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The Wrong Shade of Yellow
I was middle aged and homeless, soon to be penniless, and really and truly no different from that bag lady sitting on the bench over there. I couldn’t jack it in and go home, because I didn’t have a home to go to anymore. The bicycle and the tent were now home. Wherever I found myself on any given night was now home. And that meant, for tonight, Genoa Piazza Principe Railway Station was home.
I was cycling across Europe in search of Utopia, a place I believed was located somewhere in Greece. When I found it, I would start a new life there. It was my big, fat, Greek midlife crisis. But now I was having a crisis within a crisis. What the hell had I been thinking?
I was cycling across Europe in search of Utopia, a place I believed was located somewhere in Greece. When I found it, I would start a new life there. It was my big, fat, Greek midlife crisis. But now I was having a crisis within a crisis. What the hell had I been thinking?
167 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2014
49 people are currently reading
175 people want to read
About the author
Margaret Eleanor Leigh
18 books15 followersMargaret Eleanor Leigh is a writer without roots. Born and raised in apartheid South Africa, she’s lived in Wales, New Zealand, England, Greece and Scotland. Now she’s back in Wales, the land of her fathers. Her working past is just as colourful: she’s been a journalist, a bureaucrat, a university tutor, a bookseller, and a proof-reader.
This unsettled and chaotic life has its drawbacks. The only place she can honestly call home is the seat in front of her computer. But it also has its advantages: giving her a rich seam of experiences to mine—an invaluable resource for any writer.
LATEST NEWS:
Frog Dog Summer, Book 1 of Animals of the Valley now out in kindle and paperback. Books 2 - 4 following shortly.
Animals of the Valley is a quartet of children’s stories aimed at 7-10 year-olds. Each story is self-contained, but they do all share a common setting, and some common characters. Something a little magical happens in each story, but they are all nevertheless firmly grounded in real life, the life of a tiny village in a Welsh valley.
Wrong Shade of Yellow now available in Paperback at the following:
http://www.amazon.com/Wrong-Shade-Yel...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
July 27, 2014
I was a little hesitant when I started reading this book about a huge mid life crisis that sends the author in search of utopia in Greece....on a bike...sleeping in a tent. I wondered if it would be a sad tale or too personal but I found myself quickly drawn into the story. I finished it in two days. On the second day, I stayed up until 1 am to finish reading it. I just had to know what happened next, and how the story ended. I found myself laughing out loud while reading it, not little giggle but bursts of laughter.
I enjoyed it because I could identify with the author. I felt her excitement in her search for her utopia in Greece, her fears and doubts but was ultimately very impressed and inspired by her courage and refusal to give up. The beautiful imagery of Greece she evokes with her writing is making me consider a trip but definitely not on a bike or camping!
I want to give this book 4 1/2 stars but don't have the option to do so. Really loved reading it though
I enjoyed it because I could identify with the author. I felt her excitement in her search for her utopia in Greece, her fears and doubts but was ultimately very impressed and inspired by her courage and refusal to give up. The beautiful imagery of Greece she evokes with her writing is making me consider a trip but definitely not on a bike or camping!
I want to give this book 4 1/2 stars but don't have the option to do so. Really loved reading it though
August 12, 2014
I really loved this book that I came across on Goodreads. I can't remember a time when I actually laughed out loud while reading a book, but some parts of the author's travel experiences were so funny that I couldn't control myself. This is certainly not a novel, but rather a travelogue about a middle-aged woman traveling across Europe on a bicycle with a tent and an old computer. The book didn't make me to want to go out and buy a bicycle, but it did cause me to realize I was reading a book by a very talented and gifted writer. When I first started reading, I wasn't at all sure I would like this book, but by the time I finished the first chapter, I was hooked and kept on reading until I got to the last page----and then I felt bad that the book had ended. You really feel like you're riding along as you travel through the pages of the book. It's different from anything I have ever read before. I think it would be very difficult not to really enjoy "The Wrong Shade of Yellow."
July 7, 2015
Well, the best way to know what to write in a review is to be absorbed in a book. It's not a work of fiction. There is no plot. There is no romance, no kidnapping, and no thrills. There is no devious villain. But I found myself wanting to read more, and then more, and then some more... and it's only a travel book!
So I am happy to leave a maximum rating.
Handled by a less talented author, this book could have been a tale of whining, turning the impatient reader off. But with this author, who fills in a lot of detail and keen observation of nuances of human nature, the whining becomes... astute travel and life experience.
I would have liked to see a page or two of the author's upbringing in South Africa and Great Britain and the circumstances in which she found herself a single mother of a boy at such a young age. Why did that happen? Why did she move so much, and to such vastly different countries over different continents? Why from South Africa to Great Britain? Why was Great Britain not satisfactory? Why to New Zealand next? How did she successfully emigrate to those countries, seeing that usually demanding criteria must be met -- a job offer, an investment in the host country, or sponsorship by immediate family already living there. How did she get in? How did her son manage the upheavals of frequent moves? Actually, come to think of it, a new chapter would be better. It is far too tantalizing just to drop of a few hints of her former life and pretend it is not interesting enough to talk about.
The author is bold. She is clear: Belgium, Italy... evil. Holland good. Greece... good, although it's not perfect. Personally, I don't share the author's tastes, since I abhor hot and dry weather. But this is her story, and she tells it well. It was just simply fascinating. I'm sorry, usually I'm not interested in personal tales, or mundane real life experiences, and I don't usually read tell-all autobiographies, but this sure was a hell of an interesting story.
So I am happy to leave a maximum rating.
Handled by a less talented author, this book could have been a tale of whining, turning the impatient reader off. But with this author, who fills in a lot of detail and keen observation of nuances of human nature, the whining becomes... astute travel and life experience.
I would have liked to see a page or two of the author's upbringing in South Africa and Great Britain and the circumstances in which she found herself a single mother of a boy at such a young age. Why did that happen? Why did she move so much, and to such vastly different countries over different continents? Why from South Africa to Great Britain? Why was Great Britain not satisfactory? Why to New Zealand next? How did she successfully emigrate to those countries, seeing that usually demanding criteria must be met -- a job offer, an investment in the host country, or sponsorship by immediate family already living there. How did she get in? How did her son manage the upheavals of frequent moves? Actually, come to think of it, a new chapter would be better. It is far too tantalizing just to drop of a few hints of her former life and pretend it is not interesting enough to talk about.
The author is bold. She is clear: Belgium, Italy... evil. Holland good. Greece... good, although it's not perfect. Personally, I don't share the author's tastes, since I abhor hot and dry weather. But this is her story, and she tells it well. It was just simply fascinating. I'm sorry, usually I'm not interested in personal tales, or mundane real life experiences, and I don't usually read tell-all autobiographies, but this sure was a hell of an interesting story.
February 8, 2016
I enjoyed this book so much that I didn't want it to end and was quite sad when it did. One of those where you actually forget that you're reading a book and are right there with the writer. The book is so well written, witty, funny and descriptive that it was a joy to read.
For someone who doesn't cycle, I'm often drawn to travel memoirs of the long cycle ride variety. Cyclists, who of course travel at a slower pace than those journeying by any other road or rail vehicle, see a lot more of the areas they travel through, interact with the local population throughout and can also encounter the dark and dangerous side of cycling and camping alone - definitely more so if female.
The writer from New Zealand, a middle-aged woman, having a mid-life crisis of sorts and virtually homeless, decides to cycle and camp on her own across Europe. Her final destination is Greece where she plans to eventually find a place to live, bringing her 80 year old mother, an indomitable character, with a variety of ailments to live with her.
The journey along the way is fraught with all kinds of challenges and problems to overcome, but a lovely enjoyable read filled with descriptive detail of the landscapes and encounters with various forms of wildlife - not always pleasant experiences!. Will look out for more books from this author.
For someone who doesn't cycle, I'm often drawn to travel memoirs of the long cycle ride variety. Cyclists, who of course travel at a slower pace than those journeying by any other road or rail vehicle, see a lot more of the areas they travel through, interact with the local population throughout and can also encounter the dark and dangerous side of cycling and camping alone - definitely more so if female.
The writer from New Zealand, a middle-aged woman, having a mid-life crisis of sorts and virtually homeless, decides to cycle and camp on her own across Europe. Her final destination is Greece where she plans to eventually find a place to live, bringing her 80 year old mother, an indomitable character, with a variety of ailments to live with her.
The journey along the way is fraught with all kinds of challenges and problems to overcome, but a lovely enjoyable read filled with descriptive detail of the landscapes and encounters with various forms of wildlife - not always pleasant experiences!. Will look out for more books from this author.
October 3, 2014
Most travel memoirs have several common qualities. Some adventure. An educational aspect as the author discovers new things about the part of the world where they’re traveling. There are times when everything goes according to plan and those where nothing does. In retrospect, those challenging times turn out to be opportunities for growth, where the author learns something about the world and their place in it. Lessons we might be able to apply to our own lives.
The Wrong Shade of Yellow has most of the standard pieces. The exception seems to be the “everything goes according to plan” times, as the story felt like one growth opportunity after another. In spite of that, Leigh kept soldiering on. That she was able to do so must contain some lessons for the reader. One has to be that the ability to laugh at the ridiculous situations you can find yourself in is a great way to survive them.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **
The Wrong Shade of Yellow has most of the standard pieces. The exception seems to be the “everything goes according to plan” times, as the story felt like one growth opportunity after another. In spite of that, Leigh kept soldiering on. That she was able to do so must contain some lessons for the reader. One has to be that the ability to laugh at the ridiculous situations you can find yourself in is a great way to survive them.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **
February 13, 2016
Margaret Eleanor Leigh’s shoot from the hip, no holds barred, saucy style had me in stitches as she pedaled across Europe; struggling up one side of a mountain, only to hurtle down the other, white-knuckled at breakneck speed. Having vowed not to “cheat” (use alternate methods of transportation), she manages to sneak in good solid “cheats” as often as her finances will allow (and sometimes when they won’t). One thing’s for certain—you can’t afford to miss this witty, tongue-in-cheek read!
August 23, 2015
There is much that is cute or droll in this travelog. Re Holland, for instance, the author in the first person remarks, "how can anyone be bored in a country with a village named Beek en Donk?" She refers to her job in New Zealand as a "briefing paper advisor at the Ministry of Human Misery." The specialist at the hospital is dismissed as one of those "prim and prissy young men ... who thought because he was a medical man he had the right to sit in moral judgement on an insane middle aged woman. There's one in every hospital."
Practically the whole book is told from the point of view of said woman, except for one disconcerting moment when she turned into the omniscient author and told us about a fellow traveler, "a Romanian man who had been working in Italy for several years but the work was occasional and paid poorly. He had a wife and three children back in Romania, but he saw them infrequently, a source of suffering for them all."
They are a couple other nits. These do not weigh much against the sensibility that found "what was surely the most beautiful church in Greece, a symphony of light and color and gold and space, impossible to describe, impossible to photograph ... as a proof of the existence of heaven, it was right up there with the ontological, a church of which no finer could be conceived, unless it is heaven itself."
It is the absence of a "purpose" and the unremarkable characters that weigh this novel down. In the nineteenth century, dozens of "rambles through" or "journeys to" or "travels with" books were published and presumably read. These present times are more demanding.
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 27, 2015
A relentless pursuit of utopia! A wonderful read!
These are the masterfully written accounts of a middle-aged woman who decides to drop everything and pursue her dream destination, Greece, on a bicycle in Europe. Without spoiling the plot, this is why I stated in the title that this book is a wonderful read:
The writing is masterful, I enjoyed reading the author's descriptions of her surroundings, the characters she interacted with and her own deep emotions. It was such a pleasure that I felt bad every time I finished a page and moved on to the next as this brought me closer to the end of this journey. The author is relentless! She doubts that fact sometimes but the reader knows she is. The courage to pursue one's dreams and drop everything cannot be ignored. It was not a reckless decision; it was one fueled by a desire we all have deep inside us but lack the courage to turn into reality. This book made me laugh a lot, especially when the author felt weak and helpless but fought back with the Italian train conductor! I was like YOU GO GIRL! The author's honesty shows throughout the book as she never shied away from criticizing or making fun of herself. I never review a memoir based on the character of the author but only on the quality of the book. The quality was enhanced by her frank feelings and accounts. I loved that. My final note: this is a must read for travel memoir lovers.
These are the masterfully written accounts of a middle-aged woman who decides to drop everything and pursue her dream destination, Greece, on a bicycle in Europe. Without spoiling the plot, this is why I stated in the title that this book is a wonderful read:
The writing is masterful, I enjoyed reading the author's descriptions of her surroundings, the characters she interacted with and her own deep emotions. It was such a pleasure that I felt bad every time I finished a page and moved on to the next as this brought me closer to the end of this journey. The author is relentless! She doubts that fact sometimes but the reader knows she is. The courage to pursue one's dreams and drop everything cannot be ignored. It was not a reckless decision; it was one fueled by a desire we all have deep inside us but lack the courage to turn into reality. This book made me laugh a lot, especially when the author felt weak and helpless but fought back with the Italian train conductor! I was like YOU GO GIRL! The author's honesty shows throughout the book as she never shied away from criticizing or making fun of herself. I never review a memoir based on the character of the author but only on the quality of the book. The quality was enhanced by her frank feelings and accounts. I loved that. My final note: this is a must read for travel memoir lovers.
February 21, 2015
No excuses, just do it!
A story of an extraordinary cycle ride in pursuit of a personal utopia, added to which the woman undertaking this journey is in a self-confessed mid-life crisis. What better scenario could there be for an entertaining travel memoir which depicts the escapades of a woman travelling alone through Europe? Not only does she embark on a great adventure, which she eloquently portrays, but the structure of the book in terms of the pacing, flow and use of descriptive narrative makes it easy to visualise a woman of a certain age, cycling and lugging a bicycle around Holland, France, Belgium, Netherlands and Greece on a personal mission. I thought making chapter two the background to the mid-life crisis helped to set the scene for the importance of the mission ahead of her. A woman with a long-held yearning for the simple life reaches a stage in her life where she has no ties, no career, a grown up child and the opportunity to just go for it. I enjoyed reading about the perceived myths like 'Everyone in Europe speaks English' and the stories relative to each country like the cycle stalker of Belgium. Despite encountering a variety of challenges along the way this woman is relentless. An awesome read and a great adventure which she should be proud of.
A story of an extraordinary cycle ride in pursuit of a personal utopia, added to which the woman undertaking this journey is in a self-confessed mid-life crisis. What better scenario could there be for an entertaining travel memoir which depicts the escapades of a woman travelling alone through Europe? Not only does she embark on a great adventure, which she eloquently portrays, but the structure of the book in terms of the pacing, flow and use of descriptive narrative makes it easy to visualise a woman of a certain age, cycling and lugging a bicycle around Holland, France, Belgium, Netherlands and Greece on a personal mission. I thought making chapter two the background to the mid-life crisis helped to set the scene for the importance of the mission ahead of her. A woman with a long-held yearning for the simple life reaches a stage in her life where she has no ties, no career, a grown up child and the opportunity to just go for it. I enjoyed reading about the perceived myths like 'Everyone in Europe speaks English' and the stories relative to each country like the cycle stalker of Belgium. Despite encountering a variety of challenges along the way this woman is relentless. An awesome read and a great adventure which she should be proud of.
August 6, 2014
Just throw away the maps and head south - to Greece.
Not the type of book I would ordinarily pick up, but so glad to get a copy from the author. Wonderful, funny, full of surprises. To imagine a mid-life crisis woman buying a bike to pedal across Europe alone to see Greece, well I couldn't. Read the book straight through. The writing is crisp, witty, and keeps you puffing over the next hill to see what the adventurous heroine is going to discover next, and more to the point, what insightful and honest thing she will have to say about it. Recommend this book to anyone wanting a fresh, wonderful read.
Not the type of book I would ordinarily pick up, but so glad to get a copy from the author. Wonderful, funny, full of surprises. To imagine a mid-life crisis woman buying a bike to pedal across Europe alone to see Greece, well I couldn't. Read the book straight through. The writing is crisp, witty, and keeps you puffing over the next hill to see what the adventurous heroine is going to discover next, and more to the point, what insightful and honest thing she will have to say about it. Recommend this book to anyone wanting a fresh, wonderful read.
June 7, 2016
A nice and diverting little memoir of a woman's mid-life crisis bicycle ride to Greece. It was amusing and touching.
October 25, 2017
An excellent travel book.
Read it for entertainment, humor,honesty and motivation. A book, which surprises you with its honesty and literary content.A real page turner.
Read it for entertainment, humor,honesty and motivation. A book, which surprises you with its honesty and literary content.A real page turner.
October 26, 2016
This is a brilliant read about one woman's solitary cycle trip through Europe to Greece in search of her 'Utopia' and under the illusion that everyone, everywhere speaks English. After becoming very quickly disillusioned on that one aspect she perseveres through many adventures both amusing and otherwise until she reaches her goal and invites her mother and son to move there with her...
This is a definite must read for fans of travel memoirs everywhere and for everyone that needs that little nudge to go for the dream they've always had but been too afraid to go for. I would definitely recommend it as a good, well written, easy read that anyone can enjoy and relate to the many situations Margaret found herself in throughout her journey
This is a definite must read for fans of travel memoirs everywhere and for everyone that needs that little nudge to go for the dream they've always had but been too afraid to go for. I would definitely recommend it as a good, well written, easy read that anyone can enjoy and relate to the many situations Margaret found herself in throughout her journey
December 5, 2017
Somewhat entertaining story of a woman sharing trials and tribulations of her bicycle trek to Greece, alone and often with very little cash to her name. I sympathized with the financial situations she faced and feared for the dangerous situations she encountered. Better research and planning could have prevented some problems, yet these difficulties are probably what people NEED to read in order to prevent them in their own undertakings. I have done work and personal travels alone as well, so I appreciate the need for adventure and freedom!
June 2, 2017
Dark attitude towards the whole thing...
The author just has a bad outlook on everything, it seems. To much of the story is spent complaining. If I want negative energy in my life I can just turn to the media. I read as far as her traveling in north east France, and put the book down. I hope she found what she was looking for in Greece.
The author just has a bad outlook on everything, it seems. To much of the story is spent complaining. If I want negative energy in my life I can just turn to the media. I read as far as her traveling in north east France, and put the book down. I hope she found what she was looking for in Greece.
December 27, 2016
I enjoyed Ms Leigh's sarcastic sense of humor and took her criticisms of the countries she visited as part of that. I applaud her for taking on such an adventure and enjoyed reading about her experiences and the characters she met along the way.
May 30, 2017
Not what I expected.
Just not the book I thought it would be. Thought it would be more of a memoir. Like a homeless person on the street with no options, survives & is sucessful in turning their life around.
Just not the book I thought it would be. Thought it would be more of a memoir. Like a homeless person on the street with no options, survives & is sucessful in turning their life around.
August 25, 2018
A quirky and hilarious travel book. A very bright, very eccentric middle-aged woman lately from New Zealand decides to cycle across Europe by herself living on 15 Euro a day. Screamingly funny and heart-warming.
July 16, 2024
Talk about making (bitter & hilarious) lemonade from lemons that may be the wrong shade of yellow!
Even though Leigh is very self-deprecating in this book about bicycling across Europe to find her dream life in Greece, she's clearly a brave and inventive soul.
Even though Leigh is very self-deprecating in this book about bicycling across Europe to find her dream life in Greece, she's clearly a brave and inventive soul.
June 5, 2017
Can't do it. Never read anything else by her and not criticising her work, but this is so boring. Only 30% in and can't go on. Bailed
September 18, 2015
Great book, I really enjoyed it-I love her humour!
I won this book as a competition prize quite some time ago and kept meaning to read it. Now I wish I had got to it sooner! On the strength of this, her next memoir will be a must read for me! This was a brilliant book, I really enjoyed it. I liked that the title kept me wondering, it was intriguing what it could mean, you don't find out until the last chapter and it wasn't predictable at all. I really get the sarcastic humour-I actually love it! I suppose there's a sad tone to it, self-depreciating humour etc. Well, I suppose this could be construed as complaining about the place-I just think she's had a bad time and this is her humour. I found it so funny, she has great comedy timing. It's intriguing where she's talking about some things that have happened-but in riddles really! Great tone, of course she doesn't really mean it, she's totally at the end of her tether, it's her mood talking, rather than her. She's obviously had some hard times/bad happenings, she feels that everything's against her, nothing's going right. The opening chapter is 'the present' then it tells you it goes back six months-to what lead to her sour mood. I think the 'Ministry of Human Misery' is some sort of Government office, somewhere where she resented her job and how they can't do things for people eg because the 'computer says no'. She can't say exactly which government office she worked for as she had to sign a secrecy paper. I just had to laugh, felt I shouldn't, but to me, this proved this place of work brought out the worst in people, was a daily grind etc that lead to the inevitable going bonkers for some. This is brilliant-it all leads on to the next bit, connected, like a stand up comedian's script. I laughed so many times here! I love this humour! Then we have 'The turning point'-she decides she's not going back to her stressful and hateful job. Not ever. She makes plans to tour Greece on a bike. Her thoughts are so funny. I like that there are photos included. I went from 0-28% in one sitting-a great start to this book, it certainly held my attention. There were so many funny passages, gags. A pessimistic, yet so comical outlook on everything. Many times she spins it out to the inevitable punchline at the end of the chapter. It's amusing, funny and brilliant. She's cocking a snook at various things, poking fun at herself too. This was not what I expected-it was better than expected: quite different to your usual travel memoir and loved it! She really makes me laugh! She has such an amusing outlook on everything, such a comical turn of phrase. She takes us through Belgium, France and Greece. She includes a bit of background about her mother, father, her childhood, where they lived etc. Her mother was an author. I was kept riveted with this-I read the last 40% of it all in one day-even when it was a work day, snatching reading the odd chapter here and there in breaks etc. It rounds off nicely, and has a lovely, moving last page. Great book.
I won this book as a competition prize quite some time ago and kept meaning to read it. Now I wish I had got to it sooner! On the strength of this, her next memoir will be a must read for me! This was a brilliant book, I really enjoyed it. I liked that the title kept me wondering, it was intriguing what it could mean, you don't find out until the last chapter and it wasn't predictable at all. I really get the sarcastic humour-I actually love it! I suppose there's a sad tone to it, self-depreciating humour etc. Well, I suppose this could be construed as complaining about the place-I just think she's had a bad time and this is her humour. I found it so funny, she has great comedy timing. It's intriguing where she's talking about some things that have happened-but in riddles really! Great tone, of course she doesn't really mean it, she's totally at the end of her tether, it's her mood talking, rather than her. She's obviously had some hard times/bad happenings, she feels that everything's against her, nothing's going right. The opening chapter is 'the present' then it tells you it goes back six months-to what lead to her sour mood. I think the 'Ministry of Human Misery' is some sort of Government office, somewhere where she resented her job and how they can't do things for people eg because the 'computer says no'. She can't say exactly which government office she worked for as she had to sign a secrecy paper. I just had to laugh, felt I shouldn't, but to me, this proved this place of work brought out the worst in people, was a daily grind etc that lead to the inevitable going bonkers for some. This is brilliant-it all leads on to the next bit, connected, like a stand up comedian's script. I laughed so many times here! I love this humour! Then we have 'The turning point'-she decides she's not going back to her stressful and hateful job. Not ever. She makes plans to tour Greece on a bike. Her thoughts are so funny. I like that there are photos included. I went from 0-28% in one sitting-a great start to this book, it certainly held my attention. There were so many funny passages, gags. A pessimistic, yet so comical outlook on everything. Many times she spins it out to the inevitable punchline at the end of the chapter. It's amusing, funny and brilliant. She's cocking a snook at various things, poking fun at herself too. This was not what I expected-it was better than expected: quite different to your usual travel memoir and loved it! She really makes me laugh! She has such an amusing outlook on everything, such a comical turn of phrase. She takes us through Belgium, France and Greece. She includes a bit of background about her mother, father, her childhood, where they lived etc. Her mother was an author. I was kept riveted with this-I read the last 40% of it all in one day-even when it was a work day, snatching reading the odd chapter here and there in breaks etc. It rounds off nicely, and has a lovely, moving last page. Great book.
