The Accidental Connoisseur, An Irreverent Journey Through the Wine World  •  Lawrence Osborne FOOD •  2005 •  PAPER  • 262 PAGES Oh, what a quest -- and what great fun. Osborne journeys across the world to places like Provence, Tuscany and Sonoma on an animated quest of what makes wine and what makes it good. He stops by New York, San Francisco, Paris, Florence, and Rome to see what people are drinking. He meets plenty of interesting characters along the way (like Robert Mondavi), revealing much about the pleasures of wine (and travel!) We're hoping for a southern hemisphere sequel. (TVL31, $14.00)
Adventures on the Wine Route, A Wine Buyer's Tour of France  •  Kermit Lynch BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1990 •  PAPER  • 271 PAGES A delightful, warmly anecdotal book, highly recommended for anyone touring the wine regions of France. Its author, a wine importer, is head over heels in love with French wine -- and those who produce it. Divided geographically, the book brings the domains and appellations of French wine into full-blown life. His portraits of the grand personalities who make wine are priceless. With black and white photographs of his friends and colleagues, including the venerable Madame de Lacaussade of Chateau de l'Hospital in the Graves district near Bordeaux. (FRN72, $18.00)
Aix-en-Provence Map  •  IGN 2001 •  MAP A French-produced map of the city of Aix-en-Provence and surroundings at a scale of 1:10,000. (FRN411, $9.95)
The Ancient Mediterranean  •  Michael Grant CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1990 •  PAPER  • 374 PAGES Grant, a well known classical scholar, draws on archaeology, geography, art, and economics to paint a vivid picture of ancient cultures, from prehistory through the Roman Imperium, and their influence on western civilization. Illustrated with black-and-white photographs, and 19 maps of the region. (MED10, $18.00)
Anything Considered  •  Peter Mayle LITERATURE •  1996 •  PAPER  • 320 PAGES Another book set in Provence by Peter Mayle, this novel is the story of Bennet, an Englishman who places an ad looking for employment and finds himself living in a wealthy businessman's condo in Monaco. When a secret formula for artificially cultivating truffles arrives at the door, adventure ensues, leading Benett throughout the South of France. (FRN154, $13.95)
Art Book Van Gogh: A Profound and Tormented Genius - His Life in Paintings  •  Anna Torterolo ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1999 •  HARD COVER  • 144 PAGES A colorful survey of the life and work of Vincent Van Gogh in the always-appealing DK style. While the text is informative, the focus here is the wonderful color reproductions. (NTH51, $12.95)
Artists and their Museums on the Riviera  •  Alan Halpern  •  Barbara F. Freed GUIDEBOOK •  1998 •  PAPER  • 224 PAGES For a good part of the 20th century, the French Riviera was home to some of Europe's most celebrated artists. This book covers 28 museums on the Riviera, discussing the works of such masters as Picasso, Renoir, Matisse and Cocteau. Museum hours, telephone numbers and historical information are combined with black-and-white and color photographs of many of the works you will see. (FRN133, $19.95)
At Home in France  •  Ann Barry TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1997 •  PAPER  • 247 PAGES Subtitled "Tales of an American and Her House Abroad," this account of life in a small village in southwestern France is shot through with Barry's irony and New York outlook on life. A part-time visitor -- and no homebody despite the title -- she includes her excursions to Rocamadour, Brittany, Provence and other regions in search of fun and food. Barry was a travel editor at the "New Yorker" and "New York Times." (FRN215, $19.00)
The Autumn of the Middle Ages  •  Johan Huizinga HISTORY •  1997 •  PAPER  • 467 PAGES A pioneering work of social and cultural history, this classic volume is a richly detailed portrait of life, thought and art in 14th- and 15th-century France and the Netherlands. You may have read this book in your college history class, but this graceful new translation is well worth a re-visit before journeying to these regions. With 45 illustrations complementing Huizinga's focus on the art and architecture. (EUR17, $25.00)
Avignon  •  Marianne Calmann LITERATURE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 447 PAGES An epic tale of the medieval city set in 1346, the year the Black Death comes to Avignon. Calmann, a historian, captures the intrigues of the court of Pope Clement VI as well as peasants' daily lives in this sweeping novel. (FRN394, $15.95)
Avignon Monpellier Map  •  IGN MAP A detailed travel map, published in France, which cover the Avignon region at the very good scale of 1:100,000. (FRN375, $11.95)
Birds of Britain & Europe  •  Hermann Heinzel  •  Richard Fitter  •  John Parslow FIELD GUIDE •  1998 •  PAPER  • 384 PAGES • COMING IN This masterfully organized Collins Pocket Guide, featuring 3,000 color illustrations covers the birds of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. Maps, text and illustrations for each species are organized together on facing pages for quick reference in the field. Heinzel contributed all the handsome watercolor illustrations. (EUR49, $27.50)
Blue Guide Provence and the Cote D'Azur  •  Blue Guides GUIDEBOOK •  2003 •  PAPER  • 335 PAGES A compact guide to southern France with a strong focus on history and architecture. Organized as a driving guide, it includes helpful town and regional maps, suggested excursions and select practical information. It covers the coast from the Camargue and border with Languedoc, up into the mountains and east to Monaco. (FRN416, $24.95)
Bouches du Rhone Map 13  •  IGN MAP A French-made map of the Bouches du Rhone, the most westerly departement of Provence, at the very nice scale of 1:125,000. (FRN358, $9.95)
Cadogan Guide Provence  •  Dana Facaros GUIDEBOOK •  2004 •  PAPER A practical guide in the popular Biritsh series. (FRN506, $19.95)
The Catalans  •  Patrick O'Brian LITERATURE •  2005 •  HARD COVER  • 224 PAGES Patrick O'Brian's tale of a family in crisis is set against the sun-drenched backdrop of the Pyrenees town of Saint-Feliu in French Catalonia, where O'Brian made his home. This his long out-of-print second novel. (FRN511, $23.95)
Cathedrals and Castles, Building in the Middle Ages  •  Alain Erlande-Brandenburg ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1995 •  PAPER  • 175 PAGES • HARD TO FIND ELSEWHERE A slim encyclopedia of the art, architecture and culture of the Middle Ages. This volume in the acclaimed "Discoveries" series features hundreds of drawings and color illustrations, a brief chronology and more information than you would imagine between its slim covers. Take it along to gain a better appreciation of the Middle Ages and its legacy in Europe. (MED07, $12.95)
Cezanne  •  Mary Tompkins Lewis ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2001 •  PAPER  • 352 PAGES A well illustrated introduction to Cezanne's life and works in the stimulating Art and Ideas series by Phaidon. Lewis highlights the influence of 19th-century French society and Provence in particular, on Cezanne's art. With 193 color and 13 black and white illustrations, a chronology, glossary and suggestions for further reading. Lewis is a professor of art history at Trinity College. (FRN508, $19.95)
Cezanne and Provence, The Painter and His Culture  •  Nina Maria Athanassoglou-Kallmyer ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2003 •  HARD COVER  • 334 PAGES This thorough study of Cezanne's work takes as its jumping off point his move in 1886 from Paris to his native Aix-en-Provence. Athanassoglou-Kallmyer uses the history and culture of Provence to provide a fresh analysis of the landscape's influence on the painter's technique. (FRN554, $65.00)
Cezanne in Provence  •  Evmarie Schmitt ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 117 PAGES A compact overview of Cezanne with a focus on his images of Provence, featuring color reproductions of 50 oil and watercolor paintings. With commentary introducing his life and works. (FRN507, $9.95)
Cezanne in Provence  •  Denis Coutagne ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2005 •  HARD COVER  • 79 PAGES A brief, illustrated overview of the influence of Aix-en-Provence (where he was born and spent much of his life) on Cezanne's work. Some of the artist's most notable images are highlighted, including Jas de Bouffan, the Bibémus quarry, the Château-Noir, the Mont Sainte-Victoire, and the Estaque. With 60 color and black-and-white photographs (FRN555, $18.95)
Chagall, The Art of Dreams  •  Daniel Marchesseau ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1998 •  PAPER  • 176 PAGES As a Russian Jew in Paris, Marc Chagall developed a hybrid painting style, part French modernism, part Cubism, part Surrealism, and infused with the traditions of his religious upbringing. A volume in the "Discoveries" series, this is a slim introduction to the man and his work, richly illustrated throughout with color reproductions. (FRN268, $12.95)
Clara's Grand Tour, Travels With a Rhinoceros in Eighteenth-century Europe  •  Glynis Ridley HISTORY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 240 PAGES The entertaining history of a most unusual eighteenth-century European celebrity. Clara the Indian rhinoceros was brought to Europe in 1741 by the Dutch sea captain Douwemout Van der Meer, and toured for seventeen years, to the delight of heads of state such as Louis XV and Frederick the Great. A marvelous and unique look at the introduction of Eastern wildlife into the Western world. (FRN536, $12.00)
Claudine's House  •  Colette  •  Doris Lessing LITERATURE •  2006 •  PAPER  • 166 PAGES A marvelous new translation of Colette's warm, sensual account of growing up under her mother's watchful care in the south of France. Written 20 years after her wildly popular Claudine novels. (FRN570, $15.95)
Collected Short Stories, Vol. 1  •  W. Somerset Maugham LITERATURE •  1977 •  PAPER  • 448 PAGES Maugham's very human tales take place in the South Seas, America and Europe, including several stories set on the French Riviera, notably "The Three Fat Women of Antibes." (FRN653, $17.00)
The Complete Letters of Vincent Van Gogh  •  Vincent Van Gogh BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2000 •  HARD COVER  • 1864 PAGES A handsome three volume set containing all the available letters written by Vincent Van Gogh. Mostly addressed to his brother Theo, these are an illuminating glimpse into the life of an artist and a heart-breaking account of mental illness. A replica of the set published in the 1950s by the New York Graphic Society, this is the most comprehensive collection available, illustrated with reproductions of all the original drawings that appeared in the letters. It is a "must-have" for all Van Gogh enthusiasts. (NTH35, $100.00)
Discovering Wine Country, South of France  •  Jonathan Healey GUIDEBOOK •  2005 •  PAPER  • 144 PAGES Subtitled How to Find Great Wines Off the Beaten Track, this handy guide, featuring 100 color photographs and 12 maps, includes an overview of the wines of southern France, suggested wine tours, traveler's tips and recommended producers. Jonathan Healey is the author of Wines of Roussillon, where he now lives and works. (FRN500, $19.95)
The Dream of Scipio  •  Iain Pears MYSTERY •  2003 •  PAPER  • 464 PAGES This edifying, complex historical novel interweaves three stories set in the lower Rhone Valley of Provence during thee dark periods: the fall of Roman civilization; the coming of the plague; and the fall of France to the Nazis. By the author of An Instance of the Fingerpost. (FRN470, $15.00)
Encore Provence  •  Peter Mayle TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 226 PAGES Peter Mayle returns to Provence to detail the life of the village that the tourist never sees. Encore Provence combines personal reflections with a knowledgeable travel advise, providing yet another alluring portrait of southern France. (FRN128, $12.95)
An Englishman A La Campagne, Life in Deepest France  •  Michael Sadler TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2005 •  PAPER  • 182 PAGES A humourous, quirky narrative of Englishman Michael Sadler making do in rural France, filled with anecdotes that convey the charm of the French countryside and the unavoidable mishaps that accompany Sandler's immersion in local life. (FRN569, $12.95)
The Essential Marc Chagall  •  Howard Greenfeld ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2002 •  HARD COVER  • 112 PAGES A brief, colorful introduction to Chagall's life, art, and influences in the Essential series. (FRN673, $12.95)
A Field Guide to the Birds of Britain and Europe  •  Guy Mountfort FIELD GUIDE •  2001 •  PAPER  • 212 PAGES Every birder has their favorite field guide, but you can't go wrong with this classic in the Peterson series: compact, illustrated and convenient, covering 698 species. With range maps. (EUR15, $22.00)
Floating Through France, Life Between Locks on the Canal Du Midi  •  Barb Euser TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2006 •  PAPER  • 200 PAGES A lovely collection, evoking the dreamy French countryside along the banks of the Canal du Midi, Europe's oldest functioning canal. The essays and poems are the reflections of a group of writers who slipped along the canal together in two old boats in the summer of 2005. (FRN572, $14.95)
Fodor's See It Provence and the Cote d'Azur  •  GUIDEBOOK •  2008 •  PAPER  • 312 PAGES An inaugural volume in this new line of guides by Fodor's this book is notable for its especially vibrant presentation of the region. Each page displays full-color photos accompanied by much useful information on how to eat, sleep, shop, and sightsee in Provence and the Cote d'Azur. (FRN460, $22.95)
The Food of France  •  Waverly Root FOOD •  1992 •  PAPER  • 450 PAGES An aromatic and and beautifully written survey of French food. First published in 1958 and revised in the mid-1970's, this book covers the important regions of French cuisine by dividing them into domains of Butter (northern France), Fat (Alsace), and Oil (the south). A great read for anyone interested in the foundation of French cuisine. (FRN17, $17.95)
For the Beauty of the Earth: Birding, Opera, and Other Journeys  •  Thomas Urquhart BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2006 •  PAPER  • 320 PAGES Urquhart chronicles a lifelong affair with nature, combined with a passion for music, as he travels-- and bird watches-- through pastoral England, Italy, the Camargue in Provence, and the villages of Mali. (BRD35, $15.00)
France and the French, A Modern History  •  Rod Kedward CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2007 •  PAPER  • 736 PAGES A sweeping, in-depth history of France from 1900 to the present day, from the disasterous world wars to the crumbling of the empire to France's modern place in the European Union. (FRN573, $24.95)
France in Mind  •  Alice Powers ANTHOLOGY •  2003 •  PAPER  • 352 PAGES This wonderful selection of essays, excerpts and stories filters the experience of being in France through the lens of 33 British and American writers. (FRN384, $14.00)
France Map  •  Michelin 2007 •  MAP A colorful, accurate and up-to-date map of France at a scale of 1:1,000,000, with scenic routes highlighted. We also carry a variety of more detailed regional and city maps. (FRN07, $11.95)
The French  •  Theodore Zeldin CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1996 •  PAPER  • 592 PAGES • COMING IN This book, by a warm-hearted Brit, takes the reader straight to the heart of the French character, answering such perplexing questions as when to laugh at jokes and how to eat properly. Combining interviews, news reports and astute analysis, this is a stimulating social history in the guise of a "how-to" book. (FRN31, $17.00)
French Dirt, The Story of a Garden in the South of France  •  Richard Goodman BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2002 •  PAPER  • 203 PAGES Uh, oh! Another story of a foreigner (an American this time, with a Dutch girlfriend) transplanted to some quaint location in the south of France. Don't worry, though, this captivating tale, set near Avignon, is noteworthy for Goodman's willingness to work, growing passion for horticulture and his frank portrait of his not-always-so-lovable neighbors. (FRN417, $13.00)
French English Bilingual Visual Dictionary  •  DK Publishing LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS •  2005 •  PAPER  • 360 PAGES With thousands of neatly arranged color photographs, this compact book is impressively comprehensive, covering everything from the basics of le corps (body) to the vocabulary of la buanderie (utility room). With a handy reference section in the back. (FRN520, $12.95)
French Riviera, Living Well Was the Best Revenge  •  Xavier Girard HISTORY •  2002 •  HARD COVER  • 196 PAGES A stunning photo-biography of the glamourous and creative life on the French Riviera in the 1920s. (FRN651, $40.00)
The Frenchman  •  Philippe Halsman  •  Art Buchwald CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2005 •  HARD COVER  • 108 PAGES This much-loved book, out of print for 50 years, captures something inimitable about the French. It's a highly visual Q&A, featuring the great portrait photographer Philippe Halsman (famous for the Life magazine portrait of Marilyn Monroe among other iconic images) and the vaudeville actor Fernandel. Halsman asked irreverent questions about America and recorded Fernandel's facial expression in response. With 24 black-and-white portraits and humorous accompanying captions on the difference between the French and Americans. (FRN574, $19.99)
The Garden of Eden  •  Ernest Hemingway LITERATURE •  1995 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES Set on the Cote d'Azur in the 1920s, this posthumous novel traces the disintegration of young marriage, when both fall in love with the same woman. Not Hemingway's best work, but an interesting portrait of power dynamics and the desire to control. (FRN652, $15.00)
Gauguin  •  Robert Goldwater ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2004 •  PAPER  • 128 PAGES A nice series of 116 reproductions of Gauguin's major works, nearly half of which are in color. Paintings, woodcuts and letters by the artist are all represented. (FRN281, $19.95)
A Good Year  •  Peter Mayle LITERATURE •  2005 •  PAPER  • 304 PAGES Max Skinner loses his job, inherits his uncle's vineyard in Provence and embarks on his new life in France in this fifth novel by expatriate Peter Mayle, very much in the spirit of A Year in Provence. (FRN618, $13.95)
The Gothic Enterprise, A Guide to Understanding the Medieval Cathedral  •  Robert A. Scott ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2005 •  PAPER  • 307 PAGES Scott, whose interest in the history of cathedrals began when he first saw the magnificent Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Salisbury, England, takes his reader on a historical, architectural and sociological tour of the magnificent spires and stained-glass windows that dot the landscape of Europe. It's an accessible, personable overview. (EUR190, $17.95)
The Gothic Enterprise, A Guide to Understanding the Medieval Cathedral  •  Robert A. Scott ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2005 •  PAPER  • 307 PAGES Scott, whose interest in the history of cathedrals began when he first saw the magnificent Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Salisbury, England, takes his reader on a historical, architectural and sociological tour of the magnificent spires and stained-glass windows that dot the landscape of Europe. It's an accessible, personable overview. (EUR190, $17.95)
Haut Queyras Monviso Maps  •  IGN 2002 •  MAP  • 8 PAGES This set of eight hiking maps covers the Queyras region in the Hautes Alpes at a scale of 1:25,000. (FRN659, $29.95)
Hautes-Alpes Map  •  IGN MAP Centered on Gap, this French departmental map covers the region at a scale of 1:250,00. (FRN660, $9.95)
Henri Matisse  •  Susan Sternau ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2000 •  HARD COVER  • 128 PAGES A short introduction to the artist and his work. (ART23, $16.95)
Henri Matisse 1869-1954, Master of Color  •  Volkmar Essers ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 96 PAGES This slim book, an entry in Taschen's popular Basic Art series, features 300 color reproductions of Matisse's work along with brief accompanying text. (ART45, $9.99)
Here Is Where We Meet  •  John Berger LITERATURE •  2006 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES This novel weaves a portrait of several European countries through encounters with the dead, from the narrator's mother, whom he discovers on a park bench in Lisbon, to a childhood friend wandering a market in Krakow. "The dead don't stay where they are buried," the protagonist's mother tells him, and this becomes the mantra for this most unusual journey through Europe's history and people. (EUR189, $14.00)
