How the World Makes Love: . . . And What It Taught a Jilted Groom [Hardcover]

Franz Wisner (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 17, 2009

The bestselling author of Honeymoon with My Brother hits the road again to learn about love and finally finds it closer to home

 

When you’ve been jilted at the altar and forced to take your pre-paid honeymoon with your brother, it’s fair to say you could learn a thing or two about love. And that’s what Franz Wisner sets out to do—traveling the globe with a mission: to discover the planet’s most important love lessons and see if they can rescue him from the ruins of his own love life. Even after months on the road, he’s still not sure he’s found the secret. But a disastrous date with a Los Angeles actress and single mom keeps popping into Franz’s head. While researching ideal love, could he have missed a bigger truth: that something unplanned and implausible could actually make him happy?

Uproarious, tender, and studded with eye-opening insights on love, How the World Makes Love is the story of one average man’s search for happiness—a search that turns into an improbable love story in the author’s own backyard.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Here’s another provocatively titled book from the author of the unexpected hit Honeymoon with My Brother (2005). After he was ditched at the altar, the author decided to take his honeymoon anyway (hey, it was already paid for). He enlisted his brother, Kurt, to accompany him, and then he wrote a book about the experience. Now he’s written a follow-up, in which he and his brother visit various foreign countries— including Brazil, Egypt, India, and Botswana—and talk to people about love, romance, sex, and other related subjects. The book is all at once a travelogue, an exploration of the notion of love, and a story about a man who has somehow managed to turn a humiliating personal experience into a new kind of life. Wisner is a very funny writer when the situation calls for it, but he can also be tender, thoughtful, and wise. A must-read for fans of Honeymoon with My Brother, but the book works just fine as a stand-alone, too. --David Pitt

Review

"In 2005, the author was jilted at the altar and turned the experience into the memoir Honeymoon With My Brother.  In this follow-up, the bros decide to hit the road again, this time researching how countries around the world (including Nicaragua, New Zealand and India) value love.  This quirky and charming book not only gives you insight into the male mind but also makes you want to explore your own notions of what love means.”--Redbook

"Here’s another provocatively titled book from the author of the unexpected hit Honeymoon with My Brother (2005). After he was ditched at the altar, the author decided to take his honeymoon anyway (hey, it was already paid for). He enlisted his brother, Kurt, to accompany him, and then he wrote a book about the experience. Now he’s written a follow-up, in which he and his brother visit various foreign countries— including Brazil, Egypt, India, and Botswana—and talk to people about love, romance, sex, and other related subjects. The book is all at once a travelogue, an exploration of the notion of love, and a story about a man who has somehow managed to turn a humiliating personal experience into a new kind of life. Wisner is a very funny writer when the situation calls for it, but he can also be tender, thoughtful, and wise. A must-read for fans of Honeymoon with My Brother, but the book works just fine as a stand-alone, too." --Booklist

 

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press; First Edition edition (March 17, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312340834
• ISBN-13: 978-0312340834
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #613,184 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Franz Wisner has no idea what to label his profession. Writer? International travel addict? Profession dumpee?

He is the New York Times bestselling author of HONEYMOON WITH MY BROTHER, a memoir of the two-year, 53-country honeymoon he took with his younger brother Kurt after being left at the altar by his fiancee; and the recently released HOW THE WORLD MAKES LOVE, a look at dating, marriage, sex, and romance around the planet.

Franz and his honeymooning brother have appeared on Oprah, The Today Show, CNN, and Fox News, among others. He has also penned essays for NPR, Redbook, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Toronto Globe and Mail, and Coast Magazine.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exceptional second book, April 3, 2009

By 

Quang Pham "Quang Pham" (Orange County, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How the World Makes Love: . . . And What It Taught a Jilted Groom (Hardcover)

Most authors never write a second book let a lone a potential second bestseller. Wisner broke the sophomoric blues and followed through with a gem. Nice guys do sometime win. Wisner had been jilted at the altar but somehow made the best of his situation and found happiness. He set out with his brother again to discover how the rest of the globe makes love. He's now married with a young son and became a better observer and writer. Go get this book, read it and share it!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Worth Getting to the End, November 21, 2009

By 

J. Reeves "smithwickmachine2" (Chicago, Illinois United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: How the World Makes Love: . . . And What It Taught a Jilted Groom (Hardcover)

I start to read quite a few books, often don't finish them if they aren't compelling enough. This one though decent in the beginning almost fell into the not going to finish pile. It seemed too light, and humorous in just a pleasant, cliched way. But then it picked up considerably, showed lots more depth, the humor a bit more knowing, intelligent and insightful, and then became quite touching honest and heartfelt. I like to travel a lot myself and became envious of Franz' and his brothers adventure. I'm glad he shared what he learned along with way. It was worthwhile finishing the book.

I'm between a four and five star rating here.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The great trek continues and writing is just gets better, March 27, 2009

By 

J. Raben (Washington, DC United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How the World Makes Love: . . . And What It Taught a Jilted Groom (Hardcover)

I was not sure what to expect when i picked up Wisner's first book but then I could not put it down. An exceptional writing style. So I was excited to hear that he was coming out with a second. The new book, How The World Makes Love did not disappoint. It is a heart felt journey and one we can all relate even if we do not leave our hometown. How do we find love and how do we define the love we are looking for and how do we define the love we have? Wisner helps us get there. Wisner gives us a new perspective -- in fact many new perspectives from India to Africa to Eastern Europe to his own life. Kudos.