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Holidays in Hell
- In Which Our Intrepid Reporter Travels to the World's Worst Places and Asks, 'What's Funny About This'
- Narrated by: Dan John Miller
- Length: 9 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Release date: 10-25-11
- Language: English
- Publisher: Brilliance Audio
- Whispersync for Voice-ready
Regular price: $19.99
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A few insights, several horse laughs, some tedium
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Twenty-five years ago, Peter Mayle and his wife, Jennie, were rained out of a planned two weeks on the Côte d'Azur. In search of sunlight, they set off for Aix-en-Provence; enchanted by the world and life they found there, they soon decided to uproot their lives in England and settle in Provence. They have never looked back. As Mayle tells us, a cup of café might now cost three euros - but that price still buys you a front-row seat to the charming and indelible parade of village life.
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3 out of 5 stars
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The narrator ruins it for me.
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1 out of 5 stars
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usual great PJ, but PATHETIC sound quality
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Fun, but not for squeamish
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In Modern Manners, cultural guru P. J. O'Rourke provides the essential accessory for the truly contemporary man or woman - a rulebook for living in a world without rules. Traditionally, good manners were a means of becoming as bland and invisible as everyone else, and thus of avoiding calling attention to one's own awkwardness and stupidity.
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Lacking
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what a great book!
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Why you should read ?
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5 out of 5 stars
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So good I hated for it to end
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For James Bond and the British Secret Service, the stakes couldn't be higher. 007's mission is to neutralize the Russian operative Le Chiffre by ruining him at the baccarat table, forcing his Soviet masters to "retire" him. When Le Chiffre hits a losing streak, Bond discovers his luck is in - that is, until he meets Vesper Lynd, a glamorous agent who might yet prove to be his downfall. This audiobook includes an exclusive bonus interview with Dan Stevens.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Bond. James Bond.
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Publisher's Summary
Holidays in Hell follows P. J. O’Rourke on a global fun-finding mission to the most desperate places on the planet, from the bombed-out streets of Beirut to the stultifying blandness of Heritage USA. P.J.’s unforgettable adventures abroad include storming student protesters’ barricades in South Korea, interviewing Communist insurrectionists in the Philippines, and going undercover in Arab garb at Jerusalem’s Dome of the Rock Mosque. Packed with P.J.’s classic riffs on everything from Polish nightlife under communism to Third World driving tips, Holidays in Hell is one of the best-loved books by one of today’s most celebrated humorists - a full-tilt, no-holds-barred romp through politics, culture, and ideology.
Critic Reviews
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Overall
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4 out of 5 stars
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4 out of 5 stars
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Philip
- Garland, TX, United States
- 12-10-12
Moving Stories
What made the experience of listening to Holidays in Hell the most enjoyable?
Real Human stories. Not political or partisan crap.
What was one of the most memorable moments of Holidays in Hell?
Descriptions of children in horrible situations.
Any additional comments?
Incredibly moving and thought provoking even in the humor. Amazing insight from PJ.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Kindle Customer
- Miami, Florida
- 09-23-18
The way it was
I didn't realize how old this book was when I bought it. I liked the epilogue best.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Larry-Bob
- 10-29-17
Time flies and this is a bit dated
When I read this it made a convert out of me but it's dated. Going to try Holidays in Heck...hope its more timely. BUT KEEP IN MIND THAT P J is still a genius. I thank him for hours of entertainment and an education from a guy who claims to have been a loutish dope smoking do-nothing. He must have been paying SOME attention despite what he says. Thanks P J
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Yousuf Sajjad
- 05-01-17
A fun book
O'Rourke's book is informative, touching and humourous, if a little dated. The book was writtwn in the late Cold War era of the mid-1980's, just before the fall of Communism and it definitely provides a snapshot of that more fraught world.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kevin Armstrong
- Naples, New York USA
- 04-29-17
kinda brilliant especially in 2017
Mix equal parts Rick Steve's, Arthur From, Mark Twain, and Hunter S. Thompson. Age it for 35 years and you get a PJ's vacation commentary.
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Ken
- 02-06-14
Shallow social commentary, written in the 80's
What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?
Currency would have made it a better experience. PJ O'Rourke is relatively entertaining but despite the 2000 publish date, the articles in this collection are mostly 30+ years old now.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- Carlton
- Webster, NY, United States
- 12-23-11
Not Very Funny
I was very disappointed with this book. I rarely have an Audible book that I do not like but this book was not worth the time or effort. I listened all the way through and rarely was amused. O'Rourke seems to love vulgarity in portraying the story. I would not recommend this book unless you are a Rolling Stones Fan and then it would probably be of interest to you.
1 of 8 people found this review helpful
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- Aaron Arrowood
- Indiana, USA
- 05-10-15
Really cynical… Not really funny
PJ O'Rourke is billed as a humorist. I found him to be lacking in humor and full of cynicism. I plowed through…
0 of 4 people found this review helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Lulwah
- 02-16-17
Every sentence has to be a funny quote!
while it's an interesting collection of travel memories, some of the jokes fall short and the whole audiobook just feels like a ten hour long mediocre stand up comedy.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful