Rating: 
Summary: Hardly his best
Review: This seems one of those sequel books that an author sort of throws together to make a buck. I wouldn't call it awful, I mean he is a good writer and the subject matter is still special, but his best work it ain't.
Rating: 
Summary: An absolute masterpiece
Review: This book is an absolute masterpiec
Rating: 
Summary: very disappointed!
Review: let me first state that I loved the first two books. However, Encore Provence definitely lacks the warmth and engagement of the first two books. I will not recommend it to anyone. Take the second chapter for example - it is unnecessary and very distracting (I found myself taking a second look at the book cover, half not believing that Peter Mayle wasted an entire chapter talking about the newspaper article.) Several other chapters read more like a poor versions of Lonely Planet or Fodor's guidebook. The French may say, 'Jamais deux san trois', but I say 'Don't waste your time' - it's better to reread the first two books.
Rating:
Summary: First Mayle book I've returned, It was filled with fluff.
Review: Peter Mayle was looking for an easy buck this time out, what a disappointment. Instead of great stories, or a real feel for what he found upon his return to Provence, We got well spaced lists and other fillers. With the new writers coming along to describe with delight their experiences in Europe, Mayle makes a poor showing. My excitement quickly turned to dismay. I have read and enjoyed every book until now. I was annoyed enough to return it. I do not intend to contribute to a sucker play at hardback prices. Watch out fans!
Rating:
Summary: A disappointment . . .
Review: I've read a few of Mayle's previous books and enjoyed his adventures. This one was extremely disjointed - a lot of separate, seemingly unrelated experiences. Maybe if I'd had first had traveled in the area, I would have at least enjoyed this book vicariously througy my recollections of personal experiences. Skip this if you haven't read it & check out Mayle's earlier books!
Rating:
Summary: Just for the money?
Review: I am a Peter Mayle die-hard. So it should not surprise anyone that I reserved my copy of 'Encore Provence' already half a year ago. But now that I've read it, I'm disappointed. 'Encore Provence' is only a shadow of what 'A Year in Provence' or 'Toujours Provence' brought to the mind. This is no story-full-of-life, it's a collection of short pieces that lack the spirit and emotions of Mayle's former work. It may well be that Peter Mayle's body is back in his old Provence, but the writer left his mind elsewhere. I miss the empathy and the lively descriptions. Reading 'Encore Provence' is like tasting a 'seconde maison' of a fabulous wine-estate: you like the taste, but you know that the original you have tasted before, was so much better. I can't get rid of the feeling that the author wrote 'Encore Provence' because he 'had to deliver'. Still I am impatient to get my hands on his next work of Provencal Fiction.
Rating: 
Summary: Mayle is one of my favorites, and this one is a winner!
Review: I have enjoyed all of Peter Mayle's books, and when I got to Provence after an absence of 30 years and after reading Toujours Provence, I truly began to appreciate his ability to communicate the intangible wonders of the region. Encore Provence continues the tradition -- I loved it.
Rating:
Summary: Puzzled in Bethesda
Review: This is not a review so much as a question: Why did the reviewer who said Mayle is the most annoying writer writing about Provence, who said nothing positive about him, give him five stars? Surely that's a mistake? Did the Kirkus and other reviewers read the same book as the regular people?
Rating:
Summary: Peter Mayle isn't funny
Review: Peter Mayle is a perceptive writer on topics like shopping for handmade shoes, where he can be funny without being mean. His books about Provence are not funny. In both his fiction and his memoirs, he treats the citizens of Provence like quaint natives. It's the very worst of stereotyping. What would the reaction be, do you think, if in this day and age a talented writer described black people as shiftless and lazy, or Jews as money-hungry, or all Poles as dull and dumb? Assuming that this writing were ever published, there would be general outrage. So why does Mayle think it's funny to describe the tradesmen and craftsmen of his village as slothful? The real reason Mayle left Provence was that the locals finally figured out what he was saying about them. They threw him out.
Rating:
Summary: Not what you've been waiting for--but if addicted...
Review: unlike the other reviewer, I'm *not* in Provence, and enjoyed "A Year in," and "Tourjours," tremendously. When I saw this title listed a few months ago, I pre-ordered a copy and when it arrived last week I settled down to pick up where I left off last time. However, this book seems to be written at a distance--actually, I found it hard to really understand just how the Mayles returned (for a visit, to live, what?) I'd describe this book as a cross between the first two and his collection of essays, "Acquired Tastes." The chapters don't hang together, his style overrides the content--I don't feel immersed in Provence but instead find his writing and opinions the stronger 'voice.' Perhaps his subject matter didn't connect with me; I'm not sure. I wish I'd waited to read reviewer comments *before* ordering the book.
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