My (Part-Time) Paris Life: How Running Away Brought Me Home

4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars | 214 ratings

Price: 13.12

Last update: 09-29-2024


About this item

Lisa Anselmo wraps her entire life around her mother, a strong woman who is a defining force in Lisa's life - maybe too defining. When her mother dies from breast cancer, Lisa realizes she hasn't built a life of her own and struggles to find her purpose. Who is she without her mother - and her mother's expectations?

Desperate for answers, she turns to her favorite city - Paris - and impulsively buys a small apartment, refusing to play it safe for the first time. What starts out as an act of survival sets Lisa on a course that reshapes her life in ways she never could have imagined. Suddenly she's living like a local in a city she thought she knew, but her high school French, while fine for buying bread at the corner boulangerie, goes only so far when Paris gives her a strong dose of real life. From dating to homeownership in a foreign country, Lisa quickly learns it's not all picnics on the Seine and starts to doubt herself - and her love of the city. But she came to Paris to be happy, and she can't give up now. Isn't happiness worth fighting for?

In the vein of Eat, Pray, Love and Wild, My (Part-time) Paris Life is a story for anyone who's ever felt lost or hopeless but still dreams of something more. This candid memoir explores one woman's search for peace and meaning and how the ups and downs of expat life in Paris taught her to let go of fear, find self-worth, and create real, lasting happiness in the City of Light.


Top reviews from the United States

P. Manze
5.0 out of 5 stars Buy this, sit back & enjoy! C'est la vie!
Reviewed in the United States on December 2, 2016
"I took the package" - how many of us have wanted to have the strength to utter those words and take a leap of faith? But of course, most of us don't have the strength that Lisa Anselmo had. She may not have known where she was heading but she knew where she did not want to go - which was backwards. Her journey is every readers gain. The wondrous quality about this read, besides the Paris aspect, is the wisdom. While reading the story of her mother's passing and her own realization of the things she may not have experienced due to having such a strong mother guiding her choices; I couldn't help but wonder if Lisa knew that she was actually writing a book of wisdom rather then a book of her Paris journey. The way that she seamlessly wound her insights into human behavior and family dynamics with moving (part-time!) to Paris made this such a thoroughly enjoyable and interesting book. The book made me think about my own daughters and their journey's in life as well as my own. It is an inspiring read for any age group - and made me start to believe that even I could begin to shape my own destiny differently if I just took the first steps.

There are universal truths in Anselmo's writing and what makes those insights charming is that, as you read her story, you realize that those universal truths were secondary to her telling her tale of buying her apartment. The wisdom tumbles out from her journey, rather then her preaching some tenet of the soul. I highly recommend this book - it is a delightful cross-generational read that will leave you feeling better then before you picked it up. And isn't that what one wants from spending time with a book? If there was a rating beyond five stars, I would give it. Buy this, sit back and enjoy.
sondra renwanz
4.0 out of 5 stars Thoughtful informative and sensitive fully aware
Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2024
I think I’ll use this as guide to culture of Paris
Gabrielle
5.0 out of 5 stars Witty and whimsical, but also deeply inspiring
Reviewed in the United States on October 11, 2016
Take this book at face value, and it's a witty, whimsical tale of moving to Paris and the adventures and woes that ensue. But for all its Carrie-Bradshawesque charm, My (Part-time) Paris Life goes much deeper. Yes, the Paris lover will find plenty to relate to, but beyond that, the author unflinchingly poses the question/challenge about when we're going to start living the lives we truly want to - even if it means breaking away from what loved ones want for us (or is that for themselves?)

Not everyone's going to want to move to Paris, but so many people are denying their dreams out of fear, or maybe the mistaken belief that they're crazy or selfish to want more than they have. The author acknowledges the fear of moving away from her established, comfortable life in Manhattan, then steps into the unknown--still terrified, and not entirely sure what the hell she's doing, but unwilling to live safely for one more minute. Not everything goes according to plan. Sometimes even when it does, Anselmo comes to the realization that's not what she's truly looking for, and takes the next step, ultimately emerging slightly battered, but stronger and wiser than she ever believed she could be. (Anselmo is too self-deprecating to use those exact words; I'm summing it up for her.)

For Christmas 2 years ago, I gave my close friends Zhena Muzyka's Life By The Cup for the inspiration to chase down their dreams. This year, they'll all be receiving My (Part-time) Paris Life--partly because of the beautiful packaging, but mainly because we all deserve to find that place in the world, be it physical or figurative, where we truly belong.
Noleen Herring
3.0 out of 5 stars It's an easy read and an interesting perspective on 'real life' in ...
Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2017
I haven't quite finished it yet. It's an easy read and an interesting perspective on 'real life' in Paris. I will read fhe rest.
I don't think I will buy a unit there though! Best just to enjoy a short stay it seems.
ArtTeach
5.0 out of 5 stars I absolutely loved it, a story that hit home for me ...
Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2017
Had my husband order this for me. I absolutely loved it, a story that hit home for me being an Italian-American girl who lost a beloved mother. Lisa is funny, poignant and totally honest. She doesn't sugar-coat the downside to her decision to buy an apartment and live part-time in Paris. When she felt loneliness, she wrote about it. Complicated emotions about friends, family and her Mom - she wrote about it. The description of dismantling her Mother's home with her sister, in particular, rang true. Lisa' s ability to put a voice to feeling that her Mom is sending signs during times of stress to guide her from on high - let me know I am not alone in doing this. But other sections are buoyant, exhilarating and makes you want to take a leap at something, anything, you've always wanted to do. This is also a fascinating exploration of the benefits of living in "real" Paris, as opposed to the touristy areas that we all know and love. I can't wait for her follow-up. Hope it is not too long in coming.
AliB
4.0 out of 5 stars Good but unbalanced
Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2017
I am actively looking for an apartment in Paris, so I was looking forward to this book. I definitely enjoyed it, but toward the end it was more about her broken relationship with her mother and less about her place in Paris. That was definitely an integral part of her story, but the balance was off, especially at the end. I felt as though she wanted to write a book for a large audience (i.e. francophiles) but couldn't entirely get past her need to do some writing therapy - and maybe a little too much of it.
Larry K.
5.0 out of 5 stars Authentic, touching, inspiring ... and entertaining ...
Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2018
An unflinching and brave self-examination by a woman who saved herself from deep grief and loss by taking a risky stab at creating a new life on her own in a foreign city she grew to love. The old adage about the folly of trying to solve problems by running away (wherever I go, there I am) is upended in this well-written, interesting book. This is a compelling read and Anselmo’s insights into the essence of Parisian life and French culture and language would be of interest to anyone who wants an insider’s take on this intriguing and sumptuous place. And anyone facing a big turning point in life will be moved and inspired by the unfolding of her story. I couldn’t put it down ... and it makes me look forward to reading her next book.

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