It was John Thaw's face which caught my attention; I've spent many London nights enjoying his adventures as Inspector Morse.

Apparently he starred with Lindsay Duncan in a BBC TV series based on this book, which was filmed entirely on location in Provence, with a superb cast of British and French actors.

"The hilarious account of Peter Mayle's escape from the grey skies of London to an infinitely more appealing life in Provence has attracted a vast audience. Peter Mayle proves himself the ultimate host in this guided tour of the pleasures and pitfalls awaiting the English abroad. From the organized destruction waged by a stream of builders to a continuous flow of curious guests, this novel tells the truth about the good life "a la provençale"."

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Thank you for this book, Bookworm-lady! I love France and look forward to reading it. As a John Thaw fan, I wish I'd been able to see this BBC series too!

I finally got around to this book that I've wanted to read for years! It did not disappoint. Though a bit dated (published in 1989) that made it all the more interesting in some ways. Mayle's description of the more popular places in southern France and the terrible crowds and traffic jams can only be much worse now, I imagine. But I loved the description of the small Luberon village he and his wife settled in, and loved meeting the neighbors, some of whom are quite eccentric, and learning about a very different lifestyle to mine.

It's a quick read, one chapter for each month of the year. Though I've read other books about people fixing up/renovating old houses in France, with its attendant chaos and not-always-reliable workers, I especially liked Mayle's writing style so it was a pleasure to read. From the chilly, damp winter through the hot summer to the grape harvest in fall and then on to Christmas, it was a nice journey through the year. I now hope to read his two (or more?) sequels.

My one gripe was that his wife is barely mentioned at all, especially by name. I thought that was odd.

Thanks for sharing this, bookworm-lady!

Left at about 4:00. Hope it finds a new reader!

Released for Keep Them Moving Challenge hosted by booklady331.
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Released for 2018 Asian Zodiac-Year of the Dog Challenge hosted by hyphen8.

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