Helpful Score: 5
I really enjoyed this book. Stories about really shut-off, emotionally cut off people who find some sort of happiness always warm my heart. It's funny and odd.
Helpful Score: 5
A funny, well-written book, Accidental Tourist describes characters who are each on the verge of stereotypes, moving in and out of personality ruts. The reader is sure to recognize traits in himself and in people he knows. Many of the characters are uncomfortably familiar, but just when you're sure you know someone's "type," the author gently offers the possiblity of at least minor transformation.
Helpful Score: 4
I started out lukewarm with the book because I found the main character so stuffy and unrelatable to me, but as the book continued, I found Macon Leary less annoying than endearing, less stuffy than quirky. I enjoyed the story.
Helpful Score: 3
Macon is someone who himself travels through life accidentally. Things just happen to him-he doesn't seek them out. His only child has been killed in a senseless accideent; his wife for no apparent reason asks for a separation, leaving him to fend for himself;a broken leg conveniently thrusts him back home with his sister and brothers in the family house where he started out. Surely it is an accident that he gets involved with the astonishing Muriel, the frizzy haired, stiletto heeled, nonstop talker who does the bookings at the kennels where Macon boards his unmanageable Welsh corgi, Edward, when he has to go on one of his fact finding trips. But gradually what seems like accident is tinged with purpose, and the comfortably familiar is disturbed by the impulse toward escape.
Helpful Score: 2
good story
Helpful Score: 1
Scarred by grief after their 12-year-old son's senseless murder (he was shot by a holdup man in a Burger Bonanza), Macon and Sarah Leary are losing their marriage too. Macon is unable to cope when she leaves him, so he settles down ``safe among the people he'd started out with,'' moving back home with two divorced brothers and spinster sister Rose. Author of a series of guidebooks called ``Accidental Tourist'' for businessmen who hate to travel, Macon is Tyler's focus here, as she gently chronicles his journey from lonely self-absorption to an ``accidental'' new life with brassy Muriel, a dog trainer from the Meow Bow Animal Hospital, who renews and claims his heart. Not a character, including Macon's dog Edward, is untouched by delightful eccentricity in this charming story, full of surprises and wisdom. All of Tyler's novels are wonderful; thisher tenthis the best yet.
Helpful Score: 1
This book was a beautiful story of one man's search for who he truly is, after his wife leaves him and his son dies. I think that Anne Tyler does a great job of summing up the intricacies of the human mind and the decisions that a person must make.
Helpful Score: 1
Although Anne Tyler is a favorite of mine, I was surprisingly disappointed with this one. Perhaps because I never connected with any of the main characters. I found the story lagging, and just when I thought it would take a turn for what might be a happy ending, it ended up being a let down.
Helpful Score: 1
such a great writer, loved this book!
Helpful Score: 1
The first Tyler I ever read, but not my favorite.
Helpful Score: 1
This is by far one of the best-read, best-expressed audio books I have ever encountered. Mr. Malkovich is in-freaking-credible. My jaw dropped. The version I have (from PBS in fact) sometimes interrupts Malkovich with a "stand-in" voice that I imagine, having never read the book myself, is reading a summary text for the abridging. That's irritating. But until I find the unabridged version of Mr. Malkovich's reading, I will never post this - it's a keeper. If you can order it, order it!
One of Anne Tyler's earlier works--not one of my faves, but still rather good.
I read this book a long time ago, but i did like it. It always amazes me how many books include the death of a child where the surviving parents can't stay togather. This book follows the life of the husband after the separation.
From Library Journal
Scarred by grief after their 12-year-old son's senseless murder (he was shot by a holdup man in a Burger Bonanza), Macon and Sarah Leary are losing their marriage too. Macon is unable to cope when she leaves him, so he settles down ``safe among the people he'd started out with,'' moving back home with two divorced brothers and spinster sister Rose. Author of a series of guidebooks called ``Accidental Tourist'' for businessmen who hate to travel, Macon is Tyler's focus here, as she gently chronicles his journey from lonely self-absorption to an ``accidental'' new life with brassy Muriel, a dog trainer from the Meow Bow Animal Hospital, who renews and claims his heart. Not a character, including Macon's dog Edward, is untouched by delightful eccentricity in this charming story, full of surprises and wisdom. All of Tyler's novels are wonderful; this is the best yet.
