Customer Reviews

Spotted in France: A Dog's Life...On the Road

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

i had a lovely journey through the south of france with greg and j.p.! from the moment i strapped on my goggles (reading glasses), to the end of the trip when i jumped off the vespa scooter (rose from the 'barker'lounger), the fun never stopped. mr. edmont's magical writing style had me enchanted from begining to end. even though i read this book several months ago, i feel as if it were yesterday. the 'memories' of this adventure are so vivid in my mind, i enjoy recalling so many of the events as if i actually expirienced them. i've heard this wonderful story is being made into a movie! watch for me, i'll be first in line at the theater. i'm looking forward to the next book by this author!!

American writer, Greg and his petit ami, JP, are hurrying from their apartment in Paris to the South of France for a date with destiny; JP is about to lose his virginity and become the sire of his own great line of liver spotted dalmations. Along the way, Greg tells in simple, straight-forward prose the amusing story of this journey, where JP's magnificent presence transcends cultural boundaries and opens doors for Greg that would have been ordinarily difficult to breach. Even the best restaurants fling open their portals and their hearts, wooing JP with succulent dishes fit for this roi des chiens.

But the story that will really tug at your heart begins once JP and Greg arrive in the Midi at the home of unlucky bteeder, Bonbon whose life has taken a turn for the worse. When JP shows absolutely no interest in the female for which he is intended and all Bonbon's frustrated attempts seem for naught, JP and his master, turn things around, charming the near-by villagers while planting the seed for another generation of extraordinary companions.

Absolutely charming, this book is a gem in every way. The exquisitely rendered drawings of JP and friends that act as a frontpiece to every chapter heading enhance the reader's anticipation of yet another amusing anecdote to follow. The story itself, would make a rather sweet BBC production--having all the right ingredients---sensitive humans, wise-beyond-years four-legged mentors, doggy and dogged romance and new beginnings where cantakerous characters turn over a new leaf with the wag of a magical tail. Commendably the author does not compromise his leading man by including a human romance of his own and teases the reader with a picture (worth a thousand words) on the back jacket flap that depicts the prestigious outcome. Highly recommended----please write a sequel!

I loved this book! So have the reviewers:

Spotted in France - Chicago Tribune Review September 21, 2003

The French love their dogs, and author Gregory Edmont, yet another American in Paris, loves his Dalmatian, nicknamed JP (his French name is way too long and unpronounceable). A breeder in Provence desperately needs a litter of new puppies. Would JP do the honors? It is here that the story begins and Edmont's life changes. For as he wanders the streets of Paris and then journeys on a motor scooter into the heart of the French countryside with his Vespa-riding pooch alongside, he his met with good fortune and we, the reader, are entertained with wonderful and quite funny stories.

Spotted in France - Library Journal Review September 15, 2003
The numerous endearing and eccentric characters (like the cleric who marries JP) will have the reader in stitches. Part travel log, part book about dogs and dog lovers, this magical work is highly recommended for all public and academic libraries. Read it when you are feeling down.

My girlfriend finished this book and handed it to me. I'ts not the kind of title I normally read. She was right, a little light reading and tromp through France was just what I needed. Greg Edmont is a talent. A nice escape and nice narrative.

I am addicted to travel narratives and picked this one up because I own a dalmatian. I read it one sitting and found myself laughing out loud many times and sharing passages with anyone nearby. I've also passed the book around my circle of friends and they experienced the same. A fun book to read, if not one that convinces you to train your dog to ride shotgun. I can't wait to read the next installment. I was lucky enough to meet Greg Edmont, JP & Sketch when he did a book reading in Atlanta where he told us a movie is in the works... I am counting the days! Just who will play the crazy French dog breeder???

I picked this book up at a reading the author gave at a nearby Vespa dealer. It was the perfect format for the book -- JP (the dog) and his progeny were there to mug for fans, while gleeming Vespas, an engaging author, and tasty French appetizers set the mood.

Once I got out of that showcase and actually sat down to read the book, I was thoroughly impressed. It's a quick, light read -- a great summer book if you're looking for something to take on vacation. All of the essential elements of a good travel story --a narrator you care about, a dog you can't help but admire, beautiful landscapes to make you wish for your own French vacation, and an endless parade of characters to keep you chuckling along. If you've read the current bestseller Marlee & Me, and are looking for something in the same vein, then Congrats! You just found it with Spotted in France.

Gregory Edmont wakes up one day and decides something is missing in his life. He was out of school and out of work when he found a beautiful Dalmation who then moved into his Montmartre apartment he was then named JP. Like a magic spell, JP surrounds Gregory's life with a magnetic attraction that makes him meet more friends and eventually becomes a passport to all of France. As the adventures progress, we learn more about all the people they meet and how they avoid disasters. There is a comforting mood throughout as man and his best friend adventure into the unknown with a sense of playful spontaneity.

~The Rebecca Review

I bought the book because I had purchased a couple of other Vespa travel books and was looking toward the travel in the south of France on a Vespa aspect. That aspect was OK. I'm a big time animal lover and the way the author made JP come to life made the book, everything else was a bonus.

I was given this book recently by a friend who knowing that I lived in France with my Dalmatians.

When I began I found so many inconsistencies and apparent errors, ( Paris to Var in two days on a Vespa with a dog - impossible and highly illegal ! ) I was close to deciding not to continue but then I stopped and thought that maybe I was reading it in the wrong way. I know this sounds strange but I had a preconceived idea of what the book was to be - a factual account rather in the vein of Peter Mayle's "A year in Provence" but "Spotted" was clearly something completely different.

So, I started to read again from the beginning treating it more as a work written in the style of magical realism and, accepting it as such, the story began to shine. This is not an accurate description of modern day France and indeed I think that the JP in the story is an idealized Dalmatian but there is a certain naivety in the prose, lending a whimsical tone to the whole book and once started in it hard to put down. The story has a dream-like quality so don't look for accuracy and don't read in an analytical manner. Just let the story flow and enjoy the dream!

The story is both delightful and charming, you cannot read it without sometimes shedding a tear and at others laughing out loud. I really recommend it espcially to lovers of this wonderful breed of dog.


PS: I must make one very important criticism: Early in the book Greg allows JP to be fed a large amount of liver. Never ever feed a Dalmatian liver or any other offal for that matter. It can lead to the formation of urinary tract stones to which the breed is very prone and can have fatal consequences.

I read this book recently and passed it on to my daughter, who passed it on.....etc. I bought this copy as a hostess gift for my brother-in-law who grew up in France and is a dog lover. He is enjoying it--it's a funny, quick read.