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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, $15.00)
Adventures on the Wine Route, A Wine Buyer's Tour of France • Kermit Lynch BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR • 1990 • PAPER • 271 PAGES A delightful and warmly anecdotal book, highly recommended for anyone touring the wine regions of France. The book brings the domains and appellations of French wine to full-blown life, and Lynch's portraits of the grand personalities who make the wine are priceless. (FRN72, $19.00)
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. Two Sides. 26x43 inches. (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, $20.00)
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, $15.00)
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)
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, $30.00)
Avignon • Marianne Calmann LITERATURE • 2000 • PAPER • 447 PAGES • COMING IN 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 Nimes Map • IGN MAP A detailed travel map, published in France, which covers the Avignon region at the very good scale of 1:100,000. One Side. 38x52 inches. (FRN375, $11.95)
Eyewitness Guide Provence & the Cote D'Azur • Roger Williams GUIDEBOOK • 2012 • PAPER • 272 PAGES • BEST SELLER This superb guide, another entry in the excellent Eyewitness series, features color photography, dozens of excellent local maps and a district-by-district synopsis of attractions in both Provence and the Riviera, including Avignon, Arles, Marseille, Nice and Cannes. (FRN18, $23.00)
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 • 2009 • PAPER • 328 PAGES With hand-picked and peaceful places to stay and eat, easy-to-use maps, clear layout and intelligent cultural background, along with discerning advice on everything from markets and mountains to festivals and vineyard visits. (FRN506, $21.95)
In the South of France • Don Krohn ART & ARCHITECTURE • 1999 • HARD COVER • 117 PAGES • COMING IN Invoking artists and authors captivated by Provence and the south of France, photographer Don Krohn captures the magic light, rich colors and long traditions of the region. With an introduction to Provencal history and culture, generous excerpts from writers inspired by the south of France, and stunning color photographs. Krohn balances his portrayal of the landscapes, vineyards, fields and other natural features, with photographs of castles, medieval churches and chateaux. (FRN192, $39.95)
The Catalans • Patrick O'Brian LITERATURE • 2005 • PAPER • 224 PAGES The novelist Grgory Feeley wrote in the Washington Post about this early novel: "The story of Dr. Alain Roig, who returns to his Catalan home town after years of medical research in the Far East to intercede in an imminent family scandal, is drolly observed, beautiful in its evocation of place, and -- like O'Brian's later novels -- often mordantly funny. " (FRN511, $14.95)
Cathedrals and Castles, The Cathedral Builders of the Middle Ages • Alain Erlande-Brandenburg ART & ARCHITECTURE • 2010 • PAPER • 175 PAGES This pocket-size encyclopedia of the art, architecture and culture of the Middle Ages features hundreds of drawings, color illustrations and a brief chronology. Take it along to gain a better appreciation of the Middle Ages and its legacy in Europe. (MED07, $15.95)
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, $22.95)
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)
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)
Colors of Provence • Michel Biehn • Heinz Angermayr CULTURAL PORTRAIT • 2010 • HARD COVER • 176 PAGES A handsome sourcebook and celebration of the French countryside, its culture, landscapes and traditions. Organized by color, this delightful oversize book, featuring 145 vibrant color photographs of food, markets and fields, is scattered throughout with recipes, literary quotations and cultural notes. (FRN173, $12.98)
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)
The Debt to Pleasure • John Lanchester LITERATURE • 2001 • PAPER • 272 PAGES An epicurean, Francophile Englishman recounts his past pleasures in Provence in this celebrated novel -- a meditation on food, vodka and restaurant-going that becomes a dark satire on hedonism. (FRN732, $15.00)
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, $16.00)
Drome/Vaucluse Map • Michelin MAP A French-made recreational map of the Vaucluse region of Provence from Avignon to Valence at a very nice scale of 1:150,000. With cycle paths, city maps, nature trails and suggested driving tours. One Side. 38x43 inches. (FRN357, $9.95)
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, $13.95)
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)
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, $25.00)
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)
Travelers' Tales France • James O'Reilly • Larry Habegger ANTHOLOGY • 2002 • PAPER • 528 PAGES • COMING IN 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)
Fodor's Provence and the French Rivera • Fodor's Guides GUIDEBOOK • 2011 • PAPER • 456 PAGES A practical guide in the popular series, saturated with valuable information on accommodation, shopping, sights, and dining. (FRN714, $19.99)
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 Map • Michelin 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. One Side. 40x61 inches. (FRN07, $12.95)