July 21, 2014
The author, a self-described middle-aged woman of some dignity, sets out alone to ride her bike from Holland to Greece. The story starts some weeks into the journey on Genoa railway station in the early hours, where after various catastrophes she is spending the night on an uncomfortable platform bench in company of a bag lady, a Romanian guest worker and a woman in a blanket. We then move back in time to pick up the events that led her to this point, including vivid bicycle journeys through Holland, Belgium and France. Eventually we travel on to Greece, which beckons in the early part of the story as a kind of Promised Land, and which she eventually reaches, staying in campsites, and then in an apartment, on the remote south-west coast, in the area called the Pelopponese. I have not read much travel literature, but was struck by how good the book is, how quickly it drew me in and held my attention to the end. The scenes are crisp and clear, and the people and places come to life again and again before our eyes. While many of the events are unlikely (I for one have never spent a night on a foreign railway station with a bag lady and a woman in a blanket, and would think this true of many readers) the story has a strange plausibility, and I assume that basically, it actually happened. Towards the end of the story, the author's aged mother joins her, and the plot heads for its final twist. The narrative is in the first person, and the reader quickly comes to recognize the author's voice, along with her likes (animals, tavern owners, sunshine, conversations, spirituality) and her dislikes (bureaucracy, bossiness, aggressive dogs, campers of a certain stripe, trucks, seediness, general inhumanity). Most of the story is hilarious, and the author's accounts of her weeks as an unwelcome house-guest, or her time when she is planning her escape from New Zealand while working at the Ministry of Human Misery (not its real name, she helpfully assures us), are side-splittingly funny. But with all this, there is a serious side to the book, a sense of yearning for a kind of home, which is at times very moving. Now and then, when things seem to be conspiring against the traveller, and she is at a low ebb, the reader feels like crying, it is so sad. I suppose that Greece, with its warmth and beauty and boisterous humanity, serves as a kind of symbol of what people are after, something that beckons with a promise of security and warmth and love. It is too wise a book to think that we definitively find all this somewhere, even in Greece. For all that, we recognize again and again in these pages what it is that we want, and how it can be suddenly bestowed on us, as an unexpected gift that takes us by surprise. At the end of the book, the author seems to promise that there is more to come. I for one will be keeping an eye out.
July 2, 2015
When I began reading this book I was under the mistaken impression that it was a new novel. Only after reading a couple of chapters did I realise that it was some kind of travel memoir, and so feel that it would be of great benefit to prospective readers if the author could have included an introduction that made that much clearer. The last time that I persisted with a book of this type was several years ago when I read R L Stevenson’s “Travels With My Donkey”, which I enjoyed but the joy only began to grow after I’d covered four chapters. So it was with some slight trepidation that I continued with The Wrong Shade of Yellow.
This tale of a foolhardy bicycle trip by a woman enduring a mid-life crisis had a certain quirky attraction. The author appeared to be keeping nothing back during her journey through Holland, France, Belgium, Italy and then on to her final resting ground: Greece. Greece was where she hoped to settle down and live. So convinced was she of the beautiful attractions of Greece, based mainly on her distant memories of holidays there, that she promised to move her elderly mother, Polly, and her only son, Michael there with her.
What made this story intriguing and interesting to me were the adventures she had along the way, lugging all her belongings with her – including her tent! – on a bicycle on which she had not fully achieved proficiency. Discovering the lies betrayed in the myth that “everyone in Europe speaks English” made a most entertaining read for me. The encounters with foreign stereotypes and various insects were described most eloquently by the author and demonstrated talented writing skills. I particularly enjoyed all of the scenarios that included Polly and they caused me to chuckle many times.
This traveller’s guiding principle seemed to be “nil desperandum” for she pursues her goals through many, many challenges with relentless courage and drive and I wound up rooting for her to the end. I admit that there is no way I would wish to emulate the actions she took but the amazing writing and clever descriptions throughout this book certainly made this reader reconsider the travel memoir as a genre for future reading.
