Hamburgers and Berliners and other courses in between

Literary Nonfiction. Memoir. Travel Writing. Matt Potter unflinchingly allows us inside his mind and heart, sharing fears and insecurities that most of us would never dare to reveal. His book is both poignant and funny, and through Potter's eyes we get a vivid picture of Germany--its landscapes, people, customs and quirks--while also witnessing one man's struggle to make sense of his own life as well as life at large.--Len Kuntz, author of The Dark Sunshine Matt Potter's HAMBURGERS AND BERLINERS took me to Germany--with brief forays to Austria, Portugal and other European countries--without me having to shift an inch from my sofa. Potter's prose is, as always, absorbing, amusing, enlightening and engaging. If you are thinking of a trip to Europe (or Australia, where Potter originates) make sure you read HAMBURGERS AND BERLINERS before you go. This intimate portrait of an Australian abroad should be nestled in your hand luggage beside your spare undies and bottled water--it's just as essential. Potter examines the differences between cultures big and small-between countries, continents or, at the other end of the scale, the microcultures that exist within a block or a street. He constantly questions the what and the why of things, observing idiosyncrasies and habits and ingrained patterns of thought in a way that makes you see your own surroundings and behaviours afresh. Never uncomfortably disrespectful (though often funny), Potter had me smirking with some of his descriptions and going 'Aha!' at others. HAMBURGERS AND BERLINERS is that rare thing, a guide to humanity, forgiving in its delivery but covering every niggly aspect of living as a foreigner abroad in delicious detail, warts and all. If you want to give your brain a holiday, get it, read it, and have a ball.--Gill Hoffs, author of The Sinking of RMS Tayleur: The Lost Story of the Victorian Titanic and Wild: a collection Matt Potter's HAMBURGERS AND BERLINERS brings back the adventures, the frustrations and the newness of moving to Germany. These honest missives made me want to do it all over again.--Christopher Allen, author of Conversations with S. Teri O'Type