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Not Working: Diary of an English migrant attempting early retirement in Bulgaria: Near Varna Part 2
What Amazon readers ★★★★★ “These books are gems in an Abigail’s Party/Alan Bennett kind of way.”★★★★★ “Like having a chat with a fellow traveler – unjaded, unapologetic, real!”★★★★★ “I kept turning the pages as easily as the author pours his next beverage.”Book DescriptionThe summer wine didn’t last, it’s time to open the autumn whisky…Prepare to enter a new season on the side of a secluded valley in an idyllic Bulgarian backwater.Graham Field’s lifetime of curiosity to see where the road goes, now led him to discover where it stops. Not Working is a captivating, unconventional and honest account of one man selling up, buying time and investing in a slower pace of life because, much like the readers who chuckle their way through his diary, he is in no hurry to get to the end.With the 25-year mortgage millstone behind him, the author puts down roots in foreign soil where purpose and contentment germinate, but his dream existence, living on the edge of Eastern Europe soon becomes a from floods to explosions, from protection rackets to hospitalisations.Join Graham as he relocates, taking little with him and leaving the naysayers wondering whether he retirement at 50;Thwart the thieving gypsies;Outrun the bears;Survive archaic medical practices;Balance on the squat toilets;Conquer the communist mentality;Exist on his diminishing nest egg;Escape another Russian invasion;Succeed without friends and family;Endure the brutal winters;And not return penniless and homeless by Christmas.★ “Living happily ever after” didn’t come with instructions... or if it That Cyrillic alphabet was impossible to read. ★“Wonderfully disseminating all the machinations, logistics and travails of what it means to move to a brand-new country for the first time, Not Working soars up from the humour and wordplay readers have grown to love in Graham Field's autobiographical books to a new level of prose, one both poetic and profound.” - Ross Dickinson, author
343 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 17, 2021
About the author
Graham Field
13 books14 followersFree audio book for instant download from my website.
Graham is a compulsive traveller, with a compelling manner of brutal honesty of integrity. His books are authentic experiences from his 37 years of diaries, kept as he's meandered around the planet from foot to bicycle, to motorbike to four wheels.
Travel on his mind, bikes in his blood and little in his wallet, Graham's low budget journeys of humour and honesty have inspired many to hit the road in search of their dreams. A solo traveller at heart, his observations take his readers with him to Mongolia, Iraq, the Arctic Circle and many other distant destinations.
With a life time of travel anecdotes and hard earned wisdom, Graham's view of the planet is unique and contagious.
Graham is the author of eight books, which are all available as audiobooks. Twice nominated as 'most inspiring adventurer' by Adventure Bike TV. He was a resident co-host on Adventure Rider Radio RAW for five years with Sam Manicom and Grant Johnson of Horizons Unlimited. He has written articles for various publications worldwide.
Graham is a compulsive traveller, with a compelling manner of brutal honesty of integrity. His books are authentic experiences from his 37 years of diaries, kept as he's meandered around the planet from foot to bicycle, to motorbike to four wheels.
Travel on his mind, bikes in his blood and little in his wallet, Graham's low budget journeys of humour and honesty have inspired many to hit the road in search of their dreams. A solo traveller at heart, his observations take his readers with him to Mongolia, Iraq, the Arctic Circle and many other distant destinations.
With a life time of travel anecdotes and hard earned wisdom, Graham's view of the planet is unique and contagious.
Graham is the author of eight books, which are all available as audiobooks. Twice nominated as 'most inspiring adventurer' by Adventure Bike TV. He was a resident co-host on Adventure Rider Radio RAW for five years with Sam Manicom and Grant Johnson of Horizons Unlimited. He has written articles for various publications worldwide.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
November 22, 2021
Out of the last four of Graham's books I enjoyed this one the most. My Favourite is still Greener grass. You need to start from his first book to truly enjoy the last (so far) Great book, it was a page turner for me I read it in 2 days at the detrement to my daily life. He comes close to a few nerves with his brutal honesty. I found myself saying out loud "you can't say that." I laughed out load and genuinely worried for the guy as the story unfolded. Loved it. I hope there is a next installment.
July 22, 2026
Hello friends,
There is a great new addition to the Tiger Coward Adventure Motorcycle Library: Not Working by Graham Field.
This is the fifth Graham Field book in my collection, and it's my favourite so far. I keep coming back to Field because he's an exceptional writer and a gifted storyteller.
Not Working is the second half of the Near Varna saga, continuing the story of Field's move from Britain to Bulgaria and his attempt at retirement. While this book certainly stands on its own, I strongly recommend reading Near Varna first. Together, the two books tell a much richer and more complete story.
As always, this book will leave you grinning from ear to ear as Field sarcastically navigates life's twists and turns—love and heartbreak, leaving old friends and careers behind, and reinventing himself in a new country.
Here are the five things I loved most about this book.
The Author
I've said it before: it's hard to separate the story from the man. Field writes in a journal style, so his books are as much about him as they are about the adventures. To enjoy the book is, in many ways, to enjoy Graham Field himself. (That might be an overstatement, but I'll stand by it.)
What makes him so engaging is his complete lack of self-importance. He never tries to portray himself as the hero. In fact, he often seems to like himself less than his readers do. His willingness to expose his own flaws makes him relatable, authentic, and endlessly entertaining.
The Writing
All of Graham Field's books are exceptionally well written and stand apart from many others in the adventure travel genre.
Although Not Working is written as a journal, it never falls into the trap of simply listing the day's events. Instead, Field's razor-sharp wit and dry sarcasm shine through as he reflects on what happened and, more importantly, what it all meant.
Someone much smarter than me once said that simply witnessing events doesn't create experience; it's the process of reflecting on them that builds wisdom. Whether he'd admit it or not, Graham Field has become a remarkably wise writer.
The Adventure
I'm in awe of the courage it takes to move to another country—especially one with a different culture, language, and even alphabet. That alone is a tremendous adventure.
Doing it while transitioning into retirement and becoming a homeowner in that new country raises the stakes even higher.
I congratulate myself for surviving a few weeks in Quebec with my limited French, while Field buys, renovates, and settles into a home in Bulgaria. Along the way he travels throughout Europe and back to Britain, all while trying to figure out where he truly belongs. His restlessness and uncertainty create anxious moments for him—and wonderful reading for the rest of us.
The Honesty
Field tells it exactly as it is. He doesn't pull punches or sugar-coat reality. The highs of finding new love, the heartbreak of losing it, the excitement of starting over, and the soul-crushing bureaucracy that comes with immigration all receive the same honest treatment.
His greatest criticism, however, is usually reserved for himself.
If you're tired of social media and even traditional media presenting polished, sanitized versions of life, you'll appreciate how refreshingly honest this book is. Real life is messy, funny, frustrating, and unpredictable—and that's exactly what Field gives you.
The Motorcycles
While this isn't an adventure motorcycle book in the traditional sense, it is a book about an adventure motorcyclist.
Motorcycles weave naturally through the story, whether Field is speaking at a motorcycle show, heading out for a ride to clear his mind, or wrestling a bike that's just a little too tall to push up a wet grassy hill. Riding isn't the focus of the story—it simply remains part of who he is, and that authenticity comes through on every page.
In Summary
Like Near Varna, Not Working is funny, thoughtful, and beautifully written by an author whose personality leaps off every page.
I thoroughly enjoyed Graham Field's first four books, and I recommend reading all of them, but this is his best work yet. As Field has grown older, so has his perspective, his storytelling, and his writing. The result is a book that is not only entertaining but surprisingly insightful.
I highly recommend it.
I can't wait to read Part Three: Second World Problems and his new book Extremes Beyond the Screen!
There is a great new addition to the Tiger Coward Adventure Motorcycle Library: Not Working by Graham Field.
