Customer Reviews

Honeymoon with My Brother: A Memoir

5 star:		(104)
4 star:		(30)
3 star:		(16)
2 star:		(17)
1 star:		(17)

 

 

The last thing I wanted to do was to read about two good-looking straight guys from Orange County, Calif., who traveled the world to bond with each together and with exotic women. I thought I had nothing in common with them; I grew up without a brother and a father plus I read mostly military and political books. The clincher was watching my wife read "Honeymoon" in two nights, often laughing aloud.

Boy was I wrong.

"Honeymoon" took me for a ride, through California politics and business, then to the altar where Franz, the author, got dumped. Instead of becoming a sour puss, he took Kurt, his estranged brother on his non-refundable honeymoon that lasted for two years. Together they reconnected and shared their dispatches to a bunch of envious desk jockeys back home. Their grandmother gave them the ultimate approval--she was the glue.

I get weird responses whenever I recommend this book to my male buddies, especially Marines. But I'll continue to do so because it's funny, it's personal and it's adventurous. Live a little. Life is short. Never look back. Look for the movie and a sequel in the near future.

Had a bad day? Lost a job? Relationship troubles? Why not just go travel for a couple of years? This book made me want to go on a Honeymoon with My Brother. I enjoyed living vicariously through the Wisners. What a refreshing read. It made me laugh (the "dating" stories). It made me cry (LaRue). It made me remember my own travels (Prague). The writing was honest and real. I was impressed with Franz's ability to share so many personal experiences so openly. The adventures were fascinating. I had a hard time putting the book down and was bummed when I was finished with it. My book club read it and enjoyed it tremendously. We have read memoirs before but found this one to be one of our favorites. We cannot wait to read what Franz and Kurt are up to next. And I keep thinking of ways they might need an extra person (to carry a backpack?) so that I can go along...

For anyone who loves to travel but may not have the opportunity here is your chance. Reading this book you get the chance to explore the world...one day Indonesia, the next Brazil! It is wonderful! The added bonus is getting the chance to relate to two real people, real brothers who go through a journey of finding themselves while getting to know one another. I can not emphasize enough how much this book is worth reading, if not for traveling around the world for the life lessons learned. Read it, think about it, take its advice and travel anywhere when you get the chance!

I too had great hopes for this books after hearing the NPR segment. But I found the book supercifial , and not particularly well written (to say nothing of the annoying use of italics). Franz is demoted in his position at work, and his long term relationship falls apart, but there is no real reflection on the reasons for either. He tells you that his performance was exceptional and he was incredibly successful in his job, and implies that the demotion was entirely arbitrary. He never even explores why his employer stripped his job of its key responsibilities and knocked him out of the inner circle. The demotion and break up take up the first 75 pages. I just was not drawn in. The expression that keeps coming to mind is: a mile wide and a half inch deep. His travel tales and personal travails are explained, but never beyond the surface. His description of culture of and recent developmts in Prague is non existent, as he dwells on his escapades with a woman he hooked up with, and then dumps. He states in the book that one of his friends advised him to "go deep", meaning deep into the continents, away from the obvious tourist destinations. Good advice. I wished that the author would have gone much deeper, and not just skimmed the surface.

I saw this book in the bookstore and the name caught my eye. This book was wonderfully fun to read and so interesting. I feel like I know Franz and Kurt just from reading about their travels.
As another reviewer said, don't judge the brothers because they have money. They had fun....how many of us can say that we just had a wonderful and fun experience (for 2 years)? Their travel into and insight on lesser known countries was so interesting. The way the brothers reconnect is inspiring.
Hopefully I will be able to travel vicariously through the brothers again and again.
Lastly, Annie made a BIG MISTAKE!

This book is fabulous. It is the 1st book I have read in a long time that I did not want to put down and could not wait until I had a few moments to read more pages. This is not really about travel although there are many helpful hints if you plan to visit some of the places the brothers did. It is instead a story about becoming friends again, about learning who and what you are truly about and discovering what is important in life. I loved Larue, I wish she could have been my grandmother. This is a quick, enjoyable read.

I loved this book. I had heard about the book from friends and was excited to read it. It is a great story about traveling but more importantly relationships. I really enjoyed reading a man's perspective on love and break-ups, sibling/brother relationships and his wonderful bond with his "grandmother". I can't wait for the movie!

I stumbled across this book watching a morning television show and decided I had to go out and buy it. I'm so glad I did. This is one of the best books I have ever read. It was funny, enlightening and uplifting. I've always wanted to travel around the world, this book only made me want to do it more and without all of those cushy travel packages with air conditioned tour buses and four star hotels. I can't wait to hike up to Machu Picchu and roam the ruins at Ankor Wat. I loved this book so much I searched for more pages when the book ended, that I was sad when LaRue passed away and I laughed at the worst taxi driver ever. I can't wait until they write another one!

Wow! I've never written a review before, but just had to after finishing Honeymoon with My Brother.

I first heard about this book after hearing the story on NPR and reading about it in Entertainment Weekly. They gave it a well-desrved A rating. I finished the book last night and would have to agree. In fact, I'm already starting to read it again.

It's an inspiring tale for all of us office workers or anyone who has ever experienced a setback and dreams of starting anew. I've fantasized from time to time about chucking it all and hitting the road. Franz not only had the courage to do it, he makes us feel as if we are traveling with him thanks to his funny and enlightening observations, and conversational prose.

At the same time, this is a thoughtful story about a couple brothers who drifted apart, then found each other in a time of need. It's perfect for anyone who has dreamed of a closer relationship with a sibling. I called my sister this morning, in fact, and we talked about taking a trip to Las Vegas this fall. Not as long as a two-year honeymoon, but still a much needed trip together.

This book is alternatingly hilarious, moving, thought-provoking, and always entertaining. The title says it all!

I see on the brothers' website (www.honeymoonwithmybrother.com) that they call in to book clubs. I'm going to suggest it for mine -- with international foods and wines, of course!!

I went to Borders for Franz and Kurt's book signing, and after reading the book, invited them to talk to our book club.
From being besotted with love and having a cushy job, Franz became a traveler with his brother in poor countries and ended up a better man for it. His connection with LaRue and visits at the facility were charming signs of his attachment to her. No doubt her "Queen for a Day" status when they came by enhanced her final years.
It's laudable that they did not seek out the prime locations and premier hotels to visit, but through the discomfort and tedium of visiting Third World countries, they discovered the wealth in their own relationship.
They came to our book club and wowed the group we invited to share their talk. They are are as warm in person as in the book.I bought 3 more books myself and am waiting for the next one.