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, $14.95)
Frommer's Provence & the Riviera Day by Day • Anna Brooke GUIDEBOOK • 2011 • PAPER • 218 PAGES A compact shirt pocket guide, ideal for a short visit, featuring remarkably good suggestions for everything from food to hotels, neighborhoods and shopping. With a separate foldout map of the city center. (FRN763, $14.99)
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, $15.00)
The Gothic Enterprise, A Guide to Understanding the Medieval Cathedral • Robert A. Scott ART & ARCHITECTURE • 2005 • PAPER • 294 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, $21.95)
The Gothic Enterprise, A Guide to Understanding the Medieval Cathedral • Robert A. Scott ART & ARCHITECTURE • 2005 • PAPER • 294 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, $21.95)
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)
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, $15.00)
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, $15.00)
Impressionism • Belinda Thomson ART & ARCHITECTURE • 2000 • PAPER • 272 PAGES A 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 Provence • Cathy Muscat GUIDEBOOK • 2011 • PAPER • 304 PAGES This guide covers the whole of Provence, from the Alps to the chic coastal resorts of Nice and Cannes, with full-color photographs and maps throughout. (FRN781, $18.99)
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 • 2010 • PAPER • 464 PAGES A twentieth century master of letters, Giono's fiction invokes the folklore and traditions of his birthplace in southern France. In this graceful novel, he tells the tale of a farmer couple in Haute Provence who finds the spark that has gone missing from their lives. (FRN193, $15.95)
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 • 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, $17.00)
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, $14.00)
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, $16.00)
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, $19.95)
Lonely Planet French Phrasebook • Marie-Helene Girard • Anny Monet LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS • 2012 • PAPER • 272 PAGES This handy phrasebook 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). One Side. 38x52 inches. (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, $18.00)
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, $39.95)
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, $38.50)
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, $37.50)
Markets of Provence, A Culinary Tour of Southern France • Dixon Long • Ruthanne Long • David Wakely • Patricia Wells FOOD • 1996 • HARD COVER • 144 PAGES • COMING IN A celebration of France and its food, this book covers the cuisine and markets of seven towns in Provence, with descriptive text, recipes and color photographs. It combines the best of a cookbook, photo essay and travelogue. A different place is featured each day of the week from Monday to Sunday including tiny Bonnieux, bustling Aix-en-Provence, Cadenet, La Tour D'Aigues, Saint-Remy, Apt and L'Isle-Sur-La-Sourgue. With color photographs and a map. (FRN247, $22.00)
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, $36.00)
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, $13.00)
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)
The Messengers of Death • Pierre Magnan MYSTERY • 2009 • PAPER • 320 PAGES An atmospheric thriller set, like all Magnan's work, in Provence, and featuring his engaging detective, Commissaire Laviolette. Tautly plotted and brimming with suspense, Magnan's fifth novel to be translated into English is a story of dark vengeance and avarice, linking the peasant community of Upper Provence to nineteenth-century South Africa. (FRN765, $13.99)
Michelin Green Guide French Riviera • Michelin Travel Publications GUIDEBOOK • 2010 • PAPER • 384 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, $21.99)
Michelin Green Guide Provence • Michelin Travel Publications GUIDEBOOK • 2010 • 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, $21.99)
The Middle Sea • John Julius Norwich HISTORY • 2007 • PAPER • 720 PAGES 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, $21.00)
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, $15.95)
The Most Beautiful Villages of Provence • Michael Jacobs CULTURAL PORTRAIT • 2012 • PAPER • 224 PAGES With an excellent introduction on the history, culture, landscapes and the pleasures of Southern France, this illusrtated guide features 34 towns and villages in Provence. The book opens with the villages of the Vaucluse and the Bouches-du-Rhone, the region of such architectural gems as Bonnieux and Gordes. Moving east to the Var and eventually the mountains of the Alpine departments, we visit tranquil villages of the center like Les Arcs, set amid some of the finest vineyards of southern France (FRN28, $26.95)
My Father's Glory • Yves Robert LITERATURE • 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)
My Life • Marc Chagall BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR • 1994 • PAPER • 173 PAGES A memoir of Chagall's early life and influences, with whimsical illustrations by the artist. (FRN672, $16.95)
National Geographic 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)
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)
Patricia Wells at Home in Provence, Recipes Inspired by Her Farmhouse in France • Patricia Wells FOOD • 1999 • PAPER • 355 PAGES Award-winning cookbook writer and critic Patricia Wells takes her knowledge of French cuisine to the home kitchen in this collection, larded with tales of friends, feasts and food. (FRN114, $24.00)
Paul Cezanne • Meyer Schapiro ART & ARCHITECTURE • 2004 • PAPER • 126 PAGES A classic biography of Cezanne, originally published in 1969. (FRN568, $21.95)
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)
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)
Provence A-Z • Peter Mayle CULTURAL PORTRAIT • 2008 • PAPER • 304 PAGES A companion to all things Provencal, from bouillabaisse to lavender and vinaigre, by the expatriate and prolific British writer. (FRN619, $14.95)
Provence, A Cultural History • Martin Garrett HISTORY • 2006 • HARD COVER • 256 PAGES Through its architecture, literature and popular culture, Garrett analyzes and celebrates the identity of this beloved region. (FRN601, $35.00)
Renoir, A Master of Impressionism • Colin B. Bailey • Linda Nochlin • Anne Distel ART & ARCHITECTURE • 1998 • PAPER • 144 PAGES A short survey of Renoir's life and work, featuring 120 color reproductions. (FRN404, $16.98)
Rhone Valley Map • Michelin Travel Publications MAP A colorful, detailed map of the Rhone Valley from Lyon south to Port St. Louis, the Cararmgue and Marseille at a scale of 1:200,000. One Side. 38x52 inches. (FRN64, $13.95)
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, $14.99)
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, $19.98)
Selected Letters • Madame de Sevigne BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR • 1988 • PAPER • 319 PAGES The collected letters of Madame de Sevigne evoke life 17th century France. (FRN226, $16.00)
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, $15.00)
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, $7.99)
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, $20.00)
Southern France Map • National Geographic 2012 • MAP A detailed, full-color fold-up map of southern France by National Geographic at a scale of 1:465,000. Waterproof and tear-resistant, with points of interest and town location included in the index. Two Sides. 27 X 39 inches. (FRN750, $11.95)
Southern France, An Oxford Archaeological Guide • Henry Cleere ARCHAEOLOGY • 2001 • PAPER • 211 PAGES • COMING IN An overview and catalog of archaeological sites in Southern France including the amphitheaters at Arles, Nimes and Orange, Paleolithic cave art, and medieval wonders of Carcassonne. With sketch maps, travel information, and site diagrams. (FRN258, $22.50)
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 • Time Out GUIDEBOOK • 2009 • PAPER • 336 PAGES 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, $14.95)
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, $24.95)
Travelers' Tales Provence • Tara Austen Weaver • James O'Reilly ANTHOLOGY • 2003 • PAPER • 262 PAGES An introduction by Richard Goodman, author of French Dirt, sets the scene for this wide-ranging anthology. From Lawrence Durrell's illumination of a village market at daybreak, to Claire Berlin's hilarious tale from an over-the-top yoga retreat, these insightful stories reveal the good humor and ancient rituals of one of France's oldest and most beautiful regions. Explore the intricacies of local "natural" wine with Kermit Lynch, visit van Gogh's secret world with Alain de Botton, and learn about the making of olive oil with Carol Drinkwater. (FRN410, $16.95)
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 • 2005 • PAPER • 269 PAGES Stevenson's sprightly account of ten days with the single-minded 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 of the people and places he encounters are delightful. This Penguin Classics edition also includes The Amateur Emigrant, his sharp-eyed chronicle of travels around America: the crowded weeks in steerage, the cross-country train journey. (FRN538, $16.95)
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'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)
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, $15.00)
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 • Margaret and Roland Spohn FIELD GUIDE • 2008 • PAPER • 320 PAGES This indispensable guide to the Wild Flowers of Britain and Europe in Black's Nature Guide series covers 450 species, each beautifully illustrated with detailed paintings and clear photographs. The images not only show you what the plant looks like in its habitat, but also focus in on specific features such as the leaves or flower head, to aid identification. (EUR46, $21.95)
Wine Country Europe, Touring, Tasting, And Buying At European Regional Wineries • Ornella D'Alessio • Marco Santini FOOD • 2005 • HARD COVER • 324 PAGES Part how-to, part guidebook, part picture book, this charming coffee table treat covers sprawling French vineyards as well as lesser-known hidden treasures in Austria and Hungary. The authors, both Italian journalists and wine connoisseurs, provide helpful tips alongside the hundreds of magnificent color photographs. (EUR191, $35.00)
The World Atlas of Wine • Hugh Johnson • Jancis Robinson FOOD • 2007 • HARD COVER • 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, $53.00)

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