This is the fifth Graham Field book in my collection, and it's my favourite so far. I keep coming back to Field because he's an exceptional writer and a gifted storyteller.
Not Working is the second half of the Near Varna saga, continuing the story of Field's move from Britain to Bulgaria and his attempt at retirement. While this book certainly stands on its own, I strongly recommend reading Near Varna first. Together, the two books tell a much richer and more complete story.
As always, this book will leave you grinning from ear to ear as Field sarcastically navigates life's twists and turns—love and heartbreak, leaving old friends and careers behind, and reinventing himself in a new country.
Here are the five things I loved most about this book.
The Author
I've said it before: it's hard to separate the story from the man. Field writes in a journal style, so his books are as much about him as they are about the adventures. To enjoy the book is, in many ways, to enjoy Graham Field himself. (That might be an overstatement, but I'll stand by it.)
What makes him so engaging is his complete lack of self-importance. He never tries to portray himself as the hero. In fact, he often seems to like himself less than his readers do. His willingness to expose his own flaws makes him relatable, authentic, and endlessly entertaining.
The Writing
All of Graham Field's books are exceptionally well written and stand apart from many others in the adventure travel genre.
Although Not Working is written as a journal, it never falls into the trap of simply listing the day's events. Instead, Field's razor-sharp wit and dry sarcasm shine through as he reflects on what happened and, more importantly, what it all meant.
Someone much smarter than me once said that simply witnessing events doesn't create experience; it's the process of reflecting on them that builds wisdom. Whether he'd admit it or not, Graham Field has become a remarkably wise writer.
The Adventure
I'm in awe of the courage it takes to move to another country—especially one with a different culture, language, and even alphabet. That alone is a tremendous adventure.
Doing it while transitioning into retirement and becoming a homeowner in that new country raises the stakes even higher.
I congratulate myself for surviving a few weeks in Quebec with my limited French, while Field buys, renovates, and settles into a home in Bulgaria. Along the way he travels throughout Europe and back to Britain, all while trying to figure out where he truly belongs. His restlessness and uncertainty create anxious moments for him—and wonderful reading for the rest of us.
The Honesty
Field tells it exactly as it is. He doesn't pull punches or sugar-coat reality. The highs of finding new love, the heartbreak of losing it, the excitement of starting over, and the soul-crushing bureaucracy that comes with immigration all receive the same honest treatment.
His greatest criticism, however, is usually reserved for himself.
If you're tired of social media and even traditional media presenting polished, sanitized versions of life, you'll appreciate how refreshingly honest this book is. Real life is messy, funny, frustrating, and unpredictable—and that's exactly what Field gives you.
The Motorcycles
While this isn't an adventure motorcycle book in the traditional sense, it is a book about an adventure motorcyclist.
Motorcycles weave naturally through the story, whether Field is speaking at a motorcycle show, heading out for a ride to clear his mind, or wrestling a bike that's just a little too tall to push up a wet grassy hill. Riding isn't the focus of the story—it simply remains part of who he is, and that authenticity comes through on every page.
In Summary
Like Near Varna, Not Working is funny, thoughtful, and beautifully written by an author whose personality leaps off every page.
I thoroughly enjoyed Graham Field's first four books, and I recommend reading all of them, but this is his best work yet. As Field has grown older, so has his perspective, his storytelling, and his writing. The result is a book that is not only entertaining but surprisingly insightful.
I highly recommend it.
I can't wait to read Part Three: Second World Problems and his new book Extremes Beyond the Screen!
April 11, 2023
Refreshing to read someone being so open about their inner thoughts and feeling. I could not put this book down with so much happening in the ones.
Graham is a superb writer and observer of the world. I wish I could find the words to match how much o enjoyed this book.
A real gem of a book and author.
Graham is a superb writer and observer of the world. I wish I could find the words to match how much o enjoyed this book.
A real gem of a book and author.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews