Book Review: A Beginner's Guide to Paradise

Book: A Beginner's Guide to Paradise by Alex Sheshunoff

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Description:

So You Too Can:

- Move to a South Pacific Island
- Wear a Loincloth
- Read a Hundred Books
- Diaper a Baby Monkey
- Build a Bungalow

And Maybe, Just Maybe, Fall in Love! *

* Individual results may vary.

The true story of how a quarter-life crisis led to adventure, freedom, and love on a tiny island in the Pacific.

From the author of a lot of emails and several facebook posts comes A Beginner’s Guide to Paradise, a laugh-out-loud, true story that will answer your most pressing escape-from-it-all questions, including:

1. How much, per pound, should you expect to pay a priest to fly you to the outer islands of Yap?

2. Classic slumber party stumper: If you could have just one movie on a remote Pacific island, what would it definitely not be?

3. How do you blend fruity drinks without a blender?

4. Is a free, one-hour class from Home Depot on “Flowerbox Construction” sufficient training to build a house?

From Robinson Crusoe to Survivor, Gilligan’s Island to The Beach, people have fantasized about living on a remote tropical island. But when facing a quarter-life crisis, plucky desk slave Alex Sheshunoff actually did it.

While out in Paradise, he learned a lot. About how to make big choices and big changes. About the less-than-idyllic parts of paradise. About tying a loincloth without exposing the tender bits. Now, Alex shares his incredible story and pretty-hard-won wisdom in a book that will surprise you, make you laugh, take you to such unforgettable islands as Yap and Pig, and perhaps inspire your own move to an island with only two letters in its name.

Answers: 1) $1.14 2) Gas Attack Training Made Simple 3) Crimp a fork in half and insert middle into power drill 4) No.


Rating: 2 stars (Did Not Finish)

Review:

This had a interesting concept with the author pretty much fed up with his current life in New York City and decided to chuck it all and head off to an island in the Pacific with a ton of books. He had an idea to slow down, read books on a beach and enjoy life in paradise.

He got this idea after experiencing a severe panic attack due to all the stress of running a fledgling business, living in a city that he no longer enjoyed and being in a relationship that wasn't working. He wanted a change. After doing some research he set off for the Pacific island of Yap but after spending a very boring and mundane time there he thought about staying on one of the outer islands.

After a unusual experience traveling by boat and checking out each of the smaller islands he finally found Pig, the island that he was going to stay on.

I was interested in reading this simply because who hasn't at one point wished they could go off to some tropical island for an extended period of time to relax and read a bunch of books. However, reading this didn't have me too thrilled to continue with it. This started out interesting but from there I started to lose interest real fast because the book drags a lot. I found that the author has a tendency to stretch out everything and every moment he wrote about. The writing was actually good and it has a interesting witty tone to it but overall I was bored with the book.

Maybe this just wasn't for me because although I did want to know if he finally found his version of paradise and had enjoyed the way of life there or even if he started to miss any of his old life. But unfortantely, I just couldn't force myself to read anymore of it.