A Piano in the Pyrenees

The Ups and Downs of an Englishman in the French Mountains

By: Tony Hawks

Narrated by: Tony Hawks

Inspired by breathtaking views, and dreaming of finding love and romance in the mountains, Tony Hawks impulsively buys a house in the French Pyrenees. Here he imagines he will finally fulfil his childhood fantasy of mastering the piano, untroubled by the problems of the world. However, Tony's account of stumbling into the world of overseas home ownership is perhaps best heard as a useful manual of how not to go about buying a house abroad. The man who once travelled around Ireland with a fridge is hopelessly ill prepared for this latest adventure - though the consequences are hilarious.©2006 Tony Hawks (P)2007 Isis Publishing Ltd.

Critic reviews

"Hugely entertaining." ( The Mirror)
"Funny and irreverent as ever." ( Wanderlust)
"A warmly comic adventure." ( Daily Mail)

Not as funny as previous books

I listened to this book over a fairly long period and that may affect the flow of the book, but on balance i was expecting the book to be more like the previous titles, which were primarily humorous travel books about people and places. Having said that, I still liked the slice of french village life and the observations which were well told. It's a gentle read, and not a rip snorter.

Probably star Juliette Binoche in the film versions ; -).

Perhaps I have a different view of this book as Kiwi guys tend to regard themselves good at D-I-Y and therefore some of the frustrations of the author in his house / pool building enterprises and van experience left me frustrated with the author's lack of skills /expectations; rather than the situations!

Have to write my own book so Tony can review it.