It Started With A Year in Provence....

[Richard T]

... since when there have been many look-a-like books about living in France, renovating old properties, dealing with builders who never turn up and generally mocking the French way of life for not being more British (a bit like these forums I suppose [;-)] ).

I generally quite like this genre: it's easy reading and panders to my sense of idyllic French life although I get quite irritated with authors who seem to rely on French eccentricities to create their stories. As the owner of a home in France which is part way through renovation I would like to read more realistic accounts of how people have built their dreams and yet still retain the readability of A Year in Provence.

I am currently reading a book called Two Steps Backward by Susie Kelly which starts promisingly enough. The author and her husband were more-or-less bankrupted in the last recession and with their last remaining pounds (converted into francs) bought a leaky property somewhere in the Poitou-Charentes region. She lived there with a menagerie of animals (some illegally imported apparently) whilst her husband went off in a van somewhere to earn enough money to buy food and make improvements to the property.

But then it goes downhill because the book then launches into a long string of improbable anecdotes about improbably eccentric neighbours, villagers (mostly ex-pats themselves) and estate agents all of whom seem to think that this new resident is the only person who can solve their problems; and about her growing flock of chickens, geese, horses, cats and a parrot all of which the author endows with human qualities in that peculiar way that "animal lovers" do. And all of this written in a rather clichéd style as if she was too busy to find appropriate adjectives: she describes a "pitch dark night", "unbearably hot" sunshine, a "whacky sense of humour" and so on.

At one point she recounts a family visit thus: "Coupled with the horses' arrival was the enormous pleasure of having some of our family here for the first time, and we all managed to to happily survive the primitive living conditions. They left after five days..." and then the narrative returns to some silly story about "madly barking dogs and whinnying horses". So for all the "enormous pleasure" of the family's first visit she dismisses it in one and a half sentences. I would have loved to have known what the family thought, how they reacted to the "primitive conditions" but no, all we get is bloody dogs and horses.

Ok, I'm only up to page 136 so perhaps I haven't given it a chance yet but - and here's the purpose of this post - can anyone recommend any similar books which reflect a more realistic view of life in France for the newly arrived?

Richard T

[Russethouse]

I think Susie Kelly posts on TF, I'm sure she'll be interested in your critique [;-)][;-)]

My tip is to avoid something that has Piano and Pyrenees in the title ( http://www.amazon.co.uk/Piano-Pyrenees-Englishman-French-Mountains/dp/0091903335/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1224415456&sr=1-1)

and anything by Carol Drinkwater.

 Sorry I can't be more positive.

 

[Richard T]

[quote user="Russethouse"]My tip is to avoid something that has Piano and Pyrenees in the title ( http://www.amazon.co.uk/Piano-Pyrenees-Englishman-French-Mountains/dp/0091903335/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1224415456&sr=1-1)[/quote]

Ah yes, Tony Hawks. I read that book but it didn't reach the standards of Playing the Moldovans at Tennis.

[quote]and anything by Carol Drinkwater. [/quote]

Don't know anything about Carol Drinkwater so maybe it's just as well!

Richard T

[Boiling a frog]

If you cannot wait for her next book

 

http://nodamnblog.wordpress.com/

To my mind she seems to suffer from a compulsion to  use  adverbs and adjectives whenever possible

[Pads]

I liked C'est la folie by Micheal Wright .... funny simple easy read

An English man in Paris and An Englishman a la campagne by Michael Sadler again a very simple read

oh and the merde series ... not my choice but my hubby liked them

and have you seen these?

http://languedoc.angloinfo.com/bookshop/

[Richard T]

Thanks for this. The Michael Wright book had some good reviews on Amazon so I might give it a try.

Richard T

[Pads]

Yes it was fun... he has his email in the book , I emailed him and he answered , which surprised me .He is suppose to be bring out another but I havnt seen anyting yet

[DZ]

I am currently reading a book entitled "Words in a French life", written by an American author (Kristin Espinasse) who lives in Provence with her French husband and their children. The book offers short glimpses into the couple's family life and is organized around certain French words.  It has some nice observations, is easy to read, and is not in the least patronising.  It also gives a number of quite useful French expressions at the end of each chapter. 

