A Year in Provence is a book about a couple who decides to leave their every-day-life behind and begin a new life together in Provence. For those of you who don't know what Provence is, it's kind of like Tuscany meets France, but better. After reading this book, I truly hope some day Mike and I can enjoy a few days in Provence together.The book was divided into twelve chapters by month. It was a very easy read and often made me hungry as much of the story is about French food. Unfortunately, I found myself skimming over the parts about wine as I don't drink wine and (although his descriptions are very good) I think wine sounds pretty boring.The problem I had with this book was that at times it felt like there was no beginning, middle or end. To me it seemed the book ended the same way it started.I thought that the character was criticizing all of the tourists, however, he was rather new and foreign to Provence so I thought he should also be careful calling the kettle black. At one point in the book, the main character is complaining that it's hard to have company come because while your company is on vacation, he still had to carry out every day life. He claimed it was always hard to get things done with company in town because they expected you to play with them the entire time when in reality, you have things to accomplish. This would be a valid argument except for the fact that the English couple is actually quite lazy. They pay someone else to re-do their kitchen and to take care of their garden. The majority of their day is spent at the market, in the pool sipping wine or out at a fantastic restaurant. I had a hard time understanding exactly what they thought their company was impairing them from accomplishing (unless watching paint dry was on their to-do list). I think the real issue was that they were so much enjoying their time to themselves in their own part of Provence that they didn't like sharing their piece of Provence with people from their old life. English friends coming to visit only made them realize that they were English and not French.My last beef about the book is that if you step back, it's simply a diary of their home remodel. It should have focused less on this as the story of the remodel took away from the relaxing vacation I was taking inside this book.I think if I had this same life in Provence I would eventually get bored and fat. The characters never exercise but live from meal to meal. Although French people take their food seriously, I am sure they are more active than this English couple because they manage to take in all the calories but not get large. (I haven't seen very many large French people).This book would have been perfect if it included an appendix with some yummy recipes. I found myself closing the book and wanting to go buy some delicious cheeses, big grapes and Fresh warm bread (warm and fluffy on the inside, crisp and delish on the outside.).All in all, I gave this book a B-. Reading it took me to Provence in my own little escape. The descriptions of the food and the culture were entertaining and rather accurate. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a relaxing, easy and dreamy summer read. A great book to read if you can't afford to go to France this summer and are still looking for an escape.
3.5 stars.Well, this was a very charming read. The whole "o hay we moved 2 provence, awesome rite?" thing wasn't nearly as obnoxious as I thought it was going to be, although I still think these travelogues are highly masturbatory in nature. Peter Mayle has a light touch with a pen (I think I read the whole thing in under five hours), and a real flair for characterisation. I admire a man who can sketch a portrait in a sentence, like this bit describing his uncle, for example: "'Puke in private, dear boy,' he used to say."One of the other things in the plus column is that despite the fact that he describes over half a dozen different meals, he doesn't go into great detail about the actual food. He is not that great at making you salivate. This is a good thing. I hate books that make me miserable about what I'm having for dinner in reality. It would have been okay in this particular case, I guess, since it was Thanksgiving weekend that featured, among other things, roast duck with pineapple, strawberry-cranberry sauce, yams, roast pork, Black Forest cake, pumpkin pie made from scratch, potato pie, and other tasties, but whatever.No, this book is mainly about the lifestyle in Provence. It doesn't over-romanticise it, but it's clearly relaxing and lovely and healthy and all those good things.I think I am going to read the sequel in case some of the same people appear in it too. Especially Bennett. Bennett is awesome.Book club notes:pp.36-37: funny rant about people inviting themselves. Also: "Drink your coffee before it gets dirty."p.49: LEARN HOW TO MAKE TRANCHES DOREES.p.87: Hilarious bit about burglaries. "He looked at me as if I had committed an act of terminal lunacy. 'You must be protected immediately. I will send a man this afternoon. Stay en garde until he comes.'"p.112: Ah, the gay English uncle. "Puke in private, dear boy."p.124: BENNETT!
What do You think about A Year In Provence (1991)?
Peter Mayle and his wife finally decide to say goodbye to dreary British weather and move to sunny Provence in France. This book tells about their experiences living in Provence, from the colorful locals to the excellent food to the workmen who come and go like forces of nature.This book had me ready to go on vacation in Provence. Notice that I don't say "move to Provence." I would starve. All those lovingly written descriptions of French food left me cold. I could survive for a week or two though.Parts of this had me roaring with laughter. My favorite part was probably the goat race. Oh my gosh! I read this on one of my last nights at my old job, and let me tell you, I was doing my best to hold back my laughter while sitting around on my downtime in the emergency room, but little snickers and giggles were escaping, and I had tears rolling down my face. Not exactly the appropriate place for that, but luckily I was tucked away in my little corner, and I don't think anybody noticed. I hope.Another of my favorite parts was the translation of the French person's body language. I'm sure it's different, but I hope this gives me a place to start in translating my Cuban father-in-laws body language. He doesn't just tell a story, he enacts it, with hands flying everywhere. I think any homeowner can relate to the stories of the workmen. At least these guys did show up, but, wow, I don't know if that's good or bad. The Mayles did come up with an ingenious way to get them back to work though. I may have to give that a try sometime...So there's no big, earth-shattering plot here. This still felt like a vacation in a book, and it's nice to come across those every once in a while.
—JG (The Introverted Reader)
I've been cleaning out the bookshelves and found A YEAR IN PROVENCE. I know I read this book when it was first published and remembered enjoying Mayle's chronicles of the year he and his wife moved to Provence. I thought it was the perfect weekend read and I was correct! I enjoyed visiting Provence again. There is a certain rhythm to life in Provence. Mayle's sketches of his neighbors, laborers, markets and restaurants; the customs of the country and the pleasure and frustrations of home ownership were all entertaining. Food, food and more food! A fun and delightful re-read.
—Snap
Эту книгу можно описать всего двумя словами - "МЕЧТЫ СБЫВАЮТСЯ" :DПоддавшись порыву, супружеская пара из Англии осуществляет свою давнюю мечту - покупают небольшой фермерский домик на юге Франции в Провансе. Но герои даже не подозревали, что покупка дома обернется настоящей серией приключений. Жить в Провансе не так-то просто, их на каждом шагу будут подстерегать неожиданные открытия, новые знакомства, смешные и нелепые ситуации. "Год в Провансе" - это потрясающе светлая, очаровательная и смешная книга. Читала в запой, ее просто невозможно отложить. Безумно понравится главный герой, от чьего лица видеться повествование, я не переставала восхищаться тем, как он подмечал разные мелочи, как запоминал то, что ему рассказывали и как использовал эти знания на практики.Еще не могу не отметить тот факт, что книга впервые была издана в 1989 году, но у истории совершенно нет временных рамок, читая ее, легко представить, что в такое приключение попали люди живущие и в 2014-15 гг. Не знаю почему, но лично мне такие истории очень импонируют. Ну и , конечно, не могу не предупредить. Если вы любите поесть, это книгу не стоит читать без бутерброда, шоколадки или еще какого-нибудь снэка. Я вообще не гурман, но БОЖЕ, столько в книге еды и как это все интересно, живо и аппетитно описано. Под конец книги я не удержалась, зашла в хлебный, купила себе длинный батон и плавленный сыр, разрезала батон пополам, намазала его сыром и съела ПОЛОВИНУ батона за раз! XD
—Tanya Nekrasova
