The Little Paris Bookshop

This was a bargain book buy and turned out to be a delightful read. Part love letter to books, part love letter to France - especially it's rivers, and part journey of self discovery. Perdu is a man who feels he's wasted 20 years of his life due to an event in his past that comes full circle when he confronts it unexpectedly. It sends him on a journey from his safe harbour in Paris down the rivers of France to the South, where he meets many kindred souls and slowly begins the journey toward finding life and love again. It's an inspiring story that reminds us that it's never too late to take that journey and to face our shortfalls, our past and our own inner demons in order to move past them and find a life worth living. It is a story that reminds you to savour the small things, to connect with people and that sometimes you need to slow down enough to truly appreciate what life has to offer. All the while it is also chock full of book references and how stories can help us on our way in life. I really enjoyed Perdu's journey and the ultimate discoveries he has about life along the way. The vivid imagery of France that Nina George paints with her words will make you want to leave it all behind and travel along with Perdu's book barge through that romantic country. You'll want to sip wine, read books and watch sunsets while listening to cicadas in the warm evening air. Highly recommended for book lovers, armchair travellers and those who need a little inspiration to ‘find life again'.