'If you had to pick two things you wanted - if you had to - what would you pick?' I hesitated. This was a bigger question than usually got asked at these post-match debriefs. 'I suppose the honest answer would be,' I said, still accessing the last pieces of required data from a jumbled mind, 'meeting my soul mate, and finding an idyllic house abroad somewhere.' Inspired by breathtaking views and romantic dreams of finding love in the mountains, Tony Hawks impulsively buys a house in the French Pyrenees. Here, he plans to finally fulfil his childhood fantasy of mastering the piano, untroubled by the problems of the world. In reality, the chaotic story of Tony's hopelessly ill-conceived house purchase reads like the definitive guide to how not to buy a house in France. It finds him flirting with the removal business in a disastrous attempt to transport his piano to France in a dodgy white van; foolishly electing to build a swimming pool himself; and expanding his relationship repertoire when he starts co-habiting, not with an exquisite French beauty, but with a middle-aged builder from West London. As Tony and his friends haplessly attempt to fit into village life, they learn more about themselves and each other than they ever imagined.

Inspired by breathtaking views and romantically dreaming of finding love in the mountains, Tony Hawks buys a house in the Pyrenees. And here, he imagines, he will finally fulfill his childhood fantasy of mastering the piano, all the while overlooking spectacular views as the troubles of the world pass by unnoticed.

USA TODAY BESTSELLER In 1962, in the Soviet Union, eight-year-old Katya is bequeathed what will become the love of her life: a Blüthner piano, on which she discovers an enrichening passion for music. Yet after she marries, her husband insists the family emigrate to America—and loses her piano in the process. In 2012, in Bakersfield, California, twenty-six-year-old Clara Lundy is burdened by the last gift her father gave her before he and her mother died in a terrible house fire: a Blüthner upright she has never learned to play. Now a talented and independent auto mechanic, Clara’s career is put on hold when she breaks her hand trying to move the piano, and in sudden frustration she decides to sell it. Only in discovering the identity of the buyer—and the secret history of her piano—will Clara be set free to live the life of her choosing.

The Rough Guide Snapshot to the Pyrenees is the ultimate travel guide to this craggy mountainous region, and also includes coverage of the beguiling Basque country. It guides you through the region with reliable information and comprehensive accounts of all the sights and attractions, from surfing big waves in Biarritz and inspecting pre-historic paintings in the Ariège valley to taking a trip on the charming Petit Train Jaune and exploring dramatic Cathar castles in the Corbières. Detailed maps and up-to-date listings pinpoint the best cafés, restaurants, hotels, shops, bars and nightlife, ensuring you have the most memorable possible, whether passing through, staying for the weekend or longer. Also included is the Basics section from The Rough Guide to France, with all the practical information you need for travelling in and around the country, including transport, food, drink, costs, health and festivals. Also published as part of The Rough Guide to France. Full coverage: Bayonne, Biarritz, St Jean-de-Luz, Parc National des Pyrénées, Pau, Lourdes, Tarbes, Vallée d'Aspe, Vallée d'Ossau, Gave de Pau, Cauterets, Gavarnie and its cirque, Barèges, Luchon, Vallée de l'Ariege, Montségur, Vallée de l'Aude, Cathar castles, Perpignan, The Têt valley (Equivalent printed page extent 102 pages).Now available in ePub format.

Recounts the author's experiences hitchhiking on a bet all the way around Ireland with a small refrigerator, and shares his impressions of the people and places along the way.