Product Description

Susie Kelly and her husband Terry had long dreamed of owning a home in France, but ironically it wasn't until they were facing homeless penury in England that they realized their dream. With five dogs, two parrots and their elderly horses, they moved to an old farmhouse in the Poitou-Charentes region with dirt floors, no water and a primitive electricity supply. While Terry was back in England trying to support them all, Susie Kelly contended with a homicidal gas cooker at the bottom of the garden, burst pipes, a guinea fowl that turned somersaults and bit people on the shin and a constant stream of people turning up at her door with needs of their own. Sometimes the enormity of renovating a house with insufficient funds and little help seemed overwhelming. She saw her husband infrequently. Their English neighbour was imprisoned on drug-smuggling charges. And when Terry developed a condition that brought him close to death, the dream threatened to turn into a nightmare. There were times when Susie and Terry seemed to be taking two steps backward, but the kindness of the local community and the tranquillity of the landscape inspired them to make a new life for themselves and their animals in the place they now called home.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #38584 in Books
• Published on: 2004-05-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 336 pages

From the Publisher
The compelling prequel to BEST FOOT FORWARD

From the Back Cover
Susie Kelly and her husband Terry had long dreamed of owning a home in France, but ironically it wasn't until they were facing homeless penury in England that they realized their dream. With five dogs, two parrots and their elderly horses, they moved to an old farmhouse in the Poitou-Charentes region with dirt floors, no water and a primitive electricity supply.

While Terry was back in England trying to support them all, Susie contended with a homicidal gas cooker at the bottom of the garden, burst pipes, a guinea fowl that turned somersaults and bit people on the shin and a constant stream of people turning up at her door with needs of their own. Sometimes the enormity of renovating a house with insufficient funds and little help seemed overwhelming. She saw her husband infrequently. Their English neighbour was imprisoned on drug-smuggling charges. And when Terry developed a condition that brought him close to death, the dream threatened to turn into a nightmare.

There were times when Susie Kelly seemed to be taking two steps backward, but the kindness of the local community and the tranquillity of the landscape inspired them to make a new life for themselves and their animals in the place they now called home.

About the Author
Susie Kelly was born in London, and raised in England and Kenya. Home is now an ancient farmhouse shared with an assortment of horses, goats, dogs, cats, parrots and fish, in a tiny hamlet in Poitou-Charentes, west France. She is the author of two memoirs, Best Foot Forward: From La Rochelle to Lake Geneva - the Misadventures of an Englishwoman, and the prequel, Two Steps Backward: The Misadventures of an Englishwoman in France.

Customer Reviews

Two Steps Backward - Loved this book - Un-put-downable!
I adored this book. As a Francophile and animal lover of indeterminate age, I found much to identify with in this witty and compulsive account of the adventures of Susie after her move to France. My husband and I have often dreamed of moving the the French countryside and "downshifting" out lives in the same way as Susie and Terry - I cant say that Susies book encouraged me further - there were certainly pitfalls I hadnt even imagined - but it made absolutely fascinating reading nonetheless!
I am very surprised by the review which calls it depressing - I found myself captivated by Susies humour, and snorting in a most unbecoming manner on the 8.15 into London every morning.
Please, please buy this book! The price of books nowadays hardly make it a gamble, and I truly believe you, like me, will find one of those precious authors who leave you obsessively searching the internet for more books, and fretting until they produce another one!

This Is Well Worth The Money
As someone who one day hopes to settle in France I have read several books of this genre over the past few years. I must admit that Susie's neighbours began to annoy me but I think she dealt with them very well. Lets not forget that she was a newcomer to a French hamlet and in those sorts of situations it is best to remain on speaking terms with everyone!
Susie's writing style is soft and gentle, her descriptions are good and like a previous reviewer, when I came to the end I felt as though I was saying goodbye to a dear friend. Overall it made my regular commute to London a lot more enjoyable.

Two Steps Backwards
I loved this book, and felt i'd lost a friend when i finished it.....I am something of an addict of the travel lit genre, and I honestly would put this up there with the best....warm and funny, yet believable and unforced. If you have a fondness for people , animals , and a gentle humour,you'll enjoy this.