Rating: 
Summary: Remove author & wife. Insert self & spouse.
Review: An Englishman and his wife buy a farmhouse in the countryside of Provence. I presume they are wealthy and retired, because they haven't a care in the world about money and they don't have anywhere else to be. And they certainly don't have jobs. The book starts on New Year's Day and chronicles the author's first year in his new home in a rather detached narrative. The author's wife, his guests and anything not French are somewhat shallowly described and often aren't even given names. If they have kids, I don't recall them being mentioned. I certainly have no idea how old they are. I therefore had no trouble inserting myself and my husband in place of the author and his spouse in this picturesque fantasy. The real characters are the locals, the workmen, the café owners, the neighbors, their quirky habits and the divine cuisine. Some of the anecdotes seem contrived or shifted in time to accommodate the structure of the book in chapters based on months, but I didn't care. I loved the descriptions of the food, the markets, the country roads, the truffle hunting... I found the author's style of writing very charming, if somewhat impersonal, and the situations that would induce a working city woman like myself to explosive anger are injected with an innocuous sarcasm that just made me chuckle with laughter. Even though the author must deal with sporadic remodeling, a constant stream of uninvited English guests, the cleaning of the pool etc., Life is good. So don't worry. Eat, drink and be happy. I read 2, 3 or 4 chapters at a time and I had no trouble putting it down. I even read another book after August and picked it up to read September after a particularly hectic day and I finished the book in that sitting. This was not a page-turner. But I enjoyed it anyway. I have never been to France and I read this book as a work of fiction. I didn't read it to get acquainted with Provence nor did I read it to assist with a decision to travel there, so I have no idea if it is accurate or not. I feel that I am no more familiar with the south of France now that I have read this book, so it didn't seem helpful in that regard. What I do know is that is was delightful and soothing, like a relaxing vacation or a good cup of tea.
Rating: 
Summary: Incredibly overrated
Review: The appeal of this book is in the fact that Mayle has created a Shangri-La for his readers. But at what price? He has fabricated a world that does not exist, just as Disney created a home spun fantasy on Main Street USA. This Provence did not and does not exist. I don't argue the value of fantasy, but to sell it to the masses as an accurate representation of southern France does everyone an incredible disservice. This book is a fiction. Read it, love it, recommend it - I don't care. But don't believe a word of it.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Book
Review: This book is a great summer read! I first read the book in my 20s and couldn't get into it. I read it again in my 30s and found it to be such great fun!
Rating:
Summary: A wonderful book
Review: This is a wondeful book. The best I have read in recent years. Little hype, and just straightforward, great storytelling.
Rating:
Summary: witty anecdotes and eccentric antics make a winning combo!
Review: Surrender to the quintessence of Provence! "A Year In Provence" chronicles Mayle's real-life experiences following his family's (wife and dogs) move from England to Provence. Their pages offer an entertaining and light-hearted narrative of everyday life -- the people, the climate, the landscapes, and mainly the acclaimed Provençal art of eating! -- from the perspective of a British "long-term tourist" (as Mayle puts it). The Provence series is usually located in the "Travel" section at most bookstores; yet the discriminating reader will happily discover that these are more novel than guide. Mayle's storey-telling skills are top-notch and keep you reading until the book is done. This, coupled with his clever facetiousness, is a winning combination. Any avid fan of "dry British humour" will enjoy Mayle's witty anecdotes as he puzzles over the sometimes eccentric antics of his Provençal neighbours. These two gems, "A Year in Provence" and it's sequal "Toujour Provence", are amongst the prized possessions in my bookshelf!
Rating:
Summary: Encore! Encore!
Review: I have read this and the rest of author Peter Mayle's fantastic books and I only wish he would write more. I have never been to Provence and my french is shaky at best, but I LOVED this book. It was a great beach (or bus, coffee break, and plane) read that I couldn't put down! You'll like it if you love to travel, wish you could get away from it all, like the quirks of our francaise friends, or just want a laugh.
Rating:
Summary: C'est la Vie in Provence
Review: A Year in Provence is a captivating novel by Peter mayle accounting the life of a quaint couple and their two dogs starting a life in the Provence countryside in France. With a love of wine and a few outgoing neighbors, they are quickly settled into their home despite a few minor touch ups, or maybe not so minor. Remodeling their kitchen, making a new table, and getting a vineyard of their own are the first of many tasks on hand. As the summer nears, the pool also must be tended to and stripped of its new green muck color. Goat racing through the town is a pure delight and the various cuisine encounters are nothing short of interesting and "magnifique"!
Mayle's knowledge of the French countryside of Provence must be a non-fictional account for his portrayal is very accurate. He often intertwines colloquial french phrases and words to produce a real life effect. Very little dialogue is used but the story is descriptive and flowing with each incident told. Mayle employs the use of humor in his depiction of the Provencal inhabitants. He emphasizes the use of the Frenchmen's gestures when speaking and the importance of meals and relaxation.
This travel novel provides everything you need to know about the people and routines of Provence. A dream come true for the young couple and a year long adventure encompass this warm-hearted and delightful novel. "C'est la vie!" in Provence.
Rating:
Summary: Charming
Review: This was a sweet look at how culture shock can be a positive thing. Life in Provence is ideal in many ways- the towns are real communities. Peter Mayle and his wife discover interesting characters who become friends, neighbors with funny stories, and the glories of wonderful food and wine (the book WILL make you hungry). I really liked all the descriptions and am now hankering to get away myself.
Rating:
Summary: Peter Mayle is a great writer
Review: Wonderful read. Enjoyed Mayle's insights and witty style. Didn't want it to end. Feel as though I know Provence and it's people.
Rating:
Summary: Magnificent Portrait
Review: This is a wonderful portrait of the poeple of southern France. Full of the stories, food, customs of the area to make it come alive.
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