 | | |
| Just Imagine: A New Life on an Old Boat | 
 enlarge | Author: Michelle Caffrey
Publisher: Lulu.com
Category: Book
List Price: $22.95
Buy New: $19.80
You Save: $3.15 (14%)
Buy New/Used from $16.31
Avg. Customer Rating:  (8 reviews)
Sales Rank: 271699
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Published)
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 259
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.9
Dimensions (in): 8.4 x 6.1 x 0.6
ISBN: 1411671414
Dewey Decimal Number: 914
EAN: 9781411671416
ASIN: 1411671414
Publication Date: February 11, 2008
Release Date: February 11, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
|
| Customer Reviews:
| Showing reviews 6-8 of 8 | | « PREV | | |
Better than A Year in Provence or Under the Tuscan Sun March 30, 2006
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
With exceptional skill the author narrates a life transition from the world of enterprise software to being an established entity providing personalized travel experiences centered on a classic barge located in historic and epicurean Burgundy.
- -
To state that the first half year and first fifth of the book covers learning how to pilot a barge, then purchasing and converting a barge is true, but gross understatement. Through Michelle, the reader experiences the steep one-week learning curve of steering, mooring, navigating, and keeping everyone on the barge safe. There are just hints of future problems with freight barges, hotel barges, irascible lock keepers, smaller pleasure boats and fishermen. The essence of living in Burgundy starts to unfold.
- -
The couple finds what may be perfect for their requirements; a private owner's living space, two guest cabins each with a private bath and toilet, a home-like main salon, deck space, and classic Dutch clipper lines. Converting from the purchased barge to these essential needs drags agonizingly slow for these two Americans, slowing adapting to the pace of rural Europe.
- -
The maiden voyage-from the Dutch outfitting yard near the North Sea to the chosen home waters of the Saone River and Burgundy Canal-is in every sense a shakedown cruise. In spite of the leisurely pace and initial friendly guests, a problematic engine, running aground (bad information from a waterways "expert"), near collisions with both an unyielding freight barge and an overlarge hotel barge, and a few charming lockkeepers comparable to the provincial tax-collectors receptionist, the voyage continues the couples stress-filled and learn-now education.
- -
The reader and author start to appreciate the subtle differences between personal guests in one's home and paying customers. With nuance and detail, we realize towards the end of this memoir much more of the true beauty in the region and lifestyle. This then is a love story involving a new life and a quieter existence; the boat is a bit more than catalyst, but not much.
- -
Caffrey's honest, transparent, barge-diet lean prose flows similar to the Saone with ripples and eddies to the homeport and a successful transition.
- -
Inevitably, I must compare this book with Peter Mayle's A Year in Provence (ISBN 0679731148) and Frances Mayes' Under the Tuscan Sun (ISBN 0811808424). Just Imagine: A New Life on an Old Boat now stands as the benchmark.
- -
Of course, Oprah could transport 70 tons of Imagine and the author to the show in Chicago. The real story is in Burgundy and the author's soul.
Sign Me Up For A Cruise! March 20, 2006
Baby Boomer Alert! Here is one boomer that you can be proud of! Changed her life, changed her world and wrote about it! Loved the narrative and the clever descriptions and detailing made me feel right there with her and "Imagine". If you are bored with your life, read this book! It is inspiring and educational.....just might make you do something extraordinary too. Bravo, Michelle!
 Gutsy Gal March 20, 2006
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Having just reached the age when Ms Caffrey abandoned her profession and life as she knew it to become a "barge and breakfast" owner, I am impressed by her guts and courage. Foreign country, foreign language, foreign lifestyle.......and at a time when most of us are settling into the familiar routine that will last the rest of our lives. Her descriptions of the whole barge experience...from buying it, remodeling it and then cruising the canals with it is both entertaining and educational. Great descriptive writing brings the book to life and makes you want to book a cruise on "Imagine" -- as well as break out of my routine and try something exciting and new -- even at my age!
|
|
|
Powered by Associate-O-Matic
| | |