From Library Journal
Scarred by grief after their 12-year-old son's senseless murder (he was shot by a holdup man in a Burger Bonanza), Macon and Sarah Leary are losing their marriage too. Macon is unable to cope when she leaves him, so he settles down ``safe among the people he'd started out with,'' moving back home with two divorced brothers and spinster sister Rose. Author of a series of guidebooks called ``Accidental Tourist'' for businessmen who hate to travel, Macon is Tyler's focus here, as she gently chronicles his journey from lonely self-absorption to an ``accidental'' new life with brassy Muriel, a dog trainer from the Meow Bow Animal Hospital, who renews and claims his heart. Not a character, including Macon's dog Edward, is untouched by delightful eccentricity in this charming story, full of surprises and wisdom. All of Tyler's novels are wonderful; this is the best yet.
A beautiful, incandescent, heartbreaking, exhilarating bool....
Meet Macon Leary - a travel writer who hates both travel and strangeness. Grounded by loneliness, comfort, and a somewhat odd comestic life, Macon is about to embark on a surprising new journey. It's called love - and it arrives in the unlikely shape of a fuzzy-haried dog-obedience trainer who promises to turn the Accidental Tourist into a happy traveler.
If you enjoyed Breathing Lessons you will enjoy this book too. It has the same quirky charm.
Interesting enough story of a man's method of coping with the death of the child, even if I did not love all the characters.
Great modern classic.
Better than the movie! (Though the movie was pretty great.) Ann Tyler never disappoints.
Great book. I've seen the movie countless times but the book has underlying themes that don't convey in the movie. Enjoyed reading it again.
This book actually held up over the years since I read it last. I enjoyed it immensely!
Never met an Anne Tyler book I didn't love.
I read Anne Tyler because I like to consume everything wrrtten in, around or about Baltimore--or that is written by a Baltimore author. But I'd have to say I found this to be one of her "darker" books. If you're familiar you know she likes to expose the darker side of the human psyche. But she does it well. Have to say the end surprised me.
I read this long ago, back when I thought it was important to finish books. Pretty good, but I wasn't convinced then that the main character was such a curmudgeon.
Macon Leary is a travel writer who hates to travel. He seems to never choose anything in his life, it all just falls in his lap until he decides that he needs to make a choice himself.
The Accidental Tourist kept me captivated from beginning to end. I love the way the author describes each character, their thoughts and differences and quirks, which there are plenty of. Plus it has a very satisfactory ending.
Good book. Fun to read. A love story with quirky characters that strike familiar and sometimes uncomfortable truths with the reader.
Classic Tyler. Meet Macon Leary, a travel write who hates both travel and strangeness. Grounded by loneliness, comfort and an odd domestic life, Macon is about to embark on a new journey, called love, arriving in the shape of a fuzzy-haired dog trainer...
One of Anne Tyler's best novels - I enjoyed this oh-so-much. Much better than the movie of the same name, of course.
Loved this book, even better than the movie.
Anne Tyler writes some outlandish stories! This is one of her best.
Meet Macon Leary - a travel writer who hates both travel and strangeness. Grounded by loneliness, comfort, and a somewhat odd domestic life, Macon is about to embark on a surprising new journey. It's called love - and it arrives in the unlikely shape of a fuzzy-haired dog-obedience trainer who promises to turn the Accidental Tourist into a happy traveler...
Pne of my favorite Ann Tyler books
This was my first book by Anne Tayler and I enjoyed it. I don't remember the movie being out. The book was engaging - sad and funny.
Great characters
I just finished reading this book. I enjoyed it. This was a very interesting story and the characters were still complex.
I have not read this book
