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Crowdsourcing Paris: Memoirs of a Paris Adventure
Joe Bunting thought Paris would be the perfect escape. But now he might not make it out alive.
When a cautious writer realizes he's just $600 short of his dream trip to Paris, he chooses to raise the money by writing a book about the experience and crowdsourcing 12 adventures, crowdsourced from his readers, to accomplish in Paris.
But when the adventures lead him inside the illegal catacombs beneath Paris with only the smallest flashlight in the world, he honestly wonders if he's going to die there, 60 feet beneath Paris, next to the bones of 6 million of Paris' dead, all for a book.
Crowdsourcing Paris is the real life adventure of a cautious writer who decides to move his family to Paris for a few months. Witness a side of the City of Light you’ve never seen before as Bunting learns, at last, that the best stories always come from adventure.
- GenresNonfiction
204 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 22, 2019
30 people are currently reading
59 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
June 4, 2020
I was drawn to this book for several reasons. My husband and I spent 2 glorious weeks in an apartment in the 7th arrondissement in Paris and I anticipated reliving some of those wonderful experiences. I enjoy reading about social media and thought the idea of crowdsourcing the author’s trip would give the book a novel spin.
Unfortunately the concept was far better than the execution. My main criticisms fall in two categories: The writing and the narrator. Mr. Bunting apparently has attracted a huge following with a website devoted to the art of writing. If this book is indicative of his skill level, I hope his followers are not paying for his advice. What should have been entertaining and evocative, was dry and pedestrian. His day spent in Le Pere Lachaise cemetery read like an entry from Wikipedia. When he wanted to engage us by going beyond the basic, his most frequent descriptors were “ amazing” and “cool.” Then there was the lazy writing. In one incident he organizes a dance with his mother and grandmother and son to Singin’ in the Rain. His mother is all for it because, she says, she loves Fred Astaire. Come on people! If you don’t know that Gene Kelly choreographed and danced that classic number, you need to do a little fact-checking.
I think I could have gotten past the mediocre writing if the author himself had been more sympathetic. Here is a guy who has the opportunity of a lifetime, relocating to Paris with his supportive wife and young son, and all he can do is complain. I realize he is trying to be honest and show his own failings but his whining and self-absorption was a constant theme that undermined any enjoyment for this reader. The poor choices he made concerning finances and educating himself were just plain annoying and his inability to think of anyone but himself was such a deep character flaw that I wonder how his wife could stand him. There was some growth by the end of the book but frankly not enough to make the trip worth it.
Going to Paris is always worth it, but next time I will find a different tour guide.
I received an advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.
Unfortunately the concept was far better than the execution. My main criticisms fall in two categories: The writing and the narrator. Mr. Bunting apparently has attracted a huge following with a website devoted to the art of writing. If this book is indicative of his skill level, I hope his followers are not paying for his advice. What should have been entertaining and evocative, was dry and pedestrian. His day spent in Le Pere Lachaise cemetery read like an entry from Wikipedia. When he wanted to engage us by going beyond the basic, his most frequent descriptors were “ amazing” and “cool.” Then there was the lazy writing. In one incident he organizes a dance with his mother and grandmother and son to Singin’ in the Rain. His mother is all for it because, she says, she loves Fred Astaire. Come on people! If you don’t know that Gene Kelly choreographed and danced that classic number, you need to do a little fact-checking.
I think I could have gotten past the mediocre writing if the author himself had been more sympathetic. Here is a guy who has the opportunity of a lifetime, relocating to Paris with his supportive wife and young son, and all he can do is complain. I realize he is trying to be honest and show his own failings but his whining and self-absorption was a constant theme that undermined any enjoyment for this reader. The poor choices he made concerning finances and educating himself were just plain annoying and his inability to think of anyone but himself was such a deep character flaw that I wonder how his wife could stand him. There was some growth by the end of the book but frankly not enough to make the trip worth it.
Going to Paris is always worth it, but next time I will find a different tour guide.
I received an advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 28, 2019
Bunting does a wonderful job of inviting his readers along on his journey as he learns how to be happy and how to live an adventure.
March 29, 2021
I wanted to love this book. Based on its description, I SHOULD'VE loved this book--I'm a total francophile! There were multiple times I almost gave up, but I kept reading because I hoped it would get better.
The biggest problem is that this book was only about 10% of what it claimed to be. The description says that this is a book of Paris stories gathered from fulfilling crowdsourced adventure suggestions. But the majority of chapters were like the tripe chapter... The author got an adventure suggestion to eat tripe. That seems like it could've been really funny or, at least, culturally interesting. Instead, in the entire 10-page chapter about this "adventure", there were literally only TWO PARAGRAPHS that were actually about him eating tripe. In 10 pages.
Another issue was the people in the book. There were characters (well, real people, because it's non-fiction) that were mentioned but NEVER described. Who is Max? Who is Bethany? Is Dorian French or American? Talia, the author's wife, and Mars, the infant son, also were sorely lacking in description. I wanted to know these people...but he apparently wanted them to be kept hidden.
The amount of sheer complaining and droning on about "What should I write? Am I writing anything good? Now I'm in a new café, but I don't know if I can write. And UUUUuuuggGGGGHHH I HATE these adventure challenges!" in this book was too much to handle.
Also too hard to handle was the lack of editing: run-on sentences galore, missing words here and there, and misspellings (Versailles was missing an 's' the first time; Gilles was missing an 'l' once) were far more frequent than a good copy editor would've allowed. The French word for s**t (merde) came up 11 times: the first four times it was spelled incorrectly (merdre), then correctly once, then incorrectly once, then correctly five times. The author also referenced Hemingway's book "A Sun Also Rises"...but it's "THE Sun Also Rises."
This book COULD'VE been about adventure challenges. It was not. More often than not, it was about what being depressed in Paris looks like. Had the description just SAID it was an account of the author's battle with depression in Paris, it would've been more truthful...and I wouldn't have picked it up. It may have been for someone, but not for me.
I will say, however, that the catacomb chapter was great. It was actually all about the catacombs and very interesting. I also liked the author's idea of putting his own challenge back to the reader at the end of the story. The biggest challenge for me, however, was finishing the book.
The biggest problem is that this book was only about 10% of what it claimed to be. The description says that this is a book of Paris stories gathered from fulfilling crowdsourced adventure suggestions. But the majority of chapters were like the tripe chapter... The author got an adventure suggestion to eat tripe. That seems like it could've been really funny or, at least, culturally interesting. Instead, in the entire 10-page chapter about this "adventure", there were literally only TWO PARAGRAPHS that were actually about him eating tripe. In 10 pages.
Another issue was the people in the book. There were characters (well, real people, because it's non-fiction) that were mentioned but NEVER described. Who is Max? Who is Bethany? Is Dorian French or American? Talia, the author's wife, and Mars, the infant son, also were sorely lacking in description. I wanted to know these people...but he apparently wanted them to be kept hidden.
The amount of sheer complaining and droning on about "What should I write? Am I writing anything good? Now I'm in a new café, but I don't know if I can write. And UUUUuuuggGGGGHHH I HATE these adventure challenges!" in this book was too much to handle.
Also too hard to handle was the lack of editing: run-on sentences galore, missing words here and there, and misspellings (Versailles was missing an 's' the first time; Gilles was missing an 'l' once) were far more frequent than a good copy editor would've allowed. The French word for s**t (merde) came up 11 times: the first four times it was spelled incorrectly (merdre), then correctly once, then incorrectly once, then correctly five times. The author also referenced Hemingway's book "A Sun Also Rises"...but it's "THE Sun Also Rises."
This book COULD'VE been about adventure challenges. It was not. More often than not, it was about what being depressed in Paris looks like. Had the description just SAID it was an account of the author's battle with depression in Paris, it would've been more truthful...and I wouldn't have picked it up. It may have been for someone, but not for me.
I will say, however, that the catacomb chapter was great. It was actually all about the catacombs and very interesting. I also liked the author's idea of putting his own challenge back to the reader at the end of the story. The biggest challenge for me, however, was finishing the book.
December 10, 2019
I heard about this book from the author’s college alma mater just days before I was leaving for a trip to Paris. I quickly ordered it from Amazon and got it in time to pack it along. After I finished Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast I turned to Bunting’s book.
While the premise—crowdsourcing adventures he will write about in order to raise funds for his trip—is novel and entertaining, I found the author’s repeated statements about his own skills as a writer boastful and unjustified. He dwells on his self-discovery, a process that is not all that interesting or unusual or profound. In fact, he is a bit whiney. I did not find him a likable narrator, which made his repeated statements about what a great writer he is even more annoying. And there are typographic errors in the book which a great writer—or reasonable editor—should have caught.