Here Is Where We Meet  •  John Berger LITERATURE •  2006 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES This novel weaves a portrait of several European countries through encounters with the dead, from the narrator's mother, whom he discovers on a park bench in Lisbon, to a childhood friend wandering a market in Krakow. "The dead don't stay where they are buried," the protagonist's mother tells him, and this becomes the mantra for this most unusual journey through Europe's history and people. (EUR189, $14.00)
An Illustrated History of the First World War  •  John Keegan HISTORY •  2001 •  HARD COVER  • 448 PAGES • COMING IN An illustrated edition of Keegan's outstanding history of the Great War, considerably enhanced by his selection of almost 500 photographs, maps, drawings and illustrations. The visuals clarify and augment his wide-ranging narrative of the origins, battles and consequences of WWI. (WAR16, $50.00)
Impressionism: Origins, Practice, Reception  •  Belinda Thomson ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 272 PAGES A short, readable account of the French Impressionist movement and its most notable artists, illustrated with color reproductions. Part of the "World of Art" series, this book's thoughtful analyses of individual works are illuminated by solid historical and cultural background. (FRN310, $16.95)
Insight Guide French Riviera  •  Insight Guides GUIDEBOOK •  2007 •  PAPER  • 288 PAGES With a touring map, this compact, illustrated, guide to the Riviera covers the villages, celebrated beach towns, culture and attractions of the region in detail. (FRN179, $18.95)
Insight Guide Mediterranean Cruises  •  Insight Guides GUIDEBOOK •  2004 •  PAPER  • 300 PAGES Covering 120 ports of call throughout the Mediterranean from the Canary Islands to Egypt. (MED94, $22.95)
Interpreting Matisse Picasso  •  Elizabeth Cowling ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2002 •  PAPER  • 80 PAGES A swift survey of the competition, friendship and mutual respect between Matisse and Picasso, as well as the art it inspired. With ample illustration. (ART19, $16.95)
Jigsaw, An Unsentimental Education  •  Sybille Bedford LITERATURE •  2001 •  PAPER  • 368 PAGES Bedford draws on her own cosmopolitan, bohemian upbringing in this autobiographical novel. Taking up from where her earlier novel Legacy left off, Bedford follows her protagonist from Germany in the 1920s to the south of France. With chapters set in Germany, Italy, England, and France. (FRN519, $15.95)
Joy of Man's Desiring  •  Jean Giono LITERATURE •  1999 •  PAPER  • 472 PAGES A twentieth century master of letters, Giono's fiction invokes the folklore and traditions of his birthplace in southern France. (FRN193, $18.95)
Knopf Mapguide, Provence and the Cote D'Azur  •  Knopf Guides GUIDEBOOK •  2004 •  PAPER  • 48 PAGES A practical and handy passport-sized guide to the region, featuring fold-out maps. (FRN641, $8.95)
Letters of Vincent Van Gogh  •  Vincent Van Gogh  •  Mark Roskill ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1997 •  PAPER A glimpse into the mind of tortured artist Vincent Van Gogh, this collection of his letters is a fascinating, often sad view of his thoughts on life and art. Most of the letters are written to his brother Theo, who supported Vincent up until his tragic suicide. (NTH22, $14.00)
The Letters of Vincent Van Gogh (Penguin Classics)  •  Vincent Van Gogh  •  Ronald De Leeuw  •  Arnold Pomerans ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1998 •  PAPER  • 560 PAGES There are many versions of Van Gogh's letters, but this one, part of the "Penguin Classics" series, is as good as any, a thorough selection of writing that highlights the artist's love for his art and family. (NTH52, $16.00)
Letters on Cezanne  •  Rainer Maria Rilke  •  Joel Agee ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2002 •  PAPER  • 84 PAGES • FAVORITE The great German poet discovered the art of Paul Cezanne during a Parisian sojourn in 1907, just two years after the artist's death. "All reality is on his side," Rilke wrote of Cezanne's paintings. This collection of short letters, written by Rilke to his wife Clara, is often cited as among the most insightful works of western art criticism. The letters chronicle Rilke's daily pilgrimage to a Cezanne exhibition at a gallery in Paris over the period of one year. Rilke's distinctively poetic language and attention to detail make this collection a brilliant and beautiful meditation on Paris, art, and life. (FRN300, $13.00)
Life With Picasso  •  Francoise Gilot BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1989 •  PAPER  • 352 PAGES This intimate memoir is as much about Picasso's art as it is about Gilot's experiences with Picasso as a lover and companion. She met Picasso in Paris in 1943, during the German occupation of France, when she was 21 and he was 62. For ten years, she lived with the artist, gave birth to two of his children, and served as his model. She recounts their life together with careful attention to detail, combining memoir, art history and romance. (ART42, $15.00)
A Literary Guide to Provence  •  Daniel Vitaglione GUIDEBOOK •  2001 •  PAPER  • 259 PAGES Follow in the footsteps of generations of authors who found inspiration in Provence's beauty. With maps, 50 color and black and white photos, and short literary excerpts, organized geographically. F. Scott Fitzgerald, Virginia Woolf, Georges Sand, Robert Louis Stevenson, Edith Wharton, and Willa Cather are all represented. (FRN395, $17.95)
Lonely Planet French Phrasebook  •  Marie-Helene Girard  •  Anny Monet LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS •  2008 •  PAPER A handy phrasebook for French basics. This guide focuses on pronunciation, basic grammar and essential vocabulary for the traveler. (FRN120, $8.99)
Luberon, Parc Naturel Regional Map  •  IGN 2002 •  MAP A detailed map of Luberon Regional Park in the mountains of Provence at a scale of 1:60,000. The topographic map shows bicyling and walking trails, recreational facilities and attractions (with text in French only). (FRN442, $14.95)
Lust for Life  •  Irving Stone LITERATURE •  1989 •  PAPER  • 487 PAGES Emotionally charged, controversial and utterly readable, this well known, fictionalized biography probes the life of Van Gogh from his auspicious beginnings as a London art dealer to his death at 37. A real page-turner, this novel evokes the painter's struggles with madness and poverty. (NTH18, $17.00)
Mademoiselle Benoir  •  Christine Conrad LITERATURE •  2006 •  HARD COVER The young American protagonist of this first novel fixes up a house in the South of France -- and gets tangled up with Mademoiselle Benoir. (FRN578, $20.00)
The Magic of Provence, Pleasures of Southern France  •  Yvone Lenard BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2001 •  PAPER  • 312 PAGES Another American comes under the spell of la vie Provencale. This time, the author is a native of France, but after having lived in California since her teens, Lenard and her American husband leave their Los Angeles home for the Luberon mountains. These essays chronicle the idyllic moments-- sipping rum-laced tea with a local duchess on a cold evening -- and the misadventures-- having their money taken by an unreliable gardener-- of country living, sprinkled with anecdotes of Vincent Van Gogh, Brigitte Bardot, and other notable French figures for whom Provence has held a similar allure. Each chapter concludes with a recipe for traditional Provencale fare. (FRN449, $14.00)
Making Paradise: Art, Modernity, and the Myth of the French Riviera  •  Katherine Silver ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2001 •  HARD COVER  • 192 PAGES A scholarly history of the Cote d'Azur from 1890 to the present with a focus on its impact on painters, architects and sculptors from the Neoimpressionists through the Fauves to contemporary artists. With 100 illustrations, 58 in color. Published in conjunction with an April to July 2001 exhibit at the AXA Gallery in New York. (FRN296, $38.00)
Mammals of Europe  •  Priscilla Barrett  •  David W. MacDonald FIELD GUIDE •  2002 •  PAPER  • 320 PAGES Published by Princeton, this is a field guide to land and marine mammals throughout Europe, both endemic and introduced. With more than 600 color illustrations of over 200 mammals, it's a comprehensive handbook, with detailed descriptions, range maps and commentary on behavior. (FG61, $34.95)
The Man Who Planted Trees  •  Jean Giono  •  Michael McMurdy LITERATURE •  2007 •  PAPER  • 96 PAGES • FAMILY The inspiring story of Elzeard Bouffier, a shepherd turned tree-planter who single-handedly reforested a desolate region of southern France in now-towering oak and beech. Told with affection and lyrical simplicity by novelist Giono, the story was first published by "Vogue" magazine in 1954 as "The Man Who Planted Hope and Grew Happiness." (ALP12, $10.00)
Market Day in Provence  •  Michele de la Pradelle  •  Amy Jacobs  •  Jack Katz CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2006 •  HARD COVER  • 264 PAGES In many Provencal towns, the outdoor street market is not only the center of local commerce but the main tourist attraction and an important social ground. De La Pradelle investigates the inner workings of the market at Carpentras, examining the the institution of the outdoor market and its relationship to modern economics. This thorough study provides a unique glimpse into the food, society and culture of modern France. (FRN527, $35.00)
The Masterpiece  •  Emile Zola LITERATURE •  1999 •  PAPER  • 428 PAGES Zola's novel tells of the downfall of a painter in 19th-century Paris, based on his childhood friend Cezanne. This classic is evocative of the artistic life in turn-of-the-century France. It was also the novel that would end their friendship. (FRN227, $12.95)
Matisse and Picasso  •  Yve-Alain Bois ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2001 •  PAPER  • 272 PAGES Eminently readable and beautifully illustrated, this book charts the competitive relationship between Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso from 1906-1917. (ART17, $35.00)
Matisse and Picasso, The Story of their Rivalry and Friendship  •  Jack Flam ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2003 •  PAPER  • 288 PAGES The latest book on the relationship between Matisse and Picasso. Art historian Jack Flam delves into the biographical details of their lives, their philosophical attitudes toward art and, of course, their work. (ART20, $17.95)
Matisse Picasso  •  Museum of Modern Art ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2002 •  HARD COVER  • 368 PAGES Friends and competitors, Matisse and Picasso possessed a relationship that fueled great artistic innovation. This exhibition catalog juxtaposes the works of the two, highlighting the similarities and differences, while depicting the dialogue they shared through their art. (ART18, $60.00)
The Matisse Stories  •  A.S. Byatt LITERATURE •  1996 •  PAPER  • 127 PAGES A slim collection of three tales, each inspired by a Matisse painting, which showcase Byatt's various talents as fabulist, comedian and critic. In all her incarnations, she is nothing short of wonderful. With reproductions of the three paintings. (FRN299, $12.00)
Matisse The Master, A Life Of Henri Matisse: The Conquest Of Colour: 1909-1954  •  Hilary Spurling BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2005 •  HARD COVER  • 544 PAGES This sprawling biography of the painter begins when he is 40, already acclaimed as a master and learning to deal with this status. It covers the entire period Matisse spent in Nice, and is especially insightful due to Spurling's unprecendented access to letters and private archival material. With color plates and over 100 black-and-white images. (FRN654, $40.00)
Matisse: The Wonder of Color  •  Xavier Girard  •  I. Mark Paris  •  Henri Matisse ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1994 •  PAPER  • 175 PAGES Using excerpts from interviews and Matisse's own notes and letters, this book uncovers little-known facts about this great artist. Part of the "Discoveries" series, it contains 212 illustrations, over half of which are in color. (FRN146, $12.95)
The Mays of Ventadorn, Tales from Southwest France  •  W.S. Merwin TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2002 •  PAPER  • 192 PAGES A shapely memoir and meditation by the great poet and author of The Lost Upland: Stories of Southwest France. Merwin -- who has had a farmhouse in the region for decades -- writes of rural traditions, his own love of the region, and, specifically, of the narrative poems and songs of the troubadours. The title refers to the ruined 12-century chateaux of Bernart de Ventadorn in southern France. A book in the series National Geographic Directions. (FRN341, $20.00)
Michelin Green Guide French Riviera  •  Michelin Travel Publications GUIDEBOOK •  2007 •  PAPER  • 383 PAGES A comprehensive driving guide to the Cote D'Azur in the Michelin series, organized alphabetically and featuring detailed local maps of each region, city or village. With suggested tours, site plans of major attractions and a rating system. An excellent planning guide, especially useful for the independent traveler. (FRN271, $21.95)
Michelin Green Guide Provence  •  Michelin Travel Publications GUIDEBOOK •  2008 •  PAPER  • 384 PAGES A comprehensive driving guide to Provence in the Michelin series, organized alphabetically and featuring detailed local maps of each region, city or village. With suggested tours, site plans of major attractions and a rating system. An excellent planning guide, especially useful for the independent traveler. Beware: as wonderful as they are, Green Guides do not include information on where to sleep or eat. (FRN23, $21.95)
