A Castle in the Backyard: The Dream of a House in France [Paperback]

Betsy Draine (Author), Michael Hinden (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 7, 2006

A Castle in the Backyard chronicles the French adventures of American couple Betsy Draine and Michael Hinden, who in 1985 embarked upon a dream. After falling in love with a small stone house set beneath a medieval castle in Perigord, they bought the tranquil getaway located in one of the most beautiful river valleys in Europe. In this delightful memoir Betsy and Michael offer an intimate glimpse of a region little known to Americans - the Dordogne valley, its castles and prehistoric art, its walking trails and earthy cuisine, its people and traditions - and describe the charms and mishaps of setting up housekeeping thousands of miles from home. Insightful and poignant, this memoir chronicles the transformation of Perigord as development poses a challenge to its graceful way of life, and evokes the personal exuberance of starting over, even in mid-life.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Draine and Hinden (English, Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison) have charmingly recounted their past 15 summers establishing a summer home in the Dordogne valley in southwest France. With wonderful detail, they have created a colorful picture of their search for and purchase of an old stone house in the hilltop village of Castlenaud-la-Chapelle. Similar to Michael Korda's tale of relocation in Country Matters and Peter Mayle's best-selling A Year in Provence, this charming memoir brings to life the history, character, and beauty of the authors' new culture, their rural surroundings, and their quirky fellow villagers. The book includes a list of further readings for those interested in more information about the Dordogne valley, but after reading A Castle in the Backyard, you may not need the extra information it may feel as if you've already been to the south of France and loved it. Highly recommended for travel collections in all public libraries. Mari Flynn, Keystone Coll., La Plume, PA
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Several years ago this married couple, both professors of English at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, traveled through the Perigord, a ravishingly beautiful area of southwest France washed and backdropped by the lovely Dordogne River. Captivated by what they saw, they purchased a summer home in the particularly evocative village of Castelnaud, which is dominated by a castle built during the Hundred Years' War. The authors' recollections of their summers in the Perigord and, especially, their charming little house will delight any fan of the I-bought-a-house-abroad memoir. From remembrances of their dearest neighbor, Madame Boucher, to descriptions of local cuisine (featuring walnuts, foie gras, and truffles), to stories about the prehistoric cave paintings for which the region is well known, every one of their anecdotes is delightfully worth telling. Each detail of their account is a delicious morsel akin to the hearty fare served in every Perigord home and inn. Brad Hooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 322 pages
• Publisher: University of Wisconsin Press (March 7, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0299179443
• ISBN-13: 978-0299179441
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #529,914 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #9 in Books > Travel > Europe > France > Dordogne
  • #11 in Books > Travel > United States > States > Wisconsin

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A CASTLE IN THE BACKYARD, May 16, 2003

By 

bestbatiker "hehling" (carefree, az USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: A Castle in the Backyard: The Dream of a House in France (Hardcover)

What a total delight this book is. After five years of visits to Provence, I decided on exploring the Dordogne. None of the guidebooks on the market connected me so much with an area as did this beautifully written volume by Betsy Draine and Michael Hinden. Their descriptive writing had me share their agonizing search for their dream house, slowly getting to know their neighbors, and especially their frustration of seeing the idyllic village turn into a tourist mecca. The ending came too swiftly. I could have enjoyed a few more chapters, a sort of never-ending story. Perhaps we will someday be blessed with a continuing volume.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sharing the Fantasy of a Home in France - Excellent!, September 19, 2005

By 

G. E. Gerst "pleasure reader" (San Francisco) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Castle in the Backyard: The Dream of a House in France (Hardcover)

Having driven through the Dordogne and being a closet Francophile, I was thrilled to read this book. A very easy and pleasant look at life in the French countryside. It's not so much about buying a home and the perils therein; it's not a string of amusing anecdotes -- it's really a wonderful memoir of finding a second home and making the community a second family. I'm ready to go buy my own piece of the dream in this gorgeous and intriguing part of France. If you are interested in French country living or the thought process of establishing a second home in Europe, you will enjoy this book.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book gives the reader the "real" view of France and the French, September 23, 2005

By 

G. Sullivan (Boston) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Castle in the Backyard: The Dream of a House in France (Hardcover)

The title might lead the reader to think that this book is about how to buy real estate in France. It does provide some very helpful tips in that regard, but the book goes well beyond buying real estate. The authors provide insight into how cultures can interreact. The book is an absolute must for anyone interested in the nuances of the French as well as getting eyewitness tour of the Dordogne region. The book is educational, poignant at times, funny at times and always a joy to read.