Peking to Paris: Book summary and reviews of Peking to Paris by Dina Bennett

Reader Reviews

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Judith G. (Ewa Beach, HI)

My vicarious first rally
Finding a couple with such opposite yet complementary personas....I was immediately hooked. So many times I laughed seeing my husband and myself in the same situations. A marvelous, descriptive guide to places in the world I won't see anytime soon. Car talk vs ballet. I know that scenario. This book delighted me and I was sorry to get to the end. Knowing Dina Bennett is still writing and traveling makes me eager to read her next blog or book. I'm insisting my husband read the book even knowing he's NOT a reader...but he does fix cars when necessary.

Deb Y. (Blanco, TX)

Just a short junket
I do so wish I had the nerve to do what Dina Bennett did when she went from Paris to Peking as the navigator for a road race with her husband......she and I would be good friends, I think, as we have one foot in the "want-to" and the other foot in "oh, no - I can't do that." What an adventure for all involved! To say more would be a major spoiler, but please read the book - it's definitely more than a travelogue!

Anna R. (Oak Ridge, TN)

What a Trip!
Okay, if you have ever wondered what it would be like to be in a classic car with your husband for 30 days racing half way around the world, this is the book for you! Oh yes, it would be especially fun if you suffer from car sickness. Told from the wife's view point, it is funny, scary and highly entertaining. A fun read!

Emily G. (Clear Lake, MN)

Lively rally of a read
Peking to Paris is a lively romp across many countries as the author and her husband participate in a car race. Bennett is an engaging narrator, writing like the reader is a close girlfriend.

I felt like I was racing across the continent with the team, which is exactly what they were doing. I wanted more detail about the places they went and people they met, but the author notes that she did too. So, I think the book reads much like the event it covers.

Bennett honestly describes her fears and worries, and her relationship with her husband. The self-reflection makes it easy to identify with her and want to read more. At the end, she writes that they continued on many other adventures and I would be happy to join them, should a sequel be forthcoming.

Susan J. (Twain Harte, CA)

Peking to Paris: Not just for travelers
Ignore the cover - this is not a Sophie Kinsella novel. It's an engaging tale of an almost 8,000 mile car rally in 2007 across China, Mongolia, Siberia, and on to Paris. Dina Bennett, the author, couldn't be more different from her older French husband: he's a confident, experienced driver, she's a self-doubting, carsick worrier. How these two manage this adventure makes a great read. Dina's vivid descriptions and self-deprecating humor make her real to the reader; Bernard remains more two-dimensional. The real prize for Dina is not a bronze medal but personal growth and deepening of her marital relationship.

Diane W. (Lake Villa, IL)

I imagined myself with my Ex!
As someone who experienced some not so stellar trips with my ex-husband, I imagined myself on this road with the characters! I, too, always found that humor is what saved me from a completely awful experience. Because I have never traveled outside of the US, I was hoping for more details about the countries themselves --- I guess a bit more of a travelogue to imagine the actual journey they took. And, the car sickness hit a bit too close to home for me who has suffered from it since childhood! All in all, though, an enjoyable read --- different and fun.

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