The Middle Sea, A History of the Mediterranean  •  John Julius Norwich HISTORY •  2007 •  PAPER  • 720 PAGES • NEW A marvelous writer who has already tackled Byzantium, the Normans in Sicily and Venice, Norwich spins his magic in this story of culture, trade and politics, royalty and rulers, wars and religion in the Mediterranean from antiquity to the end of the First World War. (MED98, $20.00)
Monet's Years at Giverny, Beyond Impressionism  •  David Wildenstein ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1978 •  PAPER  • 160 PAGES • COMING IN A beautifully illustrated account of Monet's life and work at Giverny featuring 81 color plates. Originally published in 1978 to accompany the exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. (FRN213, $15.98)
Monet, the Ultimate Impressionist  •  Sylvie Patin ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1993 •  PAPER  • 175 PAGES A pocket-size biography of Monet, this volume in the acclaimed "Discoveries" series traces a revolution in painting brought about by Monet and the other impressionists. It features over 250 illustrations and a full account of Monet in Paris and Giverny. With excerpts from the artist's letters and other writings. (FRN35, $12.95)
My Father's Glory  •  Yves Robert 1991 •  DVD The screen adaptation of the memoir of much-loved filmaker and playwright Marcel Pagnol (1895-1974). The film presents a rich portrait of the Provencal landscape; the bulk of the action takes place in sunny lavender fields, when the protagonist and his Parisian family leave the fast pace of the city for the relaxed country life. In French with subtitles. (FRN451, $19.98)
My Father's Glory and My Mother's Castle  •  Marcel Pagnol BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1986 •  PAPER  • 341 PAGES Best known as a filmmaker, Pagnol evokes his childhood in Provence and Marseilles fifty years ago. These memoirs, originally published in French as two separate books, sparkle with delight in the people, landscapes and daily life of southern France. Currently available in an expensive print-on-demand edition only. (FRN178, $28.00)
National Geographic Traveler Provence & Cote D'Azur  •  Barbara Noe GUIDEBOOK •  2008 •  PAPER  • 240 PAGES A practical guide to Provence and the Cote d'Azur in the visually attractive National Geographic style, complete with photographs, illustrations, maps, and information about culture, nature and history. (FRN512, $21.95)
New French Country, A Style and Source Book  •  Linda Dannenberg ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2004 •  HARD COVER A photographic celebration of more than a dozen notworthy houses and gardens in Provence. (FRN599, $40.00)
Nice Barcelonnette Map 61  •  IGN 2000 •  MAP A regional map of southeastern France from Barcelonnette to Nice, at a scale of 1:100,000. With topography and a wealth of detail, including hiking trails, cycling tracks, historic buildings, monuments and parks (FRN408, $11.95)
Nice Map  •  IGN MAP A folded city map (scale=1:13,000) of Nice, by the cartographers at the French national geographic institute. (FRN372, $9.95)
Old Provence  •  Theodore Andrea Cook  •  James Ferguson HISTORY •  2001 •  PAPER  • 384 PAGES A reprint of the classic 1905 account of travels through Provence, focusing on the history the region from Greek and Roman temples to Medieval market towns and castles. (FRN257, $16.00)
The Olive Season, Amour, A New Life, and Olives, Too...!  •  Carol Drinkwater TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2004 •  PAPER  • 336 PAGES (FRN579, $13.95)
The Olive, Tree of Civilization  •  John Train  •  Mark E. Smith HISTORY •  2004 •  HARD COVER  • 128 PAGES A history of the celebrated vegetable and the mythology behind it. (NAT72, $25.00)
Patricia Wells at Home in Provence, Recipes Inspired by Her Farmhouse in France  •  Patricia Wells FOOD •  1999 •  PAPER Award-winning cookbook writer and critic Patricia Wells takes her knowledge of French cuisine to the home kitchen in this luxurious coffee-table collection of recipes from Provence. (FRN114, $24.00)
Paul Cezanne  •  Meyer Schapiro ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1988 •  HARD COVER  • 128 PAGES A short analysis of the Impressionist painter Cezanne and his work, from a noted art historian. It contains 100 illustrations (40 in color). (FRN250, $24.95)
Paul Cezanne  •  Meyer Schapiro ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2004 •  PAPER  • 126 PAGES A classic biography of Cézanne, originally published in 1969. (FRN568, $19.95)
Paul Gauguin ,1848-1903: The Primitive Sophisticate  •  Ingo F. Walther ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 95 PAGES In this short, illustrated introduction to Gauguin and his paintings, color reproductions are paired with commentary on the works. (FRN280, $9.99)
Picasso, The Early Years 1892-1906  •  Pablo Picasso  •  Marilyn McCully  •  Natasha Staller ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1997 •  HARD COVER  • 374 PAGES A collection of essays about Picasso's formative years as an artist, featuring hundreds of drawings, plates and photographs. (ART43, $25.00)
A Pig in Provence  •  Georgeanne Brennan BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2008 •  PAPER With the launch party as Chez Panisse, you better believe that Brennan is devoted to food. She writes in this brief, thoroughly appealing memoir of making cheese, buying and butchering pigs, hunting for truffles and the simple joy of country living. Each section ends with a recipe. (FRN687, $13.00)
Pimsleur Quick & Simple French  •  Pimsleur Language Method LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS •  2005 •  AUDIO CD Four audio CDs with eight 30-minute lessons in basic French, covering elementary vocabulary and phrases used in travel and everyday situations. The Pimsleur method emphasizes the use of listening skills without reading materials (so there isn't a book to follow along). It's advertised as "Totally audio: hear it, learn it, speak it." (FRN523, $19.95)
Post-Impressionism  •  Bernard Denvir ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1992 •  PAPER  • 216 PAGES The Post-Impressionist work of Van Gogh, Gauguin and Cezanne helped usher in the modern art of the early and mid-20th century. This illustrated volume in the "World of Art" series looks at Post-Impressionism and how it was a bridge between French Impressionism and the art movements that followed. (FRN279, $14.95)
Provence A-Z  •  Peter Mayle CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2006 •  HARD COVER  • 336 PAGES A companion to all things Provencal, from bouillabaisse to lavender and vinaigre, by the expatriate and prolific British writer. (FRN619, $25.00)
Provence Harvest, With Recipes by Jacques Chibois  •  Louisa Jones FOOD •  2005 •  HARD COVER  • 240 PAGES A loving, illustrated celebration of Provence and its food with recipes by the great country chef Jacques Chibois. (FRN535, $40.00)
Provence, A Cultural History  •  Martin Garrett HISTORY •  2006 •  HARD COVER  • 256 PAGES (FRN601, $29.95)
