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Loading... Bringing Home the Birkin: My Life in Hot Pursuit of the World's Most…by Michael Tonello
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will love Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. I, um, didn't have any idea what a Birkin was before reading this! Even starting from that disadvantage, the book was engaging and entertaining. A fun, fluffy, easy read. (  )sarahbrassard | Jul 10, 2009 |   inspirational true story of a make-up artist who moves to Barcelona on a whim. To make money, he starts selling his belongings on ebay. great memoir (  )smac1 | Mar 8, 2009 | This memoir was quite fluffy but very fun, and I could barely put it down. Tonello balances out the extravagant with the down-to-earth in his amusing quests for Birkins. I do wish though that he might have tried to explain why these people have to have this crazy-expensive bag as I really don't understand the obsession. celiafrances | Jan 4, 2009 | If you’ve been dying to get your hands on a Birkin, then I suggest this book to you. I personally have never wanted one. I guess its one of those bags that I knew I never could afford so never lusted after it. You probably heard all the stories about how hard it is to actually get a Birkin bag, and that there is a two year waiting list, and even worse a waiting list for the waiting list. Well, Tonello dispels all the myths that surround this bag. After moving to Spain, on the promise of a job, Tonello finds himself in a desperate situation when the position falls through. After selling his precious Hermes scarf on eBay, he discovers the sheer number of fanatics that will pay a small fortune to get their hands on anything "Hermes", especially the Birkin. And after a number of encounters Tonello discovers that the Birkin is where the money is at. Getting his hands on one however, proves to be anything but easy. And in the beginning he hits a brick wall in the form of sales assistants. Then he discovers a formula and tries it out several times. He discovers this formula is the key and puts it in action. I’ve tried not to reveal too much. What I will say however, is that after the first few chapters I was hooked and had a hard time to put the book down. I ended up reading it all on a rainy Sunday afternoon. Tonello’s writing style is very descriptive of the beautiful cities he visits and his brilliant sense of humour served for a very entertaining reading. montrealgirl2005 | Nov 29, 2008 | I am a sucker for a good memoir. I can't believe this man made a living reselling Hermes! An engaging read & trip. Michael Tonello brought home the fun--I consumed this book in a weekend. shalulah | Sep 8, 2008 | 0.050 seconds to build listing  no reviews | add a review
Amazon.com Product Description (ISBN 0061473332, Hardcover)
For more than twenty years, the Hermès Birkin bag has been the iconic symbol of fashion, luxury, and wealth. Though the bag is often seen dangling from the arms of celebrities, there is a fabled waiting list of more than two years to buy one from Hermès, and the average fashionista has a better chance of climbing Mount Everest in Prada pumps than of possessing one of these coveted carryalls. Unless, of course, she happens to know Michael Tonello . . . Michael's newfound career started with an impulsive move to Barcelona, a vanished job assignment, no work visa, and an Hermès scarf sold on eBay to generate some quick cash. But soon the resourceful Michael discovered the truth about the waiting list and figured out the secret to getting Hermès to part with one of these precious bags. Millions of dollars worth of Birkins later, Michael had become one of eBay's most successful entrepreneurs—and a Robin Hood to thousands of desperate rich women. With down-to-earth wit, Michael chronicles the unusual ventures that took him to nearly every continent, from eBay to Paris auction house and into the lives of celebrities and poseurs. Flirting with danger, Michael recounts the heady rush of hand delivering his first big score to famed songwriter Carole Bayer Sager in Paris; how he had to hire thugs to rescue a bag that one of his "shoppers" held for ransom; and the story of the Oscar-worthy performances that allowed him to snag "reserved" bags from other, less dogged Birkin seekers. Whether he's relating his wining and dining, buying and selling, dodging and weaving, laughing and crying, or schmoozing and stammering, Michael is a master raconteur who weaves together tales of hunting Birkins in the world's most posh locales, memories of meals that would make any gastronome salivate, anecdotes of obsessed collectors with insatiable desires, and sweetly intimate stories about his family, friends, and finding true love. The result is a memoir that is distinctive, fun, page-turning, and as addictive as its namesake. (retrieved from Amazon Fri, 24 Apr 2009 07:58:11 -0400) The first test round has been closed. Visit the Open Shelves Classification group for details. |
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