[Pads]

Yes I have read that one too, and enjoyed learnig the new words and expressions , there is another called French Dirt , which is about a chap who starts a garden for a year , cant remenber who wrote it   

[Will]

There are several genres that are over-served by people who think they can write, but can't. France is one such genre unfortunately. Writing is much more than overloading the text with adjectives, as others have pointed out. Totally coincidentally, the local radio station I am listening to has just mentioned that one of the worst offenders is being interviewed this morning about "her book" (BBC Southern Counties).

Mayle set the standard and got it more or less right to begin with, but subsequent books didn't live up to the first, which most people only remember anyway from the totally awful TV adaptation. I found Susie Kelly fairly dire (at least what I read), but Drinkwater goes the whole way. Wright's book is at least from somebody who is a proper journalist rather than just having been on a 'creative writing' course, but it is really a collection of his Telegraph colums, which I find stereotypical, derivative and at times just plain wrong. The first Steven Clarke Merde book was a breath of fresh air - treating some of the more frustrating aspects of French life with real humour - but the subsequent ones have descended into farce, and very unfunny farce (if there is such a thing) at that.

The Tony Hawks one looks promising, but seems, from reviews, to be an inferior rewite of his excellent 'Round Ireland with a Fridge'. It also reminds me too much of Nigel and Nippy... I haven't read the others yet, but I agree with RH that anything with Provence in the title is likely to be best avoided.

Of others I have read, George East is perhaps the world's worst user of stereotypical French eccentrics in order to gain a laugh - but he redeems himself by being a good storyteller, and he does inject a bit more earthy wit than most manage to. And 'his' bit of France is about as far from Provence as you can get.

My personal favourite France book is Signs of the Heart by Christopher Hope. That too is based on individual articles, but he manages to knit them together into something coherent. It manages to be affectionate, witty, and at the same time balanced, while still introducing off-centre characters. The writing style is clear, and doesn't intrude on the story. My only criticim is that it gets a bit earnest at times; some might find it dull compared with the more graphic stuff on offer elsewhere.

[Pads]

Notes from the languedoc by Rupert Wright havnt read it yet .....but its next on my list

[Pads]

Cor loads ere mate !!!!

http://www.aip-francebookshop.com/#608X0

[Jotty]

One of the best writers about France was Roger Pilkington who had travelled all over the European canal system and written entertaining and informative books about it in the "Small Boat in the..." series.

When he felt too old to continue travelling he settled in the Midi and wrote a warm and accurate account of  choosing and buying his house. The guidelines he used for the best area climatically are still valid, and are the ones that  guided my choice.

I was able to call in and thank him.

For me he remains a better and more informative author than the majority.

[chessfou]

For an alternative view, you might enjoy « Au secours, les Anglais nous envahissent ! » by José-Alain Fralon (Éditions Michalon, 2006 - www.michalon.fr). I thought it was good fun.

[Tom]

[quote user="Will"]

My personal favourite France book is Signs of the Heart by Christopher Hope. That too is based on individual articles, but he manages to knit them together into something coherent. It manages to be affectionate, witty, and at the same time balanced, while still introducing off-centre characters. The writing style is clear, and doesn't intrude on the story. My only criticim is that it gets a bit earnest at times; some might find it dull compared with the more graphic stuff on offer elsewhere.

[/quote]

That's my favourite as well. He is a South African author and lives in Caunes Minervois near  Carcassonne

It has been translated in to French and he said in an interview that the location and characters were fictious composites, but that "the village is still divided between

those who consider it 'cruel and unjust', in the words of the local

doctor," and those who were merely "furious because they weren't in it.

I'm not sorry I did it, but you never get a free ride".