Rick Steves' French Phrase Book & Dictionary  •  Rick Steves LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS •  2003 •  PAPER  • 180 PAGES A compact phrase book for travelers, organized thematically and with a brief dictionary. This is no dry litany of phrases but is instead peppered with humor and Rick Steves' insider insight into how to break the ice and make friends around the world. (FRN366, $7.95)
Rick Steves' French, Italian & German Phrase Book & Dictionary  •  Rick Steves LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS •  2003 •  PAPER  • 400 PAGES A compact phrase book for travelers, organized thematically and with a brief dictionary. French, German and Italian phrases are side-by-side on the page so that you can pick and choose depending on the situation. This is no dry litany but instead peppered with humor and Rick Steves' insider insight into how to break the ice and make friends around the world. (EUR142, $9.95)
The Rise of Christianity  •  Rodney Stark RELIGION •  1997 •  PAPER  • 272 PAGES The subtitle to this book says it all: "How the Obscure, Marginal Jesus Movement Became the Dominant Religious Force in the Western World in a Few Centuries." More a sociological study than a religious history, the book delves into what compelled so many people to convert to the then infant religion. (MED64, $14.95)
Saint Exupery: Art, Writings and Musings  •  Nathalie Des Vallieres LITERATURE •  2004 •  HARD COVER  • 224 PAGES An oversize, lovingly illustrated tribute to the aviation pioneer and French national hero, as compiled by Saint Exupery's great-niece. She includes early sketches of the Little Prince, letters, photographs, and diary excerpts. With 200 color illustrations. Among its many treasures, the book includes Saint Exupery's Letter to An American, an eloquent example of his efforts to persuade the U.S. to enter WWII. Saint Exupery's plane (now identified after 60 years) crashed into the Mediterranean while he was on a reconnaissance mission on July 31, 1944. (FRN441, $50.00)
Selected Letters  •  Madame de Sevigne BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1988 •  PAPER  • 319 PAGES The collected letters of Madame de Sevigne evoke life 17th century France. (FRN226, $13.95)
Short Stories in French  •  Richard Coward LITERATURE •  2001 •  PAPER  • 214 PAGES From Daniel Boulanger's exploration of revenge and the desire for recognition in "The Hunter's Cafe," to Alain Gerber's brief and poetic "You Never Die," these stories by contemporary authors make good reading in any language. A volume in New Penguin Parallel Texts. (FRN594, $14.00)
The Sibyl in Her Grave  •  Sarah Caudwell MYSTERY •  2001 •  PAPER A delightful comedy of manners starring Oxford professor and amateur sleuth Hilary Tamar, the last in a series of four. In this installment, the story veers from Britain to Cannes, Avignon, and Monte Carlo. The action (as usual) involves taxes and a group of trouble-prone attractive young barristers. It's all very droll, much better than it might sound in a plot summary. (FRN539, $6.99)
The Sorcerer's Apprentice: Picasso, Provence, and Douglas Cooper  •  John Richardson BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2001 •  PAPER  • 318 PAGES Richardson's gossipy memoir of the 10 years he spent with the eccentric art expert and collector Douglas Cooper at the Chateau de Castille in Provence does not stint on personality. He recounts in delicious detail Cooper's unpredictable antics along with those of the likes of Williams, Cocteau, and Picasso. (FRN454, $17.00)
Spinsters in Jeopardy  •  Ngaio Marsh MYSTERY •  1998 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES Inspector Roderick Alleyn is on vacation with his family en route to the French Riviera when terrible events ensue in this pleasingly convoluted whodunit by March, a contemporary of Agathie Christie and Dorothy Sayers. At the creepy "House of the Silver Goat," our chief inspector must investigate a murder, infiltrate a secret drug cult; and rescue his kidnapped son. (FRN490, $5.99)
The Stones of Balazuc, A French Village in Time  •  John Merriman HISTORY •  2002 •  HARD COVER  • 352 PAGES A warm history of a tiny medieval town set above the Ardeche river in the Rhone-Alpes region of South-central France. Yale historian John Merriman, who has a home in Balazuc, traces the village history from 1000 A.D., taking into account the impact of the French Revolution, the silk industry (once the souce of its fortunes), WWII and modern tourism. The legacy of this village serves as a lens through which to view all of French history, especially over the last several hundred years. (FRN421, $27.95)
Summer Doorways, A Memoir  •  W.S. Merwin BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2005 •  HARD COVER  • 224 PAGES A measured, graceful account of coming of age at Princeton and in the South of France. Raised in rural Pennsylvania by a difficult Presbyterian minister father, the poet Merwin found soul mates and joy in the 1930s and 1940s. (FRN546, $27.95)
Time Out South of France, Provence And the Cote d'Azur  •  Sam Le Quesne GUIDEBOOK •  2006 •  PAPER Compact and up-to-date, this is an outstanding guide for where to go and what to do in the South of France, from Marseille to Avignon to the Riviera. With regional maps organized by location and introductory chapters on culture and history. (FRN542, $19.95)
To Travel Hopefully, Footsteps In The French Cevennes  •  Christopher Rush BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2005 •  PAPER  • 279 PAGES In a last ditch effort to regain himself after the death of his wife, Rush heads off to France with a donkey on the trail of fellow Scot Robert Louis Stevenson. It's a beautifully written, moving tale of getting through grief. (FRN534, $17.95)
Toujours Provence  •  Peter Mayle TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1992 •  PAPER  • 241 PAGES The sequel to the best-selling memoir "A Year in Provence," this is another touching look at country life in southern France. Describing the setting and people with detail and warmth, Mayle creates an evocative portrait of Provence, rife with amusing personal anecdotes. (FRN121, $13.95)
The Tour De France, A Cultural History  •  C. S. Thompson HISTORY •  2008 •  PAPER  • 406 PAGES This authoritative, engaging history of the famous cycling event goes beyond a simple history of the race to consider the Tour de France and its meaning in a wider cultural context. (FRN584, $18.95)
Tour de Provence  •  Julian More CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2001 •  HARD COVER  • 192 PAGES A lovely, illustrated overview of the food, history and culture of the region. (FRN319, $24.00)
Travelers' Tales France  •  James O'Reilly  •  Larry Habegger ANTHOLOGY •  2002 •  PAPER  • 528 PAGES A wonderful collection of mostly contemporary tales, including such marvelous authors as Peter Mayle, M.F.K. Fisher, Mort Rosenblum, Ina Caro and Jan Morris. Organized thematically, it's a good introduction to the history, culture and character of France. With a section of practical travel information. (FRN05, $18.95)
Travelers' Tales, A Woman's Europe  •  Marybeth Bond  •  Mary Morris ANTHOLOGY •  2004 •  PAPER  • 298 PAGES This entertaining collection depicts Europe through the eyes of a diverse group of women writers, including Frances Mayes, Jan Morris and Mary Morris. These humorous and well-written true stories capture the misadventures, discoveries and slices of life that the continent (and travel!) has to offer. (EUR160, $17.95)
Travelers' Tales, A Woman's Europe  •  Marybeth Bond  •  Mary Morris ANTHOLOGY •  2004 •  PAPER  • 298 PAGES This entertaining collection depicts Europe through the eyes of a diverse group of women writers, including Frances Mayes, Jan Morris and Mary Morris. These humorous and well-written true stories capture the misadventures, discoveries and slices of life that the continent (and travel!) has to offer. (EUR160, $17.95)
A Traveller's History of France  •  Robert Cole HISTORY •  2008 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES An exceptionally well-written survey of French history from the paleolithic to the present. It includes the conquests of ancient Gaul, the heady days of revolution and modern times in its fast-moving 238 pages. With maps, a useful chronology and a list of popes and emperors. (FRN08, $14.95)
Travels with a Donkey in the Cevennes  •  Robert Louis Stevenson TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1996 •  PAPER  • 149 PAGES Stevenson's sprightly account of ten days with Modestine in the French Cevennes on the trail (today GR 70) from Monastier sur Gazeille to St Jean-du-Gard. His romantic musings and descriptions the people and places he encounters are delightful. (FRN538, $16.95)
Two Towns in Provence  •  M. F. K. Fisher BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1983 •  PAPER  • 208 PAGES • FAVORITE Few can paint the earthy details of a place and time like celebrated food writer M.F.K. Fisher. In this light volume, she contrasts village life in Aix-en-Provence with bustling Marseilles. Keenly observant, she evokes these two favorite places with anecdote and loving description. (FRN27, $16.95)
Vallee du Rhone Map  •  IGN MAP A colorful, detailed map of the Rhone Valley from Lyon south to Port St. Louis, the Cararmgue and Marseilles at a scale of 1:250,000. (FRN64, $11.95)
Van Gogh and Gauguin, Electric Arguments and Utopian Dreams  •  Bradley Collins ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2001 •  HARD COVER  • 264 PAGES A scholarly study by a art historian of Gauguin and Van Gogh, focusing on the time they spent together in Arles. Not just for the specialist, Bradley's psycho-biography is vividly written and persuasive. The two painters were close friends, but held different philosophies on art, which lead to many clashes that served as a great influence on each man's paintings. With a few illustrations. (FRN283, $30.00)
Van Gogh and Gauguin, The Search for Sacred Art  •  Debora Silverman ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2000 •  HARD COVER  • 512 PAGES Art historian Debora Silverman analyzes the paintings of Van Gogh and Gauguin in relationship to their religious backgrounds and beliefs, offering fresh insight into some of the works they produced while living together in Arles. (FRN274, $60.00)
Van Gogh in Arles  •  Alfred Nemeczek ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1999 •  PAPER  • 128 PAGES This short book is a very fine narrative account of Van Gogh's year in Arles and the work that he produced there, complemented by 66 color illustrations. (FRN248, $9.95)
Van Gogh's Progress  •  Carol M. Zemel ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1997 •  HARD COVER  • 320 PAGES An analysis of Van Gogh's utopian ideals, written by a professor of art history at SUNY Buffalo. This book revises the stock notion of Van-Gogh-as-madman, replacing it with a new vision of Van Gogh as a conscious, articulate proto-modern artist. Illustrated in color -- but emphatically not a big picture book. (ART08, $55.00)
Vaucluse Map  •  IGN MAP A French-made recreational map of the Vaucluse region of Provence at a very nice scale of 1:100,000. (FRN357, $12.95)
Vincent Van Gogh, The Passionate Eye  •  Pascal Bonafoux ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1992 •  PAPER  • 175 PAGES • FAVORITE From Paris to Asnieres, Amsterdam and "dazzling Provence," this jewel of a book traces the life and art of Vincent Van Gogh, the spirited, self-destructive painter who celebrated the golden light of the south of France. With hundreds of color and archival photographs. A volume in the acclaimed "Discoveries" series. (FRN29, $12.95)
Vive La Revolution, A Stand-up History of the French Revolution  •  Mark Steel HISTORY •  2006 •  PAPER This "stand-up history" hits all the major points of the French revolution in a distinctly unique (and hilarious) style. Steel, as you might guess, is a British comedian with a flair for history. (FRN609, $14.00)
Walking in France, Exploring France's Great Towns And Finest Landscapes on Foot  •  John Souter  •  Gillian Souter GUIDEBOOK •  2005 •  PAPER  • 288 PAGES A wonderful guide for the independent traveler, featuring walks in a variety of French locations and settings. There are several suggestions for strolls in Paris as well as walks in rural areas, small cities and vineyards. With maps and color photographs. (FRN533, $20.00)
Wildflowers of Britain and Europe, Compact Guide  •  W. Lippert  •  D. Podlech FIELD GUIDE •  1994 •  PAPER  • 252 PAGES A compact photographic guide to British and European wildflowers, covering 350 of the most commonly encountered species. Flowers are organized by color for easy identification. Enclosed in a clear plastic cover. (EUR46, $19.99)
The World Atlas of Wine  •  Hugh Johnson  •  Jancis Robinson FOOD •  2007 •  PAPER  • 352 PAGES An invaluable, illustrated guide and atlas, covering wine-producing regions around the world. This revised fifth edition takes in new grapes, new wines and new wine-producing regions. Although France is given emphasis, California, Spain, Italy, South America, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and other regions are also well covered. With hundreds of color photographs, illustrations and excellent full color maps (which vary in scale according to region). (GEN244, $50.00)
A World Lit Only By Fire: The Medieval Mind and the Renaissance, Portrait of an Age  •  William Manchester HISTORY •  1993 •  PAPER  • 322 PAGES In this wide-ranging study, Manchester evokes in vivid detail the great figures and daily life of the 16th century, with information on Henry VIII, Magellan, Borgia, da Vinci and Martin Luther. This is his 18th book and Manchester knows how to tell a great story. It's divided into three sections: Renaissance, Reformation and Discovery. (EUR06, $15.99)
The World of the Troubadours, Medieval Occitan Society, c. 1100 - c. 1300  •  Linda M. Paterson HISTORY •  1996 •  PAPER  • 183 PAGES A scholarly introduction to the culture and language of the Troubadours, medieval inhabitants of southern France whose songs of courtly love were highly influential on early poetry. (FRN467, $43.00)