Book Lists – Atlanta Booklover's Blog

This is the second in a continuing series of selective book lists about perennially interesting places. The first list, about Tuscany, is here.

Titles are grouped by topic, in most cases with the most recent titles listed first.

Most of these books are available from the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System. If you have a borrower’s card with AFPLS, you can obtain any title AFPLS doesn’t own by submitting, at any library, an Interlibrary Loan form (available on the library system’s website, www.afpls.org). Titles NOT owned by AFPLS are indicated with an asterisk (*).

Please contact us if we’ve inadvertently omitted one of your own favorite books about Provence, or let us know if there are other book lists you’d like to see compiled and posted to the Atlanta Booklover’s Blog.

NONFICTION

Overviews

Provence: People, Places, Food: A Cultural Guide (2012) by Cheryl Robson and Martin N. Gilbert*
Provence: Art, Architecture, Landscape (2010) by Rolf Toman (and others)*
Provence: A Cultural History (2006, 2012) by Martin Garrett*
La Belle Vie: The Textures and Tones of Dreamy Provence (2012) by Barbara Stoeltie (and others)*
Seeking Provence: Old Myths, New Paths (2008) by Nicholas Woodsworth*
Provence: Past and Present (2001) by Silvana Rizzi
Colors of Provence: Traditions, Recipes, and Home Decorations from the South of France (1997) by Michel Biehn
Sara Midda’s South of France: A Sketch Book (1990) by Sara Midda
Provence: Land of Enchantment (1965) by Francois Cali

Mostly Photographs

Provence: Lasting Impressions (2012) by Joel Meyerowitz and Maggie Barrett*
The Secrets of Provence (2008) by Diane Canwell and Jonathan Sutherland
Provence: 500 Photos (2005) by Gerard Sioen*
Tour de Provence (2001) by Julian More; photos by John Miller
Provence: The Art of Living (1996) by Sara Walden; photos by Solvi dos Santos
The Most Beautiful Villages of Provence (1994, 2012) by Michael Jacobs; photos by Hugh Palmer
The Most Beautiful Country Towns of Provence (1994, 2002) by Helena Atlee; photos by Alex Ramsay
Provence (1994) by Peter Mayle; photos by Jason Hawkes
Provence (1993) by Marie-Ange Guillaume; photos by Sonja Bullaty and Angelo Lomeo
Provence: A Country Almanac (1993) by Louisa L. Jones
Provence by John Flower (1987)
Views from a French Farmhouse (1985) by Julian More; photos by Carey More

Memoirs

“…I think life here is a happier thing than in countless other spots on the earth.” – Van Gogh

Just as the American writer Frances Mayes virtually cornered the market for English-language readers interested in what it’s like to live in Tuscany, the many books by British-born Peter Mayle are the titles about Provence that most readers have heard of: A Year in Provence (1989, 1991), Toujours Provence (1992), and Encore Provence (1999).

Other multiple-memoir authors who’ve described their adventures in Provence are Anne-Marie Simons: Taking Root in Provence (2011)* and Ten Years in Provence (2008)*; James Ivey’s trilogy: Extremely Pale Rose: A Very French Adventure (2006), Rose en Marche: Running a Market Stall in Provence (2008),* and La Vie en Rose (2008)*; and Carol Drinkwater’s five memoirs: The Olive Farm: A Memoir of Life, Love, and Olive Oil (2001), The Olive Season: Amour, A New Life, and Olives Too (2003), The Olive Harvest (2007),* The Olive Tree: A Personal Journey through Mediterranean Olive Groves (2008),* and Return to the Olive Farm (2010)*

Other recent records of foreigners’ personal adventures in Provence include:

28 Days in Provence: Food and Family in the Heart of France (2012) by Shannon Bennett
My French Affair: How a Kiwi Woman Found Her Joie de Vivre in the South of France (2012) by Amanda Taylor-Ace*
Cherries from Chauvet’s Orchard: A Memoir of Provence (2011) by Ruth Phillips*
Blossoming in Provence (2011) by Kristin Espinasse*
Provence, Je t’aime (2008) by Gordon Bitney*
Lavender and Linen (2008) by Henrietta Taylor*
We’ve Always Had Paris – and Provence: A Scrapbook of Our Life in France (2008) by Patricia and Walter Wells
Strangers in Paradise: A Memoir of Provence (2007) by Paul Christensen*
Where the Heart Is: A Writer in Provence (2006) by Marita Van der Vyver*
A Journey into Matisse’s South of France (2006) by Laura McPhee
Chasing Matisse: A Year in France Living My Dream (2005) by James Morgan
Words in a French Life: Lessons in Love and Language from the South of France (2006) by Kristin Espinasse
Provence for All Seasons: A Journey (2003) by Gordon Bitney*
The Magic of Provence: Pleasures of Southern France (2000) by Yvone Lenard
A Window on Provence: One Summer’s Sojourn into the Simple Life (1990) by Bo Niles

An earlier generation of writers also published memoirs of their time in Provence:

Living Well is the Best Revenge (1971, 1998) by Calvin Tompkins
A Farmhouse in Provence (1969) by Mary Roblee Henry
Two Towns in Provence (1964, 1978, 1983) by M.F.K. Fisher
Aspects of Provence (1952) by James Pope-Hennessy
Perfume from Provence (1937, 2009) by Winifred Fortescue [born 1888]
Provence, from Minstrels to the Machine (1935, 1979, 1984, 2009) by Ford Madox Ford [died 1939]

Architecture and Interior Design

French Essence: Ambience, Beauty, and Style in Provence (2010) by Louisa Jones*
Provencal Living (2007) by Andreas Einsiedel*
Provencal Escapes: Inspirational Homes in Provence and the Cote d’Azur (2005) by Caroline Clifton-Mogg*
New French Country: A Style and Source Book (2004) by Linda Dannenbert
Living in Provence (2003) by Dane McDowell*
The Provencal House (2003) by Johanna Thornycroft
Provence Style: The Art of Home Decoration (2002) by Noell Duck and Christian Sarramon

Gardens

Provence Artists’ Gardens (2008) by Julia Droste-Hennings
New Gardens in Provence: 30 Contemporary Creations (2004) by Vicki Archer and Carla Coulson
Cezanne’s Garden (2003) by Derek Fell
French Dirt: The Story of a Garden in the South of France (1991) by Richard Goodman
The Gardens of Provence and the French Riviera (1987) by Michel Racine (and others)

History

Roman Provence: A History and Guide (2011) by Edwin B. Mullins*
Luminous Debris: Reflections of Vestige in Provence and Languedo (1999) by Gustaf Sobin
Thomas Jefferson’s Journey to the South of France (1999) by Roy Moore
Provence (1994) by Lawrence Durrell*
Village in the Vacluse (4^th ed., 1977) by Lawrence Wylie

Literature

A Literary Guide to Provence (2001) by Daniel Vitaglione
The South of France: An Anthology (1985) edited by Laura Raison*

Art

Cezanne in Provence (2000) by Evmarie Schmitt
Vincent Van Gogh: Letters from Provence (1990) introduction by Martin Bailey*

Crafts

Quilts of Provence (2007) by Kathryn Berenson
The French Country Table: Pottery and Faience of Provence (2003) by Bernard Duplessy

Cookbooks

The cultivation, preparation, and enjoyment of food is a major social activity for the people who live in Provence, and the food is a huge draw, both for foreign visitors and for cooks who want to reproduce in their home kitchen some memorable feast they experienced in a trip to Provence. A sampling, both new and old, of Provencal cookery titles:

Lunch in Provence (2012) by Jean-Andre Charial and Rachael McKenna*
Summer Food in Provence (2010) by Marita Van der Vyver*
The Provencal Cookbook (2009) by Guy Gedda and Marie-Pierre Moine*
Provencal Cooking (2008) by Mary Ann Caws*
The Flavors of Provence (2008) by Isabelle Borchgiave and Jean-Andre Charial*
Cooking in Provence (2008) by Alex Mackay*
A Pig in Provence: Good Food and Simple Pleasures in the South of France (2007) by Georgeanne Brennan
Cooking School Provence: Shop, Cook, and Eat Like a Local (2007) by Gui Gedda and marie-Pierre Moine
Provence Harvest (2005) by Louisa Jones (and others)*
The Provence Cookbook (2004) by Patricia Wells
Savoring Provence: Recipes and Reflections on Provencal Cooking (2002) by Diane Holuique
The Provence of Alaine Ducasse (2000) by Alain Ducasse
Patricia Wells at Home in Provence: Recipes Inspired by Her Farmhouse in Provence (1999) by Patricia Wells
The Food and Flavors of Haute Provence (1997) by Georgeanne Brennan
A Flavor of Provence (1996) by Katy Holder
Lulu’s Provencal Table: The Exuberant Food and Wine from Domaine Tempier Vineyard by Richard Olney (1994)
Picnics of Provence: French Country-Style Picnics to Enjoy at Home (1993) by Craig Pyes
Provence: The Beautiful Cookbook (1993) by Richard Olney; photos by Michael Freeman and others
Feasts of Provence (1992) by Robert Carrier
Bouquet de Provence: Seasonal Recipes from l’Ousteau de Bauman (1990) by Jean-Andre Charial-Thuilier
A Taste of Provence: Classic Recipes from the South of France (1987) by Leslie Forbes
Cuisine of the Sun (1979) by Roger Verge*
The Wonderful Food of Provence (1968) by Jean-Noel Escudier
French Provincial Cooking (1960) by Elizabeth David

FICTION

Novels Set in Provence

The well-known Provence-popularizer Peter Mayle (whose memoir series are listed above) also wrote three humorous novels set in this part of the world: Hotel Pastis (1993), A Dog’s Life (1995), and A Good Year (2004) – plus two light-hearted mysteries, Chasing Cezanne (1997) and The Village Caper (2009).

Thirty years ago saw the publication of Lawrence Durrell’s considerably more reader-challenging novels set in Provence, novels collectively referred to as his “Avignon Quintet”: Monsieur (1974), Livia (1978), Constance (1982), Sebastian (1983), and Quinx (1985).

Earlier literary novels set in Provence, now considered classics, include Cyril Connolly’s satire The Rock Pool (1936), and F. Scott Fitzgerald’s semi-autobiographical Tender is the Night (1934).

Of course, there are numerous contemporary novels to choose from as well:

The Provence Cure for the Brokenhearted (2011) by Bridget Asher
The Lantern (2011) by Deborah Lawrenson
The Ruby Notebook (2010) by Laura Resau
The Last Estate (2010) by Conor Bowman
An Angel in Provence (2009) by Nancy Robards Thompson*
Invitation to Provence (2004) by Elizabeth Adler
Where Do We Go from Here? (2001) by Doris Dorrie [translated from the German]
Artistic License (2001) by Katie Fforde
Fool’s Gold (2000) by Jane S. Smith
The Fly-Truffler (1999) by Gustaf Sobin

Mysteries Set in Provence

Those who particularly enjoy detective or suspense fiction have many Provence-setting titles to choose from. These include a series by Martin O’Brien – Jacquot and the Angel (2006), Jacquot and the Waterman (2006), and Jacqot and the Master (2007)*; a series by Pierre Magnan: The Messengers of Death (2008, 2010) and Death in the Truffle Wood (2007); and a series by M.L. Longworth: Murder in the Rue Dumas (2012)* and Death in the Chateau Bremont (2011).

Additional mysteries:

Bellringer (2012) by J. Robert James
Riddles in Provence (2011) by Jane E.M. Robinson*
Strange Images of Death (2010) by Beverly Cleverly
Friends in High Places (2007) by Marne Davis Kellogg
The Templar Legacy (2006) by Steve Berry
L’Assassin (2008) by Peter Steiner
The Villa (2006) by Sarah Sands
Unauthorized Departure (2003) by Maureen O’Brien
Brilliant (2003) by Marne Davis Kellogg
To Die in Provence (1998) by Norman Bogner
Dying on the Vine (1998) by Peter King
The Cezanne Chase (1997) by Thomas Swan
The Provence Puzzle (1980) by Vincent McConner
Caravan to Vaccares (1970, 1985, 2012) by Alistair Maclean

Historical Fiction Set in Provence

Four Sisters, All Queens (2012) by Sherry Jones
The Blood of Lorraine (2011) by Barbara Corrado Pope
Cezanne’s Quarry (2008) by Barbara Corrado Pope
Flames Over Provence (1998) by Peter Leslie*
The Queen from Provence (1989) by Jean Plaidy
Token (1955) by Samuel Shellabarger

Fantasy Novels Set in Provence

The Blessed (2008) by Lisa Tawn Bergen
Ysabel (2007) by Guy Gavrel Kay
Cover the Butter (2005) by Carrie Kabak
The Sacred Pool (2001) by L. Warren Douglas

Movies Filmed in Provence

These include the feature films Jean de Florette (2007), A Good Year (2006), My Father’s Glory (1992), A Year in Provence (1993), and My Mother’s Castle (La chateau de ma mere) (1999), and the following documentaries:

Cezanne in Provence (2006)
Provence (Acorn Media, 2004)
Provence (Visions of France, 2004)
Provence (On the Backroads, 2002)
The Landscape of Pleasure (Ambrose Video, no date)

Travel Guides

“There is the first time we go abraod, and the first time we go to Provence. – Cyril Connolly (Enemies of Promise, 1938)

If, after examining some of the previously-listed nonfiction titles, or after reading a novel set in Provence, you find yourself wanting to plan a trip to the area, the library system has a wide selection of travel guides. These include guidebooks devoted to Provence (and/or the Riviera) fromall the main guidebook publishers – Cadogan, DK Eyewitness, Fodor’s, Frommer’s, Globetrotter, Insight, Landmark Visitor, Lonely Planet, National Geographic Traveler, Open Roads, Phaedon, Rick Steves, The Collected Traveler, Thomas Cook, and Time Out).

The following non-series guidebook titles are also available:

Provence A-Z (2007) by Peter Mayle
Secret Provence (2006) by Jean-Pierre Cassely*
Caesar’s Vast Ghost: Aspects of Provence (2002) by Lawrence Durrell*
Hidden Gems of Southern France (2002) by Luc Quisenaerts
Southern France: An Oxford Archaeological Guide (2001) by Henry Cleere
The Unknown South of France: The History Buff’s Guide (1991) by Henry S. Reuss
A Guide to Provence (1988) by Michael Jacobs*

Audiobooks

Most library copies of these titles are on CD; a few are available only in cassette format:

A Year in Provence (1989, 1997) by Peter Mayle
The Vintage Caper (2009) by Peter Mayle
Deliver Us from Evil (2010) by David Baldacci
Provence A to Z (2006) by Peter Mayle
Cover the Butter (2005) by Carrie Kabak
Invitation to Provence (2004) by Elizabeth Adler
A Good Year (2004) by Peter Mayle
Encore Provence (1999) by Peter Mayle
A Dog’s Life (1995) by Peter Mayle
Hotel Pastis (1994) by Peter Mayle
Toujours Provence (1991, 1993) by Peter Mayle

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