A Guiri's Adventure: Barcelona Through the Eyes of an American [Paperback]

Greta Paa-Kerner (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 24, 2002

A Guiri's Adventure: Barcelona through the eyes of an American is a shamelessly honest chronicle of Greta Paa-Kerner's experiences living in Barcelona, Spain. Spiced up with cynicism, self-deprecation and dry humor, it is a recount of the history, geography, economics, and cultural euphemisms of the region. It's an armchair adventure about an American during her first year of living abroad.With the disputed U.S. presidential elections, the terrorist attacks of September 11 and Europe's transition to the Euro monetary system, it was an eventful time to live in Europe. Every chapter in A Guiri's Adventure captures this unique period in history. Through the highs and the lows of settling into a new culture Greta learned that being a foreigner, a "Guiri" meant more than speaking with an accent. For her it also meant taking a personal journey beyond one's self-made limits and stretching beyond what was comfortable. She wants you to take that journey with her.Barcelona, home of the ancient Roman settlements, the Modernist art movement and the 1992 Olympics is a story unto itself. Famous architects like Antoni Gaudý and artists like Joan Mirý have shaped this fascinating city and provide a colorful mosaic backdrop for this foreigner's adventures.

Editorial Reviews

From the Author

Through this book I hope to ignite her readership's passion for reaching beyond their self-made limits and remind them to pursue their personal goals. Do it now, don’t make excuses and remember that life is one big adventure.

About the Author

Greta and her husband continue to live in Barcelona. She left her job at a multinational to pursue a career as an author, artist and entrepreneur and this book is the first step in this new direction.Visit her website at www.ganduxer.com and let her know what you think.

Product Details

• Paperback: 214 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse (October 24, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595247148
• ISBN-13: 978-0595247141
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,610,748 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars a real page-skipper, June 30, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: A Guiri's Adventure: Barcelona Through the Eyes of an American (Paperback)

Since I lived in Barcelona for five years, I jump at the chance to read anything published about the city. Unfortunately, this book just adds another dollop of cliché to a recent string of clichéd portraits of this beautiful port city. ... Paa-Kerner does a pretty bad job at a travel guide, a worse job of explaining the city's history, a really sorry job of making herself sound like an ex-pat who learned not to be such an obnoxious American by living abroad. If you're looking to learn about Catalonia, try Robert Hughes' "Barcelona," and if you're looking for some insight into living in two cultures, I recommend Lucia Graves' "A Woman Divided". Otherwise, you're treating yourself to such bits of wisdom as "OK, sure, I like to wear teeny tiny clothes just like the rest of them, I'm a bit cheesy. But, call me a prude, I don't necessarily think these hot summer outfits are appropriate for work. Especially showing the navel, which seems to be all the rage this year."

One of the problems with living somewhere else is that you're no longer able to see how things change in the place you left. So, without serious research or dedication to pursuing a theory slightly more complex than Paa-Kerner's--"we're all people and there is more than one way of doings (sic) things"--it's impossible not to come off as myopically obsessed with irrelevance.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Barbie goes to Barcelona, July 6, 2004

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Guiri's Adventure: Barcelona Through the Eyes of an American (Paperback)

In all seriousness, this book, has caused for the first time, a confirmed instance of the victim becoming "dumber" through reading. Brain cell damage incurred is equivolent to hitting oneself over the head repeatedly with a ball-ping hammer. It left me in serious doubt of the condition of the University of California educational system, one hopes she is merely a legacy student.
A film version may be a serious option for Jessica Simpson to launch her movie career.

10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A Disappointing Book, January 6, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: A Guiri's Adventure: Barcelona Through the Eyes of an American (Paperback)

My wife and I plan our first visit Barcelona in a few months. This book told me a lot more about Greta Paa-Kerner than I wanted to know, and a lot less about Barcelona.