I came across this a couple of times – the cover really caught my eye, but glancing at the title, I walked past this on numerous occasions when I happened to be at the bookstore. Why? Well, it was because I was convinced that this was a self-help book, specifically dealing with financial matters due to the common term “bringing home the bacon“. We all know that self-help books tend to use wordplay and such literary or grammatical techniques to grab one’s attention. So many a time, I just walked past, never stopping to pick it up to really find out whether it was indeed a self-help book. It was not until one day, when I was waiting for someone for ages — I was bored, and I’ve checked out everything at the bookshop, even the gift and stationery section – and the person I was waiting for, still wasn’t done browsing. It was calling out to me, taunting me. Bored, and since I had nothing else to do, I gave in, and picked up the book. Only then I realised that it was indeed about Hermes and the iconic Birkin. It was then that I decided to finally buy the book.
Ok by now you’re probably dying to know what this is about. Bringing Home the Birkin is a memoir of an Hermes reseller (Michael Tonello, who is also the author of the book), who has made millions by selling all things Hermes on eBay. The book chronicles how he went from being an ex-makeup artist and hairdresser, to being jobless in Barcelona, and eventually, millionaire and Hermes extrodinaire. He takes us with him on a journey all over the world – from (almost) getting thrown out of Hermes, to Hermes auctions in Paris – on his neverending quest for Birkins. Tonello breaks the silence, and lets us in on what he calls “the formula” – how we can skip the (in)famous 2-year waitlist and jump straight to the front of the queue and get the almost unattainable and lustworthy Birkin the moment you walk into any Hermes store. He has acquired so many Birkins that he is now on Hermes’s “blacklist” – the company now refuses to sell him anything Hermes.
The Verdict: I found the book totally un-putdown-able! With Tonello’s hilarious and witty prose-style, I found myself laughing along with him instead of at him. Totally loved it! 😉
This book is available via bookstores nationwide (Malaysia) for RM64.90 or via Amazon
Title: Bringing Home the Birkin’Author: Michael TonelloPublisher: Harper CollinsDate Published: 2009ISBN: 978-0-06-147334-0
Image via Amazon.com
