My (Part-Time) Paris Life

By: Lisa Anselmo

Narrated by: Lisa Anselmo

Length: 7 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's Summary

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.

©2016 Lisa Anselmo (P)2016 Macmillan Audio

More loss and recovery

Great narration. I love stories about Paris. This is a story of loss and recovery with less of Paris life.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Bravo

I loved every second of this book!!!! I cried, laughed and smiled. I hope that you write another book. I learned a lot from this book. I too will choose happiness.

Even if you've never dreamed of living in Paris ..

Even if you have never dreamed of living in Paris set aside the time to travel with "Leeza" ..."On her coming-of-age Journey "...That is to say at the point in our lives when we are now the adults ...candid, poignant, sweet, heartfelt ...

Fun read!

I very much enjoyed this memoir. Fantastic performance by the author. I look forward to Part 2

Way better than I needed it to be. Loved it! Get it.

I love books about Paris and am a sucker for most of them. I've read mostly all of them that you were likely ever to find on bookshelves and on audible over the last 10 years. This book is more than you expect it to be. It will pull at anyone's heart strings. I live in NYC and have been to Paris over 20 times and I think she nails it. You feel her struggle, understand her perspective and feel like you have a seat at the cafe. Get it.

Very touching story

The book I listened to was not the book I thought it was going to be.

I knew Lisa was on International House Hunters and that's why I bought this book.
I thought she would talk about how that came about and what it was like to shoot the show..
She did none of those things.
Instead she wrote a honest story of grief, anxiety and how she got through it.

This book touched in a way I never imagined.

I'm a lover of Paris and it warmed my heart to know that it helped her through some of her toughest days.

Perfect reflection on life's opportunities

Would you listen to My (Part-Time) Paris Life again? Why?

I don't usually listen to audio books twice but there are some parts of this book that are worth hearing again. Not just life in Paris but life and one's opportunities.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Lisa, of course. I think many people can relate to her life experiences outside of the move to Paris. On top of that, all of Lisa's Paris experiences are very realistic (I've done a similar adventure)

What about Lisa Anselmo’s performance did you like?

Her genuineness and her east coast spirit that get melded with her emerging Paris spirit.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I think the moment when she spends two months in Paris versus weekends and truly immerses herself in Paris life. Of course, the leak in the apartment is classic Paris. Anyone who owns an apartment has went through this at least once (I have twice!).

Any additional comments?

Lisa's book is as much about choices and opportunity in life than just about Paris itself. The Paris aspect makes it more interesting but I found myself constantly reflecting on my life choices, opportunities and happiness. In some ways, it is a good therapy book. Also, her Paris experiences are exactly the same experiences I had and every time she brings up someone, I had a flashback to exactly the same moment that I had from the "fah-fah-fah" phase to the people in the building to local stores/brasseries to the water leak, etc. If you are planning to buy an apartment, it is a must read.