I so wanted to like this book and I did enjoy reading bout some of the adventures. I wish the author had done more to connect his readers with Paris instead of with his own inner turmoil.
The challenge-yourself questions at the end of each chapter are totally unnecessary and mostly silly. The book would be better without them.
While the premise—crowdsourcing adventures he will write about in order to raise funds for his trip—is novel and entertaining, I found the author’s repeated statements about his own skills as a writer boastful and unjustified. He dwells on his self-discovery, a process that is not all that interesting or unusual or profound. In fact, he is a bit whiney. I did not find him a likable narrator, which made his repeated statements about what a great writer he is even more annoying. And there are typographic errors in the book which a great writer—or reasonable editor—should have caught.
I so wanted to like this book and I did enjoy reading bout some of the adventures. I wish the author had done more to connect his readers with Paris instead of with his own inner turmoil.
The challenge-yourself questions at the end of each chapter are totally unnecessary and mostly silly. The book would be better without them.
February 19, 2020
I felt bad for this Joe guy wanting to bring his wife Talia and baby Mars to Paris, where he hoped his life would be transformed in a couple months into something fabulous. I do like the crowdsourcing gimmick whereby Bunting incorporates reader feedback into his travel adventure, but I didn't like all the repetition, and just wish he could have limited each bit to one mention or at least paraphrased multiple appearances. Joe did a great job of expressing himself and his fears, and I liked seeing him grow through self-reflection. I thought it was funny when he kept misspelling "merde" with an extra r!
I think the way he described their homes and parenting was meant to amuse, but like his constant nattering about not being able to afford anything (viable cell phone plan, drinks he drinks in cafès all day, babysitting, rubber boots and a flashlight when his life basically depended upon it) all of that just angsted me out. I thank BookSirens for the free advanced copy to review.
I think the way he described their homes and parenting was meant to amuse, but like his constant nattering about not being able to afford anything (viable cell phone plan, drinks he drinks in cafès all day, babysitting, rubber boots and a flashlight when his life basically depended upon it) all of that just angsted me out. I thank BookSirens for the free advanced copy to review.
October 24, 2019
This is a great book full of adventure! I had so much fun reading this book, and thinking back to my last trip to Paris. I recommend this book to anyone looking for some inspiration!
April 17, 2020
The thing that really impressed me about J.H. Bunting in his memoir - ‘Crowdsourcing Paris’ - was the honesty in his writing. The candidness about his feelings regarding the adventures he was undertaking, being a writer in Paris, his relationship with Talia, and the loneliness he felt in Paris, in general.
Being a writer myself, I could totally empathize with the conflicts, the frustration, the feeling of being suffocated - wanting to just break out and experience everything Paris has to offer...and finally realizing that you bring your own prison with you wherever you go.
My favorite part, however, is him discovering that the real adventure lay in the deeper reconnection with his wife, which seemed to free him from his head and actually live.
An enjoyable and interesting read. Definitely recommended!
Being a writer myself, I could totally empathize with the conflicts, the frustration, the feeling of being suffocated - wanting to just break out and experience everything Paris has to offer...and finally realizing that you bring your own prison with you wherever you go.
My favorite part, however, is him discovering that the real adventure lay in the deeper reconnection with his wife, which seemed to free him from his head and actually live.
An enjoyable and interesting read. Definitely recommended!
April 27, 2020
NOT a family-friendly book; alot of mature content. And besides that it seemed ever chapter the main character had a deep realization/revelation that could have been easily put at the end of any book at finished it off, but in this one he realized something deep every chapter, then it seemed like he forgot it all and was back where he started; hated his work, didn't want to write, couldn't write, wasn't rich enough, thought his crowdsourcing idea had fallen through; and then, voilà, he's inspired again, until the end of the chapter, and there he is, back at hating work.
Not a book I'd recommend.
Not a book I'd recommend.
attempted
April 16, 2020I read a sample of the prologue and first chapter and realized the attitude of the author would infuriate me to listen to for a whole book. Despite a promising premise, his ungrateful response to loved ones suggesting good honest ideas to him and to people giving him thousands of dollars to go to France was unacceptable.
Stay away if you will be annoyed by someone's response to getting a thousand dollars is "I hate this person." If you can put that aside, you may enjoy it.
Stay away if you will be annoyed by someone's response to getting a thousand dollars is "I hate this person." If you can put that aside, you may enjoy it.
February 23, 2020
The fact that the author and his family survived in Paris with very little planning or thought is surprising. The book seemed disjointed with just leaping from one adventure to the next. In the end though, I think the author learned about himself, his wife, his family and his life.
November 10, 2019
Well written. Captivating. Amazing!
June 4, 2020
I went to Paris for the first time in the summer of 2018. I actually stayed in Saint Germain just like the author . I could picture many of the scenes from the book in my head and that familiarity greatly enhanced my enjoyment of the book. Because the author was able to be in Paris for a longer period of time than I was he was able to experience Paris beyond the typical tourist destinations. I enjoyed this aspect of the story immensely and hope that if I ever get back to Paris I will be able to experience some of the real Paris.
I thought the book would be a crazy fun tale of how Mr. Bunting accomplished the tasks from his readers. It was definitely fun but there was a more serious angle to the book than I anticipated. Mr. Bunting learned things about himself and his family. I think the experience likely changed his outlook possibly for the rest of his life.
I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to BookSirens for the opportunity.
I thought the book would be a crazy fun tale of how Mr. Bunting accomplished the tasks from his readers. It was definitely fun but there was a more serious angle to the book than I anticipated. Mr. Bunting learned things about himself and his family. I think the experience likely changed his outlook possibly for the rest of his life.
I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to BookSirens for the opportunity.
June 6, 2020
The author took us on quite the adventure in Paris! We are along for the ride through all the highs as well as the lows, which makes this book all the more interesting. It isn't just a book featuring all the tourist attractions in Paris, but real life as well. The descriptions of restaurants and the foods prepared were very detailed and made me hungry as I read! I felt for the author's wife, staying back in their small apartment while taking care of their son, and was right there while he was in the catacombs. Bunting details much of his trip and does a good job making his audience feel like they are right along with him. Thank you to Book Sirens for this free arc ebook in exchange for an honest review.
November 13, 2019
This is the 'real' thing, a travel memoir by an ordinary Joe who experiences all kinds of angst while trying to have the holiday of his dreams in Paris.
I empathized with the author all the way as he discovers himself while trying to navigate Paris on a tight budget with a not quite like-minded wife and a baby who hasn't yet learnt table manners.
Joe Bunting's memoir is as much an encounter with the little know side of Paris (including one on ones with street performers and a wander in the tunnels on the underside of the city, as it is an exploration of the deeply personal.
This lovely small book gives us both Paris and Joe Bunting beneath the skin.
I empathized with the author all the way as he discovers himself while trying to navigate Paris on a tight budget with a not quite like-minded wife and a baby who hasn't yet learnt table manners.
Joe Bunting's memoir is as much an encounter with the little know side of Paris (including one on ones with street performers and a wander in the tunnels on the underside of the city, as it is an exploration of the deeply personal.
This lovely small book gives us both Paris and Joe Bunting beneath the skin.
November 19, 2019
I don’t read a lot of memoirs but If they were all like this one, I’d read more.
.
Bunting’s Crowdsourcing Paris was a big idea book if I’ve ever read one. This wasn’t just a retelling of a trip to Paris. This was the life lessons that resulted from the trip as well as specific assignments that the reader can do to challenge his/herself. I’ve been to Paris and seen many of these sights but the book shed new light on what I could learn from the adventures of traveling. I can’t say I will accept all the challenges, but I am looking forward to most of them.
An interesting and easy read for anyone looking to learn more about Paris or themself.
.
Bunting’s Crowdsourcing Paris was a big idea book if I’ve ever read one. This wasn’t just a retelling of a trip to Paris. This was the life lessons that resulted from the trip as well as specific assignments that the reader can do to challenge his/herself. I’ve been to Paris and seen many of these sights but the book shed new light on what I could learn from the adventures of traveling. I can’t say I will accept all the challenges, but I am looking forward to most of them.
An interesting and easy read for anyone looking to learn more about Paris or themself.
