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Any good book recommendations?


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I was wondering if any of the forum members could recommend any good books to read about France. To give you an idea of what I like, here are a few of what I have read and enjoyed.

Just finished reading A perfect Circle by Susie Kelly, a very enjoyable read.

An Englishman in Paris/Campagne, enjoyed but found that a lot of the humour was quite forced.

The Provence trilogy from Peter Mayle.

Perfume from Provence, Lady Fortescue, nice but a little bit too 'twee'.

From Here you can't see Paris, couldn't really get into that one.

 

And then a book that got rave reviews on Amazon.

Home and Dry in Normandy by George East, I just don't get his humour, tried to get into it but gave up after 70 pages.

 

Looking at the books that I have enjoyed, can anybody suggest other books in a similar vein?

 

Thank you.

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There was an enormous complilation of book titles over on TotalFrance a few years ago. They're still relevant, of course. If you like Susie Kelly's writing, I think she's written at least one other book and she posts on TotalFrance regularly.

This is the list link:

http://www.totalfrance.com/france/forum/viewtopic.php?t=719&start=0

Probably not listed there is Suite Francaise

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0701178965/qid=1147120136/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_3_1/202-1145098-7079800

I don't believe it will be a light read, though.

Enjoy choosing. [:)]

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I read 'Trampled Lillies' by Lady Fortescue

From Amazon

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0552997064/qid=1147120138/sr=1-9/ref=sr_1_2_9/202-1316813-9195005

Synopsis
This work continues the story of Lady Fortescue that began in "Perfume From Provence". War has broken out and Lady Fortescue has turned her house in Provence into a refuge for the French army. But with the German army advancing, she must decide whether to stay or make a dash for England.

http://www.perfumefromprovence.com/Ladyfortescue.htm 

She was due to receive a decoration in recognition of her wartime services, but died before it could be presented. 

You may prefer it to Perfume in Provence.

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Allan Biggins, A Normandy Tapestry and Selling French Dreams, I love his writing and it is believable some books are not that are writen about France.But my very best are all of Dirk Bogardes books of his life in France on a hillside near Cannes, he writes beautifully, some people say he is one of the finest writers of the 20th century,he wrote many books about France, his observations are brilliant, you will not be able to put them down. paticularly sad, is when he had to move back to England because his partner was ill, he was seventy and moved to Kensington, Called the book A Short Walk From Harrods, it kind of concludes his life in France and the heartbreak of leaving his home Le Pigeonier.Well I hope I have reccommended well,I think you will enjoy them.
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[quote user="Barry"]

And then a book that got rave reviews on Amazon.

Home and Dry in Normandy by George East, I just don't get his humour, tried to get into it but gave up after 70 pages.

 

[/quote]

 

I have read all his books and thoroughly enjoyed every one [;-)] I must have a strange sense of humour [:-))]

 

 A Year in the Merde and. Merde Actually by Stephen Clarke ?

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For non-fiction, try Patricia Atkinson's book, "The Ripening Sun". A wonderful true story of how a very brave and incredibly determined English lady relocates to the Bergerac area and after considerable struggle, heartbreak, tragedy, wins through and is now an acknowledged wine expert and sole proprietor of an award winning vineyard.

The book encapsulates the vision that perhaps many brits have of France: fantastic neighbours: a commune where everyone knows everyone else, the land, growing and good food are the most important criteria in life.

 

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Gay,

I will look out for "Trampled Lillies" by Lady Fortescue, I read  "Perfume from Provence"  first, I recently read "There's Rosemary, There's Rue" about her very early life and marriage but have not read  "Trampled Lillies"

Catalpa, "Suite Francaise" 

I am reading this at the moment it is brilliant! The description and the way that Irene Nemirovsky captures the mood of the 1940 exodus from Paris is just amazing. It's one of those books that I don't want to put down and yet I don't want it to end. I heard a critic say that the English translation had used expressions that were too modern for the period but if you can read it in the original it is well worth it.

Another recommendation from me would be the "Sunflowers" series by Ruth Sylvestre. "A house in the Sunflowers" "A Harvest of Sunflowers" and "Reflections of Sunflowers". IMHO all three are an excellent read.

Edit: All the above books are perhaps more serious and maybe not what the O.P. was looking for but do look out for them, they are well worth reading.

Happy reading everyone!

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Thank you everybody for taking the time to answer my question. After looking at your suggestions and seeing the fabulous list of books on the total France forum, I am overwhelmed. I will print the lists out and take them with me to Border's Books and Waterstones at the weekend.
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Blanche Neige - I've read Suite Francaise ( in english) and found it so

moving. How sad she wasn't able to finish the sequence of stories as

she had planned. Another for the list is " A White house in Gascony" by

Rex Grissell. I found it in the Southend library . Also books by

Gillian Tyndall - can't remember the titles but one book about

investgating he history of a house in the Berry was excellent. Pat.

