Book Review: A Good Year by Peter Mayle

ISBN: 978-0375705625

Publisher: Vintage

Paperback: 304 pages

First Line: It was high summer in London, and the raindrops felt almost warm on Max Skinner's face as he ran up Rutland Gate and into Hyde Park.

One Word Review: Idyllic

Publisher's Description:

Max Skinner has recently lost his job at a London financial firm and just as recently learned that he has inherited his late uncle's vineyard in Provence. On arrival he finds the climate delicious, the food even better, and two of the locals ravishing. Unfortunately, the wine produced on his new property is swill. Why then are there so many people interested in it? Enter a beguiling Californian who knows more about wine than Max does - and may have a better claim to the estate.

I absolutely adore a good travel memoir. They allow me to journey to the far reaches of the planet...places I'd never otherwise get to visit. A Good Year combines all the allure and color of a great travel book with a proper good story. Mayle is well known for his non-fiction accounts of Provence, so it's no surprise that he was able to capture the essence of the land so brilliantly. His depictions of the meals alone had me wanting to hop the next flight to France.

But as much as this book is a fantastic advert for a quick holiday, it's quite a bit more. Mayle weaves a very entertaining and engaging tale with quirky and likeable characters, not the least of which is the town itself. A Good Year is a wonderfully light and funny book that oozes charm. If you're looking for a nice escape read, this is it.

Book Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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