This is an author interview: Next in the Paris interview with an author series for 56Paris is Tim Ward. A part-time Parisian with his wife Teresa, they own an apartment and live here several months of the year. We catch up about Tim’s fascinating new book, Mature Flâneur, about his travels in Paris and in France, along with other European countries.... ~ 56 Paris Blog, https://56paris.com/en/paris-interview-with-an-author-tim-ward

Sitting on the grassy shoreline of Lake Dunstan I turned a page reading about the beautifully described vineyards in the Duoro valley remembering I was here, in another wine lover's country, and yet had to go on a wine tasting. I'm honest with you. This has been the first book I picked up for years. It should be about four years as I'm coming up on my fifth year on Medium and while I love the community out here, ignore the haters and those who only come to complain, I settled in to stay. I made myself comfy, built a small but reciprocal and supportive community around my travel and life essays and adore all the passionate photographers surrounding the publications I am part of. And yet, all of this had one negative side. With all the writing but especially the reading I did and still do on Medium, I neglected the habit of reading books. Paperbacks. I might never have been or become the kind of reading rat my mom or sister is, but I did enjoy a good book and if I was caught in a series I enjoyed, I inhaled those books. In a way, I now inhale good Medium stories. This was how I stumbled upon a fellow Globetrotter and writer on this platform spending his retirement flâneuring the world as he describes it together with his wife. And when I happened to learn he wasn't just an online writer but a published author as well, I put my name on the pre-order list for his latest travel book. Mature Flâneur Being myself in the process of turning some of my online articles from Medium and my WordPress blog into a series of books, I was interested in his published piece on many levels. When I received the book, I grabbed my hammock, a pillow and a bottle of water and crawled out of the trailer we lived in last summer in Germany to make myself comfortable at the edge of the forest. While listening to the chirping of birds in the forest, and seeing giant hares graze next to native deer in the meadow, I turned pages and read about Tim's early adventures as a flâneur. Those I hadn't read yet on Medium as I only found him this year on the platform. This book covers the adventures of the married couple starting in late 2021 and stretching for an entire year. And most importantly, it teaches about flâneuring and all the stages of it. "Flâneur is one of those lovely, elusive French words that has no real equivalent in English. 'To wander without purpose, observing society' captures only what it looks like on the surface." — Tim Ward, Mature Flâneur ~ Anne Bonfert, Editor, Globetrotters Travel Blog, https://medium.com/globetrotters/flâneuring-with-a-book-in-hand-5ab9b2d2e9ab

Whimsical, unexpected, frequently revelatory, exquisitely observed (and written), this is vintage Tim Ward–I loved it. ~ Ian Weir, author of The Death and Life of Strother Purcell

Would you like to quit your job and travel with no itinerary, no destination, and a beautiful companion? Tim Ward did just that. Dive into these pages as he strolls, explores, and hikes his way across some of the most beautiful places in Europe. ~ Marsha Scarbrough, author of Honey in the River

I have been a Tim Ward fan since What the Buddha Never Taught. In Mature Flâneur he shows that it’s possible to find a life partner of matching and opposing sensibilities, adding depth and spice to the journey. ~ Melanie Choukas-Bradley, author of Finding Solace at Theodore Roosevelt Island

With a keen eye, sense of the absurd, and an underlying philosophy of life, Tim enthrals as he entertains. But a warning: reading him will make you long to flâneur too, as I was forced to do! ~ C.C. Humphreys, novelist and director of the rock-opera version of What the Buddha Never Taught

In this wonderful book, Tim Ward invites us to slow down our lives enough to find the hidden gems right in our midst. Through his vivid accounts of his travels through Europe during his "senior gap year" with his wife, I could imagine meandering through the small lanes he discovered in Paris, felt my heart racing as he negotiated the vertiginous Dolomite hiking trails, and burst out laughing during his near-accident motorboating in the Arctic Circle. Tim Ward is a brilliant storyteller and we benefit from his indefatigable curiosity. Whether you decide to follow in his flaneuring footsteps or not, after reading this book you will see the world around you with different eyes. ~ Stephanie J. Miller, author of Zero Waste Living, the 80/20 Way

Tim Ward, a.k.a. the Mature Flâneur, has a special talent for noticing the little details of geography, architecture, food, history, wildlife, and culture. His vivid descriptions transported me to his side. From bustling cities filled with history to striking natural landscapes, this book offers a captivating journey through some gorgeous parts of northern and southern Europe. For adventure, discovery and enlightenment, it's a true gem, not to be missed. ~ Bart W. Édes, author of Learning from Tomorrow

If you have ever dreamed about strolling through the gardens of Paris, marveling at the glaciers of Norway, or exploring the back alleys of Lisbon, buy this fabulous book! Tim has an eye for detail and an adventurous spirit that brings every nook and cranny of Europe to life. Escape where you are through these charming pages and who knows, you may be inspired to book a European ramble for yourself. ~ Lisa Foster, author of Bag Lady: How I Started a Business for a Greener World and Changed the Way America Shops