real coffee, even! Of course this author's experience was in 1980-81 so times were different. This book is a bookclub pick for the discussion group I've been in since 1988. The author went to the same high school with one of our members. I'm looking forward to hearing what others have to say about this book. It's definitely an off-beat tale of taking time off while trying to discover what one wants to do with their life!

[LL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heartfelt

E..C Murray has written a great memoir. A well educated city girl herds goats for a french family
She lives close to nature and what she learns so much. Her adventue in the 1980's is well written and observive without being judgemental. The farm family and village people , surrounding countryside all meld together to teach the author life lessons she can grow by. A satisfying me.
moir to enjoy.

[Donna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I almost stopped reading this one, but the reviews were so positive that I persevered. Although the author is about my age, and from the synopsis, I thought I could relate and enjoy this, it was just not for me. The author’s memoir of her youthful time as a goatherd in rural France was interesting, but not riveting. Much of the material was presented as stream-of-conscience, and I just didn’t find hers that profound or entertaining.

[Hannah Grandine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great memoir! I was totally transported to a different place and time but the themes are timeless. Though it was set in a different decade it was still so incredibly relatable to read as someone who experienced their 20s in the 2010s/2020s. Would recommend to anyone who is currently on a journey, has been on one, or may be considering their next.

[Jennifer Elam · Rating 5 out of 5]

lovely!

This memoir of a young searching for herself by living in a cottage with a family unknown to her is delightful. She not only learns to be a good goathearder but discovers her own humanity

[M Mailes · Rating 5 out of 5]

So engaging. I could feel the weight of the water buckets and the bitter cold of their handles. I shared her pride as she grew in strength and competence on the farm.

[Charlotte Stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely delightful. Loved the goats, the story, and the perspectives on life and death. I feel like I've lived on that farm in France.

[Barbara Mahoney · Rating 4 out of 5]

A light fun read about a woman from Oregon who takes a trip to France after a break-up with her boyfriend. She is offered a job as a goat herder - something she knows nothing about. On a whim, she decides to take the job. She learns a lot about goats and farm life. She also learns a lot about herself and emerges a stronger more confident individual from having had the experience.

E.C. Murray is a good writer. She crafts an interesting story about her real life experiences. She has a sense of humor and enjoys an adventure!

I would recommend this book to readers who like: books set in France, true stories of women finding themselves, and/or if you wish to learn something new. I learned that goat herding and farm like are very hard work. Also, people working on a farm encounter life and death (of their animals) on a daily basis.

[Carol L. Caldwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a delightful yet poignant story of growing up. As you follow "Ay liz a bet a" on her journey, you might ask yourself, "what would I do? how would I cope?" "Ay liz a bet a" must function in a language she knows only a little of, in a strange culture with people she doesn't know, and in a job she is unprepared for. But her determination pushes her forward and she is changed from the inside out. In the end, the strangers become like an adopted family. This is also a story about goats, about doing without things we take for granted, and about life and death. It's a story that is hard to put down.

[Kate Breslin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was fascinated with E.C. Murray’s remarkable account of her 80s journey into Languedoc and the mountainous Cévennes in the south of France, herding goats and living with the salt of the earth; a starkly beautiful way of life that proved challenging and amazing to the author’s American roots. Poignant, humorous, and at time brutally honest in self-reflection, Murray’s memoir is triumph of the human spirit, revealing a young woman’s ability to develop a “stick to it” kind of determination that served her well later in life. I highly recommend reading A Long Way From Paris!

[Indie Author Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Long Way From Paris, February 28, 2015


Beautifully written, this book tells the story of Elizabeth. After finishing college and ending a relationship, Elizabeth heads to Paris to become a writer. Instead she becomes a goatherd far from Paris. During this time she begins to think clearly for the first time in a long while. She discovers the value of family, hard work and a job well done. The story is touching and at times funny but best of all it reminds you of what is important in life.

[Joan Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The adventure I always wanted have! This book was so good that I didn't even turn the tv on while I was reading it. The author, not knowing what to do with herself after living the hippielifestyle of drugs, music and wandering finds herself working as a godfathers rural France, where she finds herself. I reccomend this to anyone, especially those with a wanderlust that has never been fulfilled. I received this book from Goodreads for free.

[Nadine Feldman · Rating 5 out of 5]

E. C. Murray's memoir of her 1980 foray into goatherding in southern France is a wonderful read. Filled with humor, we walk with Murray as she disengages from an unhealthy relationship. The book picks up steam as it goes, as we get emotionally attached to the goats and the people she meets. Murray is a generous, honest writer with a gift for description that has us shivering in the midst of a freezing French winter.

[Linda Kovic-Skow · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A Long Way from Paris" was a delight to read. Written in an engaging style, this true-life story centers on a young women's experiences living with a small family and working as a goat herder in southern France in 1980. It's hard work dealing with the animals, especially during the frigid winter months, and the language barrier adds a layer of complexity to her challenging life. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys good storytelling. E.C. Murray you are an excellent writer.

[Anjali Banerjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Narrated in a straightforward, unpretentious voice, this true story transported me to the mountains of Languedoc, France, where Elizabeth spent a year as a goatherd. I enjoyed the fascinating glimpse into a lifestyle so different from my own. A goatherd's days are demanding and labor-intensive, enlightening and peaceful, and sometimes unbearably sad as well.

[Marietje · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this memoir, because it describes not only a quirky adventure of herding goats in southern France, but is also a journey of self discovery. The author readily admits her insecurities and failings, and describe her struggles with them. Of course she wrote her book many years after the fact, so it was easier to be honest. I am glad to have won the book in a giveaway.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this honest, funny, searching memoir about how one young American woman found herself working on a remote goat farm in the south of France. But this is not your prettied-up south of France: it's cold, the bathroom's outdoors, and there's no end to the farm chores. And there's so much for Elizabeth to learn--about herself and about life.