Provence A-Z - Tapa dura

An indispensable, hugely informative and consistently entertaining guide to Provence by the best-selling writer who has made the region his own. Organised from A-Z but far from a conventional work of reference, this is a selection of those aspects of Provence that Peter Mayle has found in his twenty years there to be the most interesting, delicious or downright fun. In more than 200 entries - from ail to Francois Zola - he writes about subjects as diