Readers and Writers | Dancing in the Fountain | Enjoy Living Abroad – Enjoy Living Abroad

TESTIMONIALS: DANCING IN THE FOUNTAIN

“Warm, inviting, immediately charming, constantly entertaining.”

“Dancing in the Fountain is a delightfully well-written true-life adventure story. . . . McCann’s writing is warm, inviting, immediately charming, and constantly entertaining. Her narrative was so good I found myself wanting to hear more about Cleveland! Now THAT’s good travel writing!”
Chris Brady
New York Times bestselling author of A Month of Italy

“Will have you smiling on every page.”

“Oh, yes! What fun. You will laugh and play and eat and connect…..and then immediately buy a ticket for Seville or maybe head out to your own dream destination. McCann’s wacky sense of humor will have you smiling on every page. Just reading this will give you the confidence of an experienced traveler. Happy journey.”
Rita Golden Gelman, Tales of a Female Nomad

“Perhaps the best book about travel I have ever read.”

“Dancing in the Fountain is perhaps the best book about travel that I have ever read. It is certainly the best book about living – and living out loud – that I have ever read. It is full of wry humor and it is laugh-out-loud funny – the adventure with the snake, to mention just one. And it includes many of life’s bitter-sweet moments, such as discovering that long-time friends are really just geographically convenient, that ex-pats move on and that favourite dogs don’t live forever. The author and her husband share their time between their home in Seville and their pied-a-terre in San Anselmo, California. Unless you are determined never to step foot outside your own town, this is an author you will really want to know and a book you will really want to read. I read this in one sitting. I could not do otherwise, but I will go back again and again for the philosophical insights.”
Guy Thatcher, author of A Journey of Days

“Consider me entertained, inspired … a wee bit envious!”

“We all, whether armchair traveler or future expatriate, have a thing or two to learn from Karen McCann’s story of moving to Seville, Spain. With wit, intelligence and a bit of storyteller’s magic, her memoir reminds that perspective really is everything. And the rewards for taking steps big, small and difficult towards one’s dreams are huge and worth taking. Consider me entertained, inspired and as for this Seville part, just a wee bit envious!”
Margo Millure, publisher and editor of The Travel Belles

“Delightful, heartwarming, laugh-out-loud funny…”

“Karen McCann’s witty, fresh and engaging new book, Dancing in the Fountain, captures the charming unpredictability of life in Andalucía. Seen through her eyes, creating a new life in an old European city has never been so delightful, heartwarming and laugh-out-loud funny.”
Victoria Twead, NY Times bestselling author of Chickens, Mules and Two Old Fools

“A witty, fast-moving account…”

“Dancing in the Fountain: How to Enjoy Living Abroad” is about just that, having fun. A witty, fast-moving account of ex-pats living in Spain, with all the excitement that comes with getting to grips with a new language and culture. Ex-pats will recognize it and laugh along with the author, others will be moved to give it a try. Karen McCann’s sharp eye for detail brings the city of Seville to life.
Joan Fallon, author of Daughters of Spain

“A positive and uplifting book that made me smile…”

“Dancing in the Fountain is a very enjoyable read, an excellent combination of how-to practical advice about moving/living abroad and entertaining anecdotes about Karen McCann’s experiences in Seville. The book provides a superb introduction to the city from the inside – its foibles, customs, festivals and eccentricities. It’s a positive and uplifting book that made me smile as I recognized familiar scenarios of cultural confusion and linguistic misunderstanding. And I love the fact that its stated aim is to show people that they, too, can live their dream of moving abroad.”
Fiona Watson, author of Scribbler in Seville

“A hoot, filled with great humor and insight…”

“As author Karen McCann says, this is not the story of restoring a crumbling house in the country (nor is it really a “how to” book) but is the inviting tale of how one couple came to visit, then settle permanently in urban Seville. It is filled with the hard-won lessons of coping (those crazy bureaucrats who keep you filling out forms for eternity to get your visa; those numbskulls who seem to have misplaced your dog in the airport) and the continuing pleasures of living abroad (tapas at midnight, flamenco, dancing in the fountain!). And of course, the hazards of messing up in a new language–“Yes, please do take my leg off,” when what you really meant was “Yes, please remove my plate.” Mostly, this read is a hoot, filled with great humor and insight, certainly for those who live abroad but come back to the U.S. for a while each year, and definitely for those traveling to Seville.”
Joanna Biggar, author of That Paris Year

“A very dry sense of humor and a road wisdom earned in hot-spots around the world…”

“Karen McCann arrived in Sevilla with a very dry sense of humour and a road wisdom earned from volunteering in hot-spots around the world. Her story of her feet-first immersion in its culture had me pining for the Alcázar gardens and the street life of my favourite Spanish city. If you share her open heart and mind, you too might become an adopted Sevillano.”
John Gill, author of
Andalucía: A Cultural History

“A fascinating and laugh-out-loud story…”

“If you’ve been waiting for a sign from the universe to live where you’ve always dreamed of living, consider the book Dancing in the Fountain your sign to go ahead and do it. Yes, you have permission to live your dream! You also have permission to sit in a comfy chair and be there through Karen McCann’s fascinating and laugh-out-loud story. Either way, readers will enjoy dipping their toes in both foreign and domestic fountains.”
Nancy Solak, author of A Footpath in Umbria

“Funny, informative and well written…”

“As Karen McCann says herself – Dancing in the Fountain is a ‘new life in Spain’ book with a difference. Funny, informative and well written, it skips along at a pace, giving the reader a real feel for Seville and the Spanish way of life, warts and all. Karen’s enthusiasm for her life in Spain and the Spanish culture shines through – a thoroughly enjoyable read!”
June Wolfe, author of No Time for a Siesta

“A truthful, heartfelt book…”

“Not only is this a truthful, heartfelt travel book, it is also one of the funniest laugh-out-loud books I have read in years! Dancing in the Fountain really accentuates the importance of embracing your environment and making the most of your experiences. As a seasoned traveller and expat in my 40’s I read this book with pure delight. I highly recommend this book to the experienced expat and to those stepping out of their comfort zone for the first time.”
Kama Frankling, author of The Happy Migrant

Amazon Reviewers Say:

“Karen McCann’s humor made me laugh out loud, and her humanism appeared in every chapter.”
Paul Rasmussen

“This book is highly suggested for anyone who has lived abroad, dreams of living abroad one day, or just simply enjoys a fun book to read.” Ross Williams

“This book makes me want to pack my bags and head for Europe. ”
John Marino

“Highly entertaining read that informs and inspires“
Faye

“It’s a charming and enjoyable ride. She has a real down to earth joie de vivre and it comes across on the page. Plus, she writes well and uses her descriptive words and phrases in an off-beat and surprising way.”
Linda Patton

“This is a fabulous story – combining entertainment and slyly educating me along the way.“
N. Dunn

From the moment I picked up this book, I knew I was going to have trouble setting it down. McCann’s writing style (the wit, humor, descriptive details, etc.) so drew me into her stories – I felt like I could have been right there experiencing those same things with her! … A truly wonderful read!
L. Lake

“Dancing in the Fountain” was a joy to read. Engaging and laugh-out-loud funny, Karen’s witty humour captures you and brings you into the story. I couldn’t put this book down, read it in two days.
Lynne

This is a wonderful book for anyone thinking about living abroad for any length of time and an informative and entertaining read for those who just like to learn about new experiences … Unlike other travel books, Dancing in the Fountain … has the ‘feel’ of a delightful novel.
Ed Kazemek

This is an outstanding book for a number of reasons.

Whilst they are very entertaining reads, the stories in books like Driving Over Lemons, are basically other people’s lives. The beauty of Dancing in the Fountain is that it is a book that talks about the experiences that anybody moving to a new country and city, battling with a new language and generally trying to understand what is going on – is going to face.

Furthermore, most of us don’t go and give up our lives and buy a farmhouse in a foreign country. This is why McCann’s book is so clever, it actually talks about what it is like to move gradually from one culture (your own) to another. I have lived abroad for many years in different countries, but it was this realism that really appealed to me – I could really recognise some of the issues and advantages that the author brought up as a result of living in two different cultures.

The second reason I liked this book is that it provides a very good description from a foreign (albeit insider) perspective of one of my favourite cities in the world. Seville is the ‘true’ spain – and the author has captured the feel of the city really well.

Finally, its just a damn good read! Some of the stories that McCann described made me cry with laughter. The story of the snake and the husband was unforgettable and I have used it many times since!! Actually some of the best stories of the book are related to the husband – he seems to be really long suffering!

Generally, a really good read – well worth buying.

Charles Towers-Clark

Rich McCann, Seville, Spain, living abroad, retire abroad

My long-suffering husband

I started reading this book on my flight to Spain. I learned as much from this book about Southern Spain and the culture as I did from the traditional travel books. The book is a short read by a very entertaining author. This book should appeal to those who love to travel as well as those going through transitions and moving—and it’s just plain funny.
Elisa Kennedy