Falling for London: A Cautionary Tale

In this humorous if overlong memoir, Mallen reflects on his time in London as a foreign correspondent for the Canadian Global News network. Mallen got the position in 2011, and though it was his dream assignment, Mallen realized he’d have to uproot his reluctant wife, Isabella, and their first grader daughter, Julia, from their comfortable lives in Toronto. As he struggled to balance professional challenges (he would travel throughout Europe and the Mideast covering, among other things, the Egyptian revolution in Tahrir Square) with the demands of his wife and daughter, Mallen recognized his own shortcomings and the sacrifices his family made on his behalf: Isabella, the “trailing spouse,” reminded him of the career she left behind in Canada, and Julia, who will need to adjust to a new school and make new friends. The family encountered bumps over the course of their nine-month stay as they dealt with disdainful British landlords and an apartment with a roof that caved in. Mallen shares the highlights as well, such as taking his family to London’s best museums and on weekend jaunts throughout Europe. Mallen entertains in this glimpse into the life of a foreign correspondent and his Canadian family’s experience living abroad. (Nov.)