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in_and_out_of_the_stash's review
3.0
Would this be more interesting to someone from the same era? I'm sure people who read his columns would enjoy it. I found it rather disjointed.
dougthomson's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
4.0
This is a funny book, to be expected since Buchwald was a famous newspaper humorist in the 1960s, 70s, maybe 80s era. There are many great stories of his life in Europe, mostly Paris. On the downside though, he never seemed to become more than a "class clown" type personality. For example, he admits to have never become fluent in French despite living in Paris for 14 years. Also, his stories typically are of the "funny gag" or "I got away with a prank" or "I hobnobbed with celebrities" variety, without a lot of depth. By contrast, a similar American-expatriate-living-in-Paris story, The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas by Gertrude Stein, contains many funny stories but the stories have more uniqueness, subtlety, interesting characters and depth.
sarahcoller's review against another edition
4.0
I really, really enjoyed this book! I wasn't sure if I would but I gave it a try and it was so good! I wanted to be annoyed by his constant name-dropping but he's just such a loveable guy that I just couldn't! Usually the cocky types really bug me--but I really think his cockiness is just a cover for insecurities...he seems like he was a really great guy. (Just read last week that he had passed away). I actually cried at the end because everything turned out so well! :) I especially liked it that he made mention of the book, "Best Loved Poems of the American People". This was one of my grandma Betty's favorite books and my mom has found a poem from it for me here and there over the years.
rebjam's review against another edition
4.0
Enjoying this wry look at post WWII Paris from a cheeky American.
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