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To Venice with Love: A Midlife Adventure Kindle Edition

by Philip Gwynne Jones (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 376 ratings
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'An inspiring, life-affirming story' Reader's Digest

Philip and Caroline Jones, a middle-aged couple living in Edinburgh, found themselves facing redundancy and an uncertain future. Until they received some advice from a complete stranger in a pub.

Their response was to sell everything in order to move to Venice, in search of a better, simpler life. They were wrong about the 'simpler' bit...

To Venice with Love recounts how they arrived in Venice with ten pieces of luggage, no job, no friends and no long-term place to stay. From struggling with the language to battling bureaucracy; the terror of teaching English to Italian teenagers, the company of a modestly friendly cat... and finally, from debugging financial systems on an Edinburgh industrial estate, to building an ordinary life in an extraordinary city, To Venice with Love is a love-letter to a city that changed their lives. It's a story told through the history, music, art, architecture (and, of course, the food) of La Serenissima.

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  1. Print length
    228 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Constable
  5. Publication date
    March 7, 2019
  6. File size
    1383 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
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Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

It's never too late to have a big adventure...


Philip and Caroline Jones, a middle-aged couple living in Edinburgh, found themselves facing redundancy and an uncertain future. Until they received some advice from a complete stranger in a pub.


Their response was to sell everything in order to move to Venice, in search of a better, simpler life. They were wrong about the 'simpler' bit...


To Venice with Love recounts how they arrived in Venice with ten pieces of luggage, no job, no friends and no long-term place to stay. From struggling with the language to battling bureaucracy; the terror of teaching English to Italian teenagers, the company of a modestly friendly cat . . . and finally, from debugging financial systems on an Edinburgh industrial estate, to building an ordinary life in an extraordinary city, To Venice with Love is a love-letter to a city that changed their lives. It's a story told through the history, music, art, architecture (and, of course, the food) of La Serenissima.

About the Author

Philip Gwynne Jones was born in South Wales in 1966, and lived and worked throughout Europe before settling in Scotland in the 1990s. He first came to Italy in 1994, when he spent some time working for the European Space Agency in Frascati, a job that proved to be less exciting than he had imagined.

He spent twenty years in the IT industry before realising he was congenitally unsuited to it. Furthermore, an attempt to find a secure, well-paid job with a proper pension had resulted in him finding himself in the IT department of a large Scottish bank during the global financial crisis.

Something, clearly, had to change. And so it was that - following a conversation with a man in a pub - Philip and Caroline left their jobs, sold their flat and moved to Venice in search of a better, simpler future. They were wrong about the 'simpler' bit . . .

Philip now works as a teacher, writer and translator, and lives in Venice with Caroline. He enjoys cooking, art, classical music and opera; and can occasionally be seen and heard singing bass with Cantori Veneziani and the Ensemble Vocale di Venezia.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07F664663
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Constable (March 7, 2019)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 7, 2019
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1383 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 228 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 376 ratings

About the author

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Philip Gwynne Jones

Philip Gwynne Jones

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Philip Gwynne Jones was born in South Wales in 1966, and has since lived in Holland, Germany and Scotland. He first came to Italy in 1994, when he spent some time working for the European Space Agency in Frascati, a job that proved to be less exciting than he had imagined.

He spent twenty years in the IT industry before realising he was congenitally unsuited to it, and now works as a teacher, writer and translator. He lives in Venice with his wife Caroline.

He is the author of the Nathan Sutherland series, set in contemporary Venice, and his books have been translated into Italian, German and Bulgarian. The fifth book in the series, "The Venetian Legacy" will follow in April 2021. His travelogue, "To Venice With Love" is now available.

He enjoys cooking, art, classical music and opera; and can occasionally be seen and heard singing bass with the Cantori Veneziani.

Philip is published by Constable, and be contacted at https://philipgwynnejones.com/

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
376 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

bookworm
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating read!
Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2022
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As a venetophile I am always looking for new books on Venice ( a hard task since I have several bookshelves filled with dozens!). It was a great pleasure to find this autobiographical account of the author’s move to Venice and the consequent rewards ..and trials and tribulations ..involved in moving to this wonderful but difficult-to-navigate city. Very much enjoyed this book and I recommend it highly.
As a result I started reading his Nathan novels all set in Venice….there are now 5…and the publication of #6 is eagerly anticipated by all his fans!
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susan k talley
4.0 out of 5 stars Learn about life in Venice
Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2019
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The writer has a good sense of humor good descriptions of the various festivals, music in Venice’s beautiful venues, and great feel for making you way around this charming city at different times of day and night and in the different seasons. Too much emphasis on finding jobs and apartment hunting and early life in UK.
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Susan K. Bussey
5.0 out of 5 stars I too, fell in love with Venice
Reviewed in the United States on September 12, 2021
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Your books (I had read them all), are so engaging. As a frequent visitor to Venice, we keep coming back, although Covid put a stop to our travelling for a while. We have one good trip left in us and are waiting until my husband can get the Covid booster and we can visit the marionette shop in Cannaregio area where we part with our money, freely.
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Susan Middleton
5.0 out of 5 stars Mr Gwynne Jones has done it again!
Reviewed in the United States on April 26, 2019
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A wonderful read... brilliantly written and oh, so true! A must read for any English speaker aspiring to re-locate to Venice or, for that matter, anywhere in Italy! It made me laugh and it made me cry...
2 people found this helpful
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R. Sullivan
4.0 out of 5 stars Exactly what I was hoping for.
Reviewed in the United States on October 24, 2022
Exactly what I was hoping for. The writing is simple and enjoyable. I'm thinking of a move to Italy myself and this is another book I'm reading to see what other folks had to deal with. PGJ is not a celeb so he's more relatable than some of the books I'd read about similar moves. Money is an issue for him like it is with most people. And it always seems like there will be hidden costs regardless. Finishing the book while in Veneto on vacation was a plus. I even made a trip to Calle dei Assassini and bumped into a Venice tour guide I've been following since the pandemic started. Now to read another of PGJ's mysteries!
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Ami A. Iacono
5.0 out of 5 stars Reality of the Big Move
Reviewed in the United States on October 26, 2022
What I love about this book is the author is so relatable. He and his wife are real people with real budgets. They planned, worked, and had a little luck at times too. Sometimes things do fall into place for us. They couldn’t just run off to Italy and retire early. They had to get jobs and navigate Italian bureaucracy. They had to find affordable housing in a very expensive city.
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Julianne3205
5.0 out of 5 stars Life in Venice
Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2019
I normally don't read books about the personal experiences of authors, but after reading all three Nathan Sutherland mysteries in quick succession, I wanted more. Honestly, I've also considered the idea of doing what Philip Gwynne Jones and his wife did -- actually moving to the city I most love in the world. This is a realistic and inspiring look at what they did to make their dreams come true.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Start here
Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2020
Read before you start his Venice series- adds to the enjoyment
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Top reviews from other countries

Zigs
5.0 out of 5 stars Want to live in Venice?
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 10, 2023
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This is a joy to read. An admirably suited couple decide to live in Venice. The plans to make a living (necessary!), the trials of getting 'on the system' - the food! - are told with humour & positivity. Now starting to read the author's series on Nsthan Sutherland. Buy, & enjoy!
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Jarali
5.0 out of 5 stars For the armchair traveller
Reviewed in Germany on April 7, 2019
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Philipp Jones has written a funny account of how he and his wife Caroline moved to Venice after having made redundant in Scotland. The book is very readable and makes you wonder if you could and should attempt a similar move. I read it in just two days and really enjoyed it. However, the chapter in which he writes about his sister's funeral is a bit flat and seems like he cut out some text. Also, I would have liked to read even more about his teaching experiences. Nevertheless I had a fun time while reading, thank you, Philipp Jones!
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Kindle Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars An honest and interesting account.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 16, 2020
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Have read the first two of Philip Gwynne Jones novels set in Venice and thoroughly enjoyed them. I love Venice and have visited many times. I found it fascinating to read about someone's experience of making such a massive change in their life. Looking forward to reading the rest of his novels. Thank you Mr.Gwynne Jones.
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CS
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent as a guide to the real Venice and an intro to his other books
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 5, 2023
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Tojours Provence for Venice but on a smaller budget and with the bonus of acting as an introduction/background to his honorary consul under mystery books. Great read before, after, or during a visit to Venice.
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Jan
4.0 out of 5 stars A surprisingly good read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 26, 2020
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I had not realized in advance that this was a personal account of how the author and his wife had settled in Venice. Normally I don't like such books - A Year in Provence left me cold - but this was well written and exceptionally good fun. I would recommend it to anyone who needs a tonic, a book to read when you are holed up in bed with the flu or out in your back garden during lockdown feeling bored. It's a loving portrait of Venice with all its infuriating bureaucracy and wonderful food and beautiful buildings. Don't be put off: go for it!
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