Barb Taub | But I Smile Anyway...

Life Begins When The Kids Leave Home and The Dog Dies by Barb Taub #BookReview #AmReading

Yes, another day, another book!

This time I am reviewing Barb Taub’s hilarious book, Life Begins When The Kids Leave Home And The Dog Dies. It is a collection of essays written by Barb through her life as a columnist for several papers, and if you enjoy it, there are so many more on her blog!

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I met Barb for the first time at the second Annual Bloggers Bash Awards in London, way back in 2016. I had won a competition and was awarded a special bracelet to commemorate one of her fiction works from the Null City series.

Check out Barb’s books here.

I can confirm she is as bubbly as her blog posts sound!

I have also read Do Not Wash Hands In Plates – a memoir of hers from travelling around India which was fantastic too.

This book I had on my Kindle, ready to read, then one day I received a package! Lovely Robbie Cheadle of Bake and Write fame, had won a copy of the book, but not wanting to put postage costs up for Barb (as she lives in Sout Africa) she nominated me as the recipient of her prize. Thanks Robbie!

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It took me a while to get round to reading it (that tbr pile is literally teetering by my bedside, as well as on my kindle!) and I am so glad I did.

Here’s my review.

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Now, I am not quite at retirement stage, not looking out for grandchildren, as my own kids are still young, thankfully, but I enjoyed reading Barb Taub’s collection of essays immensely!
The articles about motherhood resonated deeply, and I have to say I snorted with laughter at many!
Barb Taub has a way with words, her humour is brilliant and these short essays keep you turning the pages.
You could dip in and out of this book, but I was so immersed, I read it continually (when my own children would allow) until the very last page!
Definitely recommended!

My Amazon Review here.

My Goodreads Review here.

Buy Life Begins When The Kids Leave Home And The Dogs Died here.

Book Review – Do Not Wash Hands In Plates: Elephant frenzy, parathas, temples, palaces, monkeys…and the kindness of Indian strangers – Barb Taub

Last year at the Bloggers Bash, I was lucky enough to meet many wonderful bloggers, and Barb Taub was one of them. I was even more happy to have won a competition of hers where I was given a custom made bracelet to go with her new book in the Null City series.

She is hilarious in her blog posts, and I highly recommend a visit over there for many giggles!

I found that she had written a travel book about her trip to India, Do Not Wash Hands In Plates: Elephant frenzy, parathas, temples, palaces, monkeys…and the kindness of Indian strangers , and well, I just had to buy it! It has taken me a while to get round to reading it, but read it I have, and oh what fun!!!

Do Not Wash Hands In Plates: Elephant frenzy, parathas, temples, palaces, monkeys...and the kindness of Indian strangers by [Taub, Barb]

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

What a delicious recount of what was a most memorable trip to India by Barb Taub and her friends. Being an Indian myself, I relished in the thoughts of many a situation that we consider normal, but which, for Taub, would have been most alien!
Saying that, as an British Indian, I have seen far less of my Motherland than Taub and her friends!
Taub’s recounts are hilarious, and each page is peppered with the delicacies that they encountered along the way, proving, once and for all, that India is one of the most hospitable countries out there, with an abundance of yummy food at every corner, literally. Parathas…? YUM!”
Reading about how they encountered the driving there (I too travel in a car with my fingers in front of my eyes when we visit family there!) and crossing roads in busy Mumbai (same in Delhi and Ludhiana!) brought back funny memories of past trips.
If you are looking for a quick pick me up, with laughter at every turn, this is your book!

Buy your copy here!