All Good Things: From Paris to Tahiti: Life and Longing
As warm and welcoming as slipping into the lagoon for a morning swim, the latest journey of former Australian journalist Turnbull unfurls with the same charm as her popular Almost French (2003). Turnbull and her French husband relocate from Paris to Tahiti for his job, in the midst of arduous fertility treatments to try to have a child. The culture clashes continue, both inside and outside the marriage, as the couple adjusts. While describing their life in paradise—complete with a tropical lagoon in the backyard—and her frustrations over the inability to conceive, Turnbull manages neither to gloat nor to wallow, instead employing humor and bracing honesty. As much travelogue as memoir, Turnbull’s account captures the glorious palette and fragrance of the islands while remaining clear-eyed about the challenges of life there. As ever, Turnbull is a perceptive, evocative guide to other lands and cultures. Deeply touching, this is for fans of her first memoir who are curious about her next adventure, and also for a more general audience attracted to the tale of facing the unknown with humility and delight. --Bridget Thoreson