December 4, 2019
The concept of crowd sourcing a visit to another country was astonishing to me. And yet it worked so well. The idea of sending someone on an adventure that one cannot personally take was innovative. The challenge then of stepping so far out of one's comfort zone to complete those adventures became an adventure in its own right. Parts of this made me want to go to Paris, something that I'd never considered before. More, for me, was the idea of incorporating adventure into everyday life. I've begun planning local adventures to explore my own home region. Why not? Enjoyable and quick read.
April 15, 2020
Having already fallen in love with Paris myself, I enjoyed seeing it again but through the eyes of Joe Bunting's unique experience there. Enjoyed his storytelling and observations shared with self-deprecating humor, and I appreciated his vulnerability throughout this journey of personal, professional, and relational growth. Recommended for readers who like their travel memoirs with a bit of heart.
July 9, 2020
I've never been to Paris, so I was eager to see it through Joe's eyes. So many famous streets and landmarks, so much anxiety. Part travelogue, part history lesson, I enjoyed visualizing Joe's journey and imagining how I would feel in his shoes. The only criticism I have is that the narrative sometimes overshadowed the emotional impact. I applaud his commitment to the crowdsourcing premise and am glad he was able to grow through both positive and negative experiences.
March 2, 2021
Charming and personal, entertaining and engaging. I loved this book. I felt like I was in Paris with Joe. He did a masterful job of making the stories real, no sugar coating experiences or glossing over the less than glamorous parts. I have recommended this book to all of my friends who have been to Paris, and those who want to go. It's so good!
April 8, 2021
I found this book to be easy to read, and overall an enjoyable story. Having been to Paris before, it brought back memories of my own experiences (though far less adventurous than catacombs)! Elements of excitement and adventure, paired with sobering disappointments and working through tough things felt relatable and real. I throughly enjoyed tagging along with the Buntings within these pages.
April 9, 2021
When I first finished it, I was so overwhelmed by how much I related to it, I read it nearly 3 times. I can’t shake off the feeling that I still have to learn a lot from it. I highly recommend this book to everyone who wants to enjoy good read.
August 24, 2021
Such a fun read! A wonderful little gift that I highly recommend... especially to aspiring writers that want to see how it's done :) I never thought much about visiting Paris but now it's at the top of my list! Thank you Mr. Bunting for taking me on that adventure!
November 9, 2019
Makes me want to relocate to a new city and write a book about it! Terrific writing, fun read, highly recommend!
January 15, 2020
An engaging, thoughtful adventure narrative detailing Bunting's discovery of not only another city but also his own personal truths. It's funny and honest and a really enjoyable read.
April 9, 2021
It is great book. I highly recommend everyone.i have enjoyed reading it.
May 9, 2023
a good read.
December 6, 2020
In general, I really enjoyed this book. Since I love Paris, reading along with the author's adventures took me there. I understood his opinions about travel as well, and I found myself sharing some of those. He does a great job describing the conflict between a love of travel and the anxiety that goes along with it. He also does a great job describing the process of trying to write when you feel obligated to do so, but don't have anything specific in mind, and how your inner critic just tears away at you.
At the end of each of his adventures, he includes suggestions on what the reader can do duplicate the experience in some way. I felt these did not add anything to the book, but instead were distracting, causing me to step out of the story and think about something else. During the times when the book was flowing well, I would have preferred to stay in that world. That is part of the overall issue with this book. There is the story of Paris, and there is the story of the author trying to answer questions about his life and his relationship. The story of Paris was strong. The other parts at times felt like an afterthought but it worked better as he got deeper into it.
All in all, a fun read and I would recommend it for anyone who has traveled, struggled to write, or thought about living abroad for an adventure.
At the end of each of his adventures, he includes suggestions on what the reader can do duplicate the experience in some way. I felt these did not add anything to the book, but instead were distracting, causing me to step out of the story and think about something else. During the times when the book was flowing well, I would have preferred to stay in that world. That is part of the overall issue with this book. There is the story of Paris, and there is the story of the author trying to answer questions about his life and his relationship. The story of Paris was strong. The other parts at times felt like an afterthought but it worked better as he got deeper into it.
All in all, a fun read and I would recommend it for anyone who has traveled, struggled to write, or thought about living abroad for an adventure.
October 18, 2019
Nice book
October 23, 2019
This book is awesome, I recommend everyone to go and read it.
March 23, 2020
This book as amazing, it really feels as though you are part of the story!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews