Newcomers in Paradise: A Southern Couple Finds Their Perfect Retirement Home in Santa Barbara

Newcomers in Paradise is a treat for any reader who loves the dry wit and delicious humor of the sort that you would find in James Thurber's stories. While Bob and Pat Fulmer and all of the other players who inhabit these pages are not exactly the zany characters we find in Thurber's family chronicles, Fulmer's anecdotes are nevertheless written with the consummate skill of a true humorist. It is a delightful saga, and much more than an account of one couple's trials and tribulations, as we follow them, zig-zagging north, south, east and west across the country in search of their Shangri-La, all the while keeping up with careers and speaking engagements on both coasts. The book is a great read as their story unfolds, and chronicles a path to a meaningful new life in retirement. The author's levity is a wonderful spice peppered throughout the entire book.

Not everyone can relocate to Santa Barbara, but anyone who has ever made a major move can relate to Bob Fulmer's engaging tale of settling down in that enchanting city --albeit by fits and starts. As Fulmer's odyssey illustrates, getting established in a new town is never as quick, direct or trouble-free as one thinks it will be. In fact it always costs more and entails a lot of more aggravation than one anticipates. But on the up side, relocation also brings with it liberation, adventure, the joy of meeting new people and the excitement of trying new things. Whether you're seeking a "how to" or the vicarious experience of picking up stakes at a certain age, you'll find a lot to enjoy in Newcomers in Paradise.

A beautifully written book about the process of deciding where to spend one's retirement years. This should be must reading for anyone thinking of retirement or just trying to identify the best cities in the U.S. to retire.