Peter Mayle
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Year in Provence by Peter Mayle I read this book after reading Toujours Provence and French Lessons, so I was very familiar with the Mayles living in Provence and many of the characters (their neighbour Faustin, Massot who lives in the middle of the woods, the people who work on their home--Didier, Menicucci, et al) in the book. It was like reading about a family I knew, like reading James Herriot's books. Provence is brought alive in a warm, intimate manner that makes one envious of the Mayles' good fortune for living there, as well as grateful that Mayle lets us live there vicariously through his words. Peter Mayle is such a good writer that he can make the reader feel for a character what he himself feels. Take, for instance, Massot--he is not an easy character to like; he is always suspicious of German 'trespassers' and doesn't bother to rein in his vicious dogs even when they are tearing a intruder's tyres to pieces, instead he smiles at them appreciatively. We still like him because he is such a 'character'--up to weird things, full of fanciful tales, blaming the German tourists always--because of Mayle's way of presenting him. It is a very difficult skill for a writer, to be able to present a situation, a place, or people in such precise detail, bringing out the character in each just so. His sense of humour is marvellous. Humour is a tricky thing--what is funny for one person is sometimes ludicrous or silly or mean for another. But Mayle's humour works, every time. Each sentence works; the words are chosen carefully to convey exactly what he means in the sparest way. His language is simple and his use of it, excellent. Make sure to read this book in not-too-quiet places because your reading will be punctuated with chuckles or laughing out loud. Oh, and also try and read it only on a full stomach, or reading about the gastronomical pleasures of the Provencal life will make you ravenous.
Toujours
Provence by Peter Mayle I picked up this book from Strand Book Stall, Bangalore, just by its cover and by reading the first page. You know what they say about judging a book by its cover--I'm so glad I based my judgment on this one's. It's a Vintage publication, pastel green matte with a funny, colourful cartoon on the front. The author is British and lives in the South of France, in Provence, where there are long summers, but also bitterly cold winters. The people absolutely love their food, always spending at least two to three hours for a meal, and eat and drink an incredible variety--fruit, vegetables, sea food, wines and cheeses. And if you are wondering about the long time spent on dining, you're wondering correctly. According to Mayle, they do spend their time in a leisurely way in Provence--once the work is done. The book is a collection of anecdotal essays, one better than the next. The prose is crisp, vivid, witty and heart-warming. You can enjoy the book even if you don't know French, but if you do, you'll relish it even more--the dialogues and local dialect, the names of certain fruit and preparations. His sense of humour is so good that when I used to read this book while my baby slept, I would end up disturbing her with the chuckles that escaped me despite my efforts to suppress them. In this collection we go on a picnic, learn about the dégustation (tasting) of wines, hunt for truffles, listen to Pavarotti, eat in different kinds of excellent restaurants, see a dog show and discover alcoholic wasps. I would recommend this to those who are interested in France, the French lifestyle, travel, or just a warm, cosy read. I plan to get more of Peter Mayle's books--he has definitely proved to be the pick-up-any-of-my-work-and-be-satisfied kind of writer!
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