A Piano in the Pyrenees: The Ups and Downs of an Englishman in the French Mountains

This is his best book yet. Finally, one of his adventures turned into a true human adventure. He actually touches on the deeper side of life - culture, friendship, love, loneliness and the importance of each to our true selves. I laughed, I teared up and I felt pure jealousy. In his former books I felt nothing more than, "when will this book end?" I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a story with real character yet wants to be entertained at the same time. Very enjoyable.

Normally when I say I'm looking for a book by Tony Hawks, sales clerks usually assume I mean the skateboarder. Ever since reading "Round Ireland With a Fridge" several years ago, I have looked forward to Hawks' continued forays into weird and irreverent travel schemes. So I was pleasantly surprised to find "A Piano in the Pyrenees" recently. While not as travel-based (and therefore contest-driven) as his previous works, it is a pleasing and funny read, especially since fans can witness the maturation process of this creative jack of all trades (well, at least a little bit). Never the one to do things that others would consider sane or to make great deliberations about important decisions, "A Piano in the Pyrenees" finds Hawks spontaneously buying a house in a small town in the French mountains where he can practice the piano and escape from the rat race of London life. His friends think it an ill-advised purchase, especially when confronted with the prospect of moving his piano from one country to another. However, luck (at least in terms of the house) seems to be in Hawks' cards and he quickly finds himself accepted as the odd, slightly famous English bachelor in the neighborhood. Now if only he could find the woman of his dreams. For fans of his other works, "A Piano in the Pyrenees" has Hawks' trademark wry humor and effervescent writing. There is much more soul-searching and philosophizing than there has been in his previous books as Tony confronts what it is he truly wants out of life. Therefore, while highlighting several aspects of the French Pyrenees and the surrounding area, this is truly not a travel book nor even what one could rightfully consider travel writing. But for those of us not lucky enough to have a house in the French mountains in which to tinker at the piano, we can live vicariously through Tony's unique, funny, and sometimes ill-advised experiences.

Fantastic book, very well written & entertaining. But be careful, if you have a sensitive disposition & want to avoid making any kind of public scene - make sure you read it in private. This book is laugh out loud funny.

I've always found Tony Hawks books enjoyable. Funny books but I've always felt they were a little contrived - a little too forced. (Danny Wallace take note) In 'A Piano in the Pyrenees' I thought this would be another fun but laboured idea. Not so! This is a new Hawks whose writing has evolved. He joins the ranks of Dave Gorman (Googlewhack adventure)or the much under rated John Donoghue (Shakespeare My B*tt!) In this, Hawks has characters (that don't seem stage managed) as he explores the French culture. This isn't a collection of jokes surrounding a bizarre idea...this is self-deprecating, endearing, entertaining, witty ...and above all believable.