Rating: 
Summary: A Glass of Moxie Tonic
Review: It's been said that travel essays and books are more about their authors than the places they visit; this book is testimony to the wisdom of that. There's not really so much of Spain here as there is of Lambert, and that's not a bad thing if you end up liking the guy. The problem is, you might grow a little weary of the author; every Spaniard becomes a *character* to whom Lambert must show great forbearance. Come to think of it, there is a bit of the colonial in the man. (Nevertheless, he's not insufferable, like Theroux can be.) I caught myself glancing at the picture of the author's smiling face on the dust jacket--suggesting a likeable, convivial man--to convince myself that I was being harsh on Lambert. If you're thinking of reading this book to get a unique taste of Spain, well, you'll get that in small doses. But mostly this is the story of a foreign couple and their house woes in Spain. Maybe this should have been titled, "Casa Improvement." Finally, what's the deal with the little seen Jonathan? Is he really four years old? Or fourteen? He isn't around much, is he.
Rating:
Summary: Good enough
Review: Part of the move there-live there genre started by Mayle, and good enough to read for those thinking of moving to Spain.
Rating: 
Summary: Nice, but no flair
Review: Something is missing from Spanish Lessons, some kind of energy or heart. Maybe what's missing is that Derek Lambert is too normal. The very best travel essays and memoirs all have something in common - a narrator who is eccentric, peculiar, a little bit different, whether it's something he does, or just part of his personality. Lambert is just an average guy living in Spain; the crazy things that would happen to Bill Bryson don't happen to him, and the crazy things that Tim Cahill would do aren't done by him. Or maybe it's something stylistic - Lambert is a fugitive from journalism, and his writing still has that who-what-where-when bluntness, tinged with an all-too-palpable struggle to add some literary flair. That makes this book rather less compelling than it might otherwise be - the narrative just never picks you up and carries you along, and that is essential in travel writing. It could even be that Lambert just hasn't fallen in love with Spain the way Mayle did with Provence or Mayes did with Tuscany. Spanish Lessons lacks vivid local color and fascinating local history, two things that can really make a living-abroad book. Lambert seems to be reluctant about giving in to Spain, too - he even quits his Spanish lessons after a few weeks. While this kind of restraint may be understandable, it doesn't make for the sort of book that can transport you to a new place. Probably it's all those things. Lambert has written an essentially normal story - man buys house, man has problems with builders and plumbing, man holds party, etc. - that just happens to be set in Spain, and despite the generous descriptions of food and gardens and colorful local characters, the pedestrian nature of the material comes through. While this is an interesting light read, and its flaws are minor, it just isn't entrancing. Borrow this book, don't buy it, and look elsewhere for truly hysterical or truly lyrical travel literature.
Rating:
Summary: Nice, but no flair
Review: Something is missing from Spanish Lessons, some kind of energy or heart. Maybe what's missing is that Derek Lambert is too normal. The very best travel essays and memoirs all have something in common - a narrator who is eccentric, peculiar, a little bit different, whether it's something he does, or just part of his personality. Lambert is just an average guy living in Spain; the crazy things that would happen to Bill Bryson don't happen to him, and the crazy things that Tim Cahill would do aren't done by him. Or maybe it's something stylistic - Lambert is a fugitive from journalism, and his writing still has that who-what-where-when bluntness, tinged with an all-too-palpable struggle to add some literary flair. That makes this book rather less compelling than it might otherwise be - the narrative just never picks you up and carries you along, and that is essential in travel writing. It could even be that Lambert just hasn't fallen in love with Spain the way Mayle did with Provence or Mayes did with Tuscany. Spanish Lessons lacks vivid local color and fascinating local history, two things that can really make a living-abroad book. Lambert seems to be reluctant about giving in to Spain, too - he even quits his Spanish lessons after a few weeks. While this kind of restraint may be understandable, it doesn't make for the sort of book that can transport you to a new place. Probably it's all those things. Lambert has written an essentially normal story - man buys house, man has problems with builders and plumbing, man holds party, etc. - that just happens to be set in Spain, and despite the generous descriptions of food and gardens and colorful local characters, the pedestrian nature of the material comes through. While this is an interesting light read, and its flaws are minor, it just isn't entrancing. Borrow this book, don't buy it, and look elsewhere for truly hysterical or truly lyrical travel literature.
Rating:
Summary: Spanish Lessons by Derek Lambert
Review: Spanish Lessons by Derek Lambert Brilliant! This book not only succeeds in what it sets out to do - to show how integration into a foreign culture can be achieved, without tears - but gives much background information on the history, geography and local customs of the area, peppered with humour which keeps the reader chortling to the end. For my husband and myself it was particularly interesting as we know the area well - we have owned a holiday home the other side of Montgo at Jávea (Xabia) for 17 years and have been frequent visitors. The book is absolutely authentic. Although published in 2000 it would appear to be telling a tale of life 20+ years earlier. There is much which could also have been included but the author had to draw the line somewhere and he kept to the Spanish aspect of life superbly. For instance, the Chapel at Las Rotas, which was Franco's chapel, has been used for regular Sunday Worship by the English speaking congregation, which is part of the Costa Blanca Anglican Chaplaincy, since 1979. I shall lend the book to anyone I know remotely interested in Spain. It gives a good insight into life in Spain. We can't wait for our next visit!
Rating:
Summary: Pleasant book
Review: Spanish lessons is a nice relaxing book. I found it to be a bit of a slow read, not much action. But that is also what is nice about it. It just depicts the everyday life of a foreign family trying to adjust to life in Spain. I did enjoy this book but have to admit that I found the book "Driving over Lemons" a bit more interesting.
Rating: 
Summary: Spanish Lessons could be subtitled "A Year Near Denia"
Review: Spanish Lessons is well written but not very original. It owes a lot to Peter Maile's "A Year in the Provence". Both books describe the trials and tribulations of building projects with the local tradesmen. Both books have a chapter dedicated to the "guest" who won't leave. Both describe the building projects culmunation party. The locals all share a charming peculiarity, etc. etc. Although it shares some of the same problems, "Driving Over Lemons" at least offers some new information.
Rating:
Summary: Peter Mayle does this better (usually)
Review: There is nothing really WRONG with this book, but nothing that has not been tried and done just a smidge better in "A Year in Provence" or "Under the Tuscan Sun." Don't want to be a spoiler, but the usual wise-but-iconoclastic locals show up to eventually impart valuable spiritual and cultural gifts to our semi-bumbling narrator. He's likable, they are likable, and your reading time won't be wasted, but this one won't challenge any preconceptions or expand you world.
Rating:
Summary: Peter Mayle does this better (usually)
Review: There is nothing really WRONG with this book, but nothing that has not been tried and done just a smidge better in "A Year in Provence" or "Under the Tuscan Sun." Don't want to be a spoiler, but the usual wise-but-iconoclastic locals show up to eventually impart valuable spiritual and cultural gifts to our semi-bumbling narrator. He's likable, they are likable, and your reading time won't be wasted, but this one won't challenge any preconceptions or expand you world.
Rating:
Summary: 1/2 a star, but I had to round up
Review: What a weak effort on the part of Lambert. He spends most of the book telling us how he was supposed to be writing a book. Who authorized this crapola? The only reason I bought it was bc the back cover compared him to Peter Mayle. Ummmmmm, no. Not even close.
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