[anniefromwales]

Not quite the same genre but Narrow Dog to Carcassone / Terry Darlington is one of my favourite books ever, for the first chapter or so I thought TD was a pretentious git with an overinflated opinion of himself and how interesting he was, but he gradually won me over and by half way through I couldn't put it down, I laughed and cried along with him.

[Pads]

Mmm I must try that one again ... I had the inital thought of him as you and never got past the first 2 chapters [:D]

As some one who loves Narrow boats and Carcassonne I thought it would be right up my street, but he made me want to push him in the Canal du midi....[:)]  

[anniefromwales]

Try him again Pads, he is really funny if you can latch on to his laid-back style of humour. I read his follow-up too, Long Dog to somewhere in the US, that was good too but not quite as good. Not so gentle, higher highs, lower lows and altogether a bit blacker.

[tenniswitch]

[quote user="DZ"]I am currently reading a book entitled "Words in a French life", written by an American author (Kristin Espinasse) who lives in Provence with her French husband and their children. The book offers short glimpses into the couple's family life and is organized around certain French words.  It has some nice observations, is easy to read, and is not in the least patronising.  It also gives a number of quite useful French expressions at the end of each chapter. [/quote]

Thanks for posting that.  I just checked it on Amazon.fr and it looks rather interesting.

[Clair]

Kristin Espinasse

[babcock]

I rather enjoyed "only fools drink water" by Geoffrey Morris.

[Pads]

Yes that looks like a good one , which also led me to find a new site

http://www.booksonfrance.com/books/22156/Geoffrey-Morris/Only-Fools-Drink-Water/

[tegwini]

Christopher Hope has published numerous books, some prizewinning too, and has written for many newspapers, has been a university lecturer,  as well as being involved with various literary festivals.  He is a graduate of  Wits university.

 I did not know he was living in France & may attempt to get hold of his book.

Kristen Espinasse has a useful blog - or whatever,  which is sent our often-  f.o.c.  It describes her everyday life, and has useful vocabulary & expressions.  Some of this may be used for the book.   She does advertise a bit on  her blog, including her book.   Useful for those learning French.     

http://french-word-a-day.typepad.com/motdujour/2008/10/joyeux.html

 

Tegwini

[lavorgere]

If you're interested in wine and wine production try the two books by Patricia Atkinson. I have just re-read these and have also read the following more than once ( it's my age - I forget things easily ! ) : A House in the Sunflowers and the two sequels by Ruth Sylvestre, Tarte Tatin and On Rue Tatin by Susan Loomis ( great recipies and anecdotes re restoring an old house in Rouen where she starts a cookery school )and finally three books by a Lady Fortescue who moved to Provence in the 1930s and restored an old ruin - but still had               ' domestic help' ! I think all these are well written without the French farce element.  

[Richard T]

As the OP of this thread I'd like to thank you all for the suggestions. I have since bought C'est La Folie by Michael Wright as recommended by Pads and will be starting it very soon.

As I mentioned in my first post I was struggling with Two Steps Backward by Susie Kelly which started well enough but degenerated into a series of silly anecdotes about her acquaintances and animals. At the time I was up to page 136 and, to be fair, it got a little better thereafter but only because I was now able to recognise when another animal anecdote was about to start and I found myself skipping huge swathes of text. But eventually I just stopped caring and gave up.

Instead I picked up a new book by Raymond Blanc called "A Taste of My Life" which is a mix of reminiscences of his early life in the Franche-Comté region, his life as a French person in England, the ups and downs of his business ventures and a lot of really good stuff about food - especially French food. Sometimes Blanc comes across as a little smug but in the next sentence he can be self-deprecating but mostly he comes across as a gentleman (and quite unlike most celebrity chefs). One minute he's talking about his childhood, the next about how to make a perfect soufflé or the British eating habits (as viewed by a Frenchman) in the 1970s. This is an excellent book, well written, well paced and would appeal to francophiles and foodies alike.

Any more reading suggestions would be most welcome.

Richard T