Published by Profile Books, 2006, hardcover, illustrated, 285 pages, condition: basically as new.
The ultimate dictionary for lovers of Peter Mayle's personal selection of the foods, customs and words he finds most fascinating, curious, delicious, or just plain fun.
Though organized from A to Z, this is hardly a conventional work of reference. In more than 170 entries, Peter Maylebestselling author of A Year in Provence writes about subjects as wide-ranging as architecture and zingue-zingue-zoun (in the local patois, a word meant to describe the sound of a violin). And, of course, he writes about food and vin rosé , truffles, olives, melons, bouillabaisse, the cheese that killed a Roman emperor, even a cure for indigestion.
Provence A-Z is a delight for Peter Mayle's ever-growing audience and the perfect complement to any guidebook on Provence, or, for that matter, France.
This is an absolutely delightful book that can be read as a series of essays (sometimes very brief) on a wide-ranging list of topics concerning Provence. Over the years, Mayle has built up in me a stunning and almost wholly unrealistic view of Provence: a place that shines in my mind with quiet vineyards; lazy, warm afternoons under deep blue skies; the tang of salt in the air from the Mediterranean; meals consisting of olives, grapes, figs, and honey, with truffles and garlic everywhere; and quiet, contented, friendly people who enjoy a friendly discussion in a cafe or a warm evening by the fire. Oh, and they all speak English.
Honestly, Mayle (an Englishman who moved to Provence and has written some huge number of books on it) does mention the downsides (bugs, snakes, heat, the Mistral wind, downpours, tourists) -- I just have a habit of skipping over those parts. I highly recommend all his non-fiction books (and probably the fiction, though I haven't read them) when you're in a daydreamy (or actual travel) mood. Oh, and this one does suggest some interesting things to do if you happen to decide to actually go there, as opposed to just reading his books.