Unfortunately, there were a few editing issues that still need to be addressed which affected my final rating.
This tale of a foolhardy bicycle trip by a woman enduring a mid-life crisis had a certain quirky attraction. The author appeared to be keeping nothing back during her journey through Holland, France, Belgium, Italy and then on to her final resting ground: Greece. Greece was where she hoped to settle down and live. So convinced was she of the beautiful attractions of Greece, based mainly on her distant memories of holidays there, that she promised to move her elderly mother, Polly, and her only son, Michael there with her.
What made this story intriguing and interesting to me were the adventures she had along the way, lugging all her belongings with her – including her tent! – on a bicycle on which she had not fully achieved proficiency. Discovering the lies betrayed in the myth that “everyone in Europe speaks English” made a most entertaining read for me. The encounters with foreign stereotypes and various insects were described most eloquently by the author and demonstrated talented writing skills. I particularly enjoyed all of the scenarios that included Polly and they caused me to chuckle many times.
This traveller’s guiding principle seemed to be “nil desperandum” for she pursues her goals through many, many challenges with relentless courage and drive and I wound up rooting for her to the end. I admit that there is no way I would wish to emulate the actions she took but the amazing writing and clever descriptions throughout this book certainly made this reader reconsider the travel memoir as a genre for future reading.
Unfortunately, there were a few editing issues that still need to be addressed which affected my final rating.
July 5, 2015
After reading “It was my big, fat, Greek midlife crisis.” in the opening paragraph, I was expecting a humorous book along the lines of the movie “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” and I wasn’t disappointed. “The Wrong Shade of Yellow” is most certainly tongue-in-cheek, but it’s unfortunate the author has to specify that. I guess that’s what makes the world of writing so fabulous—and frustrating. We are all different and have various opinions about the books we read. Some we understand; others we don’t. I happened to “get” this book—from its Dilbert-esq work life situations to the trauma of camping. It had me laughing and shaking my head throughout. In a nutshell: Marvelous.
I can relate to the author’s position at the “Ministry of Human Misery” which she describes as “pure purgatory” and “We all died a little each day.” Even to the extent of ending up in the hospital as a means of escaping from a hateful job. Someone I once knew thought that getting cancer was better than having to work at a hateful company, so there is truth to the whimsical way the author portrays her work life.
And who among us middle-agers hasn’t had a desire to get away from the rat race and head to the Promised Land, in this case, Greece? And if you’re an author, you’d say the same thing: “I’d live there all alone because that’s what hermits do, and I’d write books.” Ah, the life to me, as well.
A bike ride across Europe sounds dreamy—until reality hits, along with the potholes in the road, and the wild dogs, and all the other obstacles the author writes about. The only thing she missed was the rocks and roots that invariable end up right in the most uncomfortable place along you back. No matter where you move your sleeping bag, another one pops up. It couldn’t be just me that experienced that in camping, could it?
The book is not all tongue-in-cheek, though. The author tosses in pearls of wisdom about life as well:
“If we knew in advance how reality was going to differ from our dreams, I don’t think any of us would have the courage to get out of bed in the morning.”
“Fear is a much more powerful force than pride.”
I truly loved this book. You can’t read it as if it’s a serious memoir of traveling. You have to look at the humor in life at times to make it bearable. And, I believe that author did this marvelously.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I can relate to the author’s position at the “Ministry of Human Misery” which she describes as “pure purgatory” and “We all died a little each day.” Even to the extent of ending up in the hospital as a means of escaping from a hateful job. Someone I once knew thought that getting cancer was better than having to work at a hateful company, so there is truth to the whimsical way the author portrays her work life.
And who among us middle-agers hasn’t had a desire to get away from the rat race and head to the Promised Land, in this case, Greece? And if you’re an author, you’d say the same thing: “I’d live there all alone because that’s what hermits do, and I’d write books.” Ah, the life to me, as well.
A bike ride across Europe sounds dreamy—until reality hits, along with the potholes in the road, and the wild dogs, and all the other obstacles the author writes about. The only thing she missed was the rocks and roots that invariable end up right in the most uncomfortable place along you back. No matter where you move your sleeping bag, another one pops up. It couldn’t be just me that experienced that in camping, could it?
The book is not all tongue-in-cheek, though. The author tosses in pearls of wisdom about life as well:
“If we knew in advance how reality was going to differ from our dreams, I don’t think any of us would have the courage to get out of bed in the morning.”
“Fear is a much more powerful force than pride.”
I truly loved this book. You can’t read it as if it’s a serious memoir of traveling. You have to look at the humor in life at times to make it bearable. And, I believe that author did this marvelously.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 21, 2016
I actually won this book in a competition and I have to say it was a super prize. I was intrigued by the title but it wasn’t until nearly the end before the reason for it was revealed. It almost made me cry as I just had a funny feeling about what was going to happen by that point. Margaret Leigh gave up her job in New Zealand having decided that she would cycle across Europe with a view to ending up in Greece ‘in search of Utopia’ which she believed to be located in Greece. The book describes her travels and travel mishaps through the various countries – Holland isn’t flat! – in a really amusing way. I had to admire her for embarking on such an arduous undertaking but there were also times I thought why? Why put yourself through this. However she succeeds in her venture and finds her dream home in Greece. Having arrived she sets about bringing her elderly mother over from New Zealand to join her. Sadly this doesn’t quite go to plan as her mother isn’t very enthusiastic about Greece and poor Margaret ends up moving again with her mother in tow but this time to Scotland! There’s some laugh out loud moments and some sad moments all so wonderfully detailed in this memoir. I’ll be looking out for other books from Margaret Leigh.
November 18, 2015
At first I was not aware this was a memoir. I thought it was a fictional piece, but no matter, I enjoyed reading the book.
Margaret travels from New Zealand's Ministry of Misery to Holland, and from there she sets out to conquer Europe on her bicycle. Her ultimate goal is Greece, but first she travels through Belgium, France, and Italy.
Margaret's commentary is satirical, and you could be forgiven for thinking that the landscape is populated by rude and angry people who only want to run her off the road. But the reader must look beneath all that and hope they find what Margaret is searching for. Margaret's final destination begins to look good, but in the end she is forced to flee, like so many times before. Perhaps Scotland will prove to be more fruitful.
I enjoyed the depiction of the landscape, the impossibility of so many angry and rude people, and the author's affinity with the idyl that is Greece. I'm looking forward to reading more from Margaret Eleanor Leigh.
Margaret travels from New Zealand's Ministry of Misery to Holland, and from there she sets out to conquer Europe on her bicycle. Her ultimate goal is Greece, but first she travels through Belgium, France, and Italy.
Margaret's commentary is satirical, and you could be forgiven for thinking that the landscape is populated by rude and angry people who only want to run her off the road. But the reader must look beneath all that and hope they find what Margaret is searching for. Margaret's final destination begins to look good, but in the end she is forced to flee, like so many times before. Perhaps Scotland will prove to be more fruitful.
I enjoyed the depiction of the landscape, the impossibility of so many angry and rude people, and the author's affinity with the idyl that is Greece. I'm looking forward to reading more from Margaret Eleanor Leigh.
September 26, 2015
I enjoyed reading this Memoir - The Author, Margaret Eleanor Leigh 'takes-off' on her bike for a trip via Europe to Greece where she hopes to indulge her mid-life crisis... In the wings you have the Author's mum who intends to join her daughter once she has 'found' the ideal place - somewhere she will know when it feels right! You are invited to travel along with the Author on a humerous if not at times testing trip. I do take my hat off to her for her tenacity - she wasn't exactly a bike/camping enthusiast at the time - she was also broke and needed somewhere to live. Camping along the way - a night here, a night there - some of the campsites left a lot to be desired and some sounded pretty spooky. Yes, ok - one has to resort to a different means of transport at times which in iteself caused mayhem for the Author - it's all part of the fun...!!! Does the Author find her Utopia - well I'd recommend getting this Memoir so you can find out.
August 18, 2015
One sitting
I read this book in one sitting, which suggests that I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it and at times laughed out loud.
I loved the adventure and I loved the delightful if not a little cantankerous Polly.
Overall the idea that life is full of terrific unknowable and sometimes scary experiences is wonderfully expressed here. Life is meant to be exciting and full and this book is certainly full of life.
I read this book in one sitting, which suggests that I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it and at times laughed out loud.
I loved the adventure and I loved the delightful if not a little cantankerous Polly.
Overall the idea that life is full of terrific unknowable and sometimes scary experiences is wonderfully expressed here. Life is meant to be exciting and full and this book is certainly full of life.
January 21, 2016
I really enjoyed this book with the high points and the low/very low points of Margaret's journey from New Zealand via sundry countries to Greece. It was a very brave trip and I admire her fortitude. Her Mother's reaction to the great Greek plan made me quite upset at the end and my heart went out to Margaret for losing here dream. A terrificly good read. I felt I was on the journey too.
June 1, 2016
Lovely funny read.
A story about a lady making a trip around Europe, her midlife crisis trip. It's entertaining, full of humour and well written. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and look forward to sitting down to the sequel very much, which is what I'm going to do once I've finished this..........
A story about a lady making a trip around Europe, her midlife crisis trip. It's entertaining, full of humour and well written. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and look forward to sitting down to the sequel very much, which is what I'm going to do once I've finished this..........
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