If you haven't had the chance yet be sure to read Peter Mayles' new book "French Lessons". It is so good. Each chapter is devoted to a different aspect of French food and wine. Very funny stories. This is a must read for anyone that loves the French way of life.

agree this is one great book. Go get it and be ready to laugh all the way through it.

yep

I've only recently finally read his first Provence book, A Year in Provence and am now reading Toujours Provence.<BR><BR>Is French lessons also based on his life in Provence or a different style and format?<BR><BR>Kavey

Kavey<BR>each chapter deals with a food or wine story. Each one is different, and they tend to be written around festivals. It is not restricted to Provence. For example, one chapter deals with a marathon in Bordeaux, but not your typical marathon. Seems that the refreshment points along the way are set up with wine, and many of the runners wear costumes. It is writtne in his usual style and if you like his other books you will like this one.

Thanks, reader. I've enjoyed his previous books, especially the first two. I'll probably read this one too, but I doubt I'll like it as much as his second book, Toujours Provence, since that dealt with a lot more than just food and wine.

Thanks reader,<BR>I'll look out for it.<BR>I need to check the other books in the Provence series.<BR>There are the two I already mentioned plus I remember one called Encore Provence, don't know if there were any more. <BR>But will look out for French Lessons.<BR>Kavey

Kavey, there are only three, so far, in the Provence series, with Encore being the most recent. <BR><BR>He also has a couple novels out (set in Provence of course) and one of them, Anything Considered, is a fairly good mystery/crime caper.

I saw the fiction ones listed but am in two minds...<BR>Will rethink.<BR>Ta<BR>Kavey

Hotel Pastis was a cute, light read.

Light read is certainly correct when you speak of Peter Mayle. His A YEAR IN PROVENCE was completely forgetable, though humorous in places. (This is the kind of book one reads while waiting for a plane or bus.)<BR><BR>If you want something a little more substantial on life and food in provincial France, read MFK Fisher. Like a good terrine of foie gras, she sticks to the ribs.

Peter Mayle is always a "light" read. He's a minimalist when it comes to research, but very intense when it comes to telling tales of his own personal experience in France. He's pissed off more French neighbors than he's made friends with. I sense with the latest book he's tried to be less personal and he mentions only the occasional French friend - good thing, I don't think he has many after his fiasco with the first few books. The guy is a pleasant read, but nothing pithy.

I love Peter Mayle and I don't know why anyone can't see his take on the differences between people of different cultures and customs. We are not all the same.

I just read about a new book -- kind of a take-off on A Year in Provence -- called A Year in Van Nuys, by Sandra Tsing Loh.<BR><BR>Here's a brief review in the Seattle Weekly...<BR><BR>http://www.seattleweekly.com/feature...s-russin.shtml

I'm really enjoying "On Rue Tatin: Living and Cooking in a French Town" by Susan Herrmann Loomis. It's out in paperback now. Definitely putting me in the mood for my trip to France.<BR><BR>I liked the first Peter Mayle book a great deal, but found the subsequent ones less entertaining and more tiresome, for some reason. But maybe I'll take a look at the new one.

I am a huge <BR>Fisher fan and have read most of her writings, but for the lighter side you are forgetting Peter's "Chasing Cezanne" I always thought "Humpfries" from "are you being served" would be great in the part of one of the characters, but alas, he's not young enough.<BR>