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Celestine is the Gillian Tyndall book - I found it a very good study in how to discover the history of your house but it was a bit dry.

At Amazon:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0749320257/qid=1147204251/sr=8-9/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i9_xgl/202-1145098-7079800

Barry, much as I love and understand the value of local bookshops, the deals on Amazon or similar are often hard to resist. Alternatively, try www.abebooks.co.uk - for older books, I usually compare the Amazon price with the best abebooks.co.uk price. Often - even with additional postage costs - abebooks has a better price for a second-hand book in good (not great) condition. Adequate condition at a good price is a win for me. Second-hand on Amazon often delivers some bargains too - at the moment, Celestine is available from £1.67 on Amazon so even with the added postage costs, that's good value.

I've never used it but another site to look at is www.bookcrossing.com.

 

I think I could give up alcohol... but I could never give up reading. [8-|]

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http://www.bibliophilebooks.com/epages/bibliophilebooks.storefront

We get a few books from Bibliophile, especially Mr Russethouse, the UK delivery is cheap, sadly to Europe its more, but they have some great bargains sometimes. It could be worth getting books sent to anyone you know who was visiting you with a car.

I'm waiting for one about Queen Elizabeth 1 and another about Elizabeth and Dudley at present........I just had a look and there are several French interest too.

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I would like to agree with Vervialle and recommend the books by Allan Biggins, A Normandy Tapestry and Selling French Dreams.

What I find useful about Amazon is the "People who bought this book also bought...................", buying one book about France will bring up countless other recommendations!

Happy reading [geek]

Lou.

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I agree with you to a degree Lou about the customer comments on Amazon. It was the customer reviews and comments that promted me to buy Home and Dry in Normandy. It got universal thumbs up.........but I hated it...LOL!
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Barry,

In The Vine Country by Edith Somerville and Martin Ross  1893 - Two cousins travelling in the Medoc. 237 pages. (They also wrote The Irish RM books which were made into a TV series starring Peter Bowles.)

The Luberon Garden by Alex Dingwall-Main 2001. An English gardener, broadcaster for the BBC and columnist for the Sunday Times  designing gardens in France. 317 pages.

An Englishman In The Midi by John P Harris 1991. Based on his Radio 4 series. 125 pages. (Also, More From An Englishman In The Midi 1993. 127 pages.)

Return To Paris by Colette Rossant 2003. A memoir with recipes. 244 pages.

Life In A Postcard by Rosemary Bailey 2002.  A woman and her family buy a property in the French Pyrenees and fix it up. A bit to pretentious for me. 334 pages.

The Duck With A Dirty Laugh by Anne Loader 1998. Family adventures in rural France (St. Paradis) 217 pages.

On Rue Tatin by Susan Loomis ?2002 or before. Life in a small French town including recipes. 296 pages.

French Spirits by Jeffrey Greene 2002. Living in Burgundy. Haven't read it yet, but supposedly 'Charming and hilarious.'.  283 pages.

The Piano Shop On The Left Bank by T E Carhart 2000. An American living in Paris and his discovery of a piano repair shop. I quite liked this one. 239 pages.

All are in paperback.

When we were on holiday in the Vendee we went into a wine shop where a man out back was grilling sardines. He looked just like George East.

(Any mistakes due to a cat on my lap.)  

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Russethouse,

Drinkwater is just cashing in on her success as an actress.

Loomis has written several cookbooks, the latest is Cooking at Home on Rue Tatin. Her cooking school in Louviers has a website at www.onruetatin.com 

Our new Living France arrived today and we also had a French market in St. Albans. I bought a jar of fish soup (poisson), un baguette, a large head of pink garlic and some radishes. It was warm so we ate lunch in the garden with our old French Country Camping (now part of Eurocamp) umbrella over the table with a French tablecloth on it. If you can't be there..... Bon appetit!

 

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 I appreciate that is what Carol Drinkwater is doing, what made me cross was the marketing of  her second and third books particularly as 'French Interest' .There is a story there but IMHO its about something else. ( I wouldn't want to spoil it for those who haven't read it )
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If you like the literary scene in Paris in the early 20th century, try Shakespeare and Co by Sylvia Beach, about the ex-pat community in the Montparnasse area - she was the first publisher of Ulysses by James Joyce, in Paris.

More academic book about the whole group is Women of the Left Bank by Shari Benstock, my old and battered copy is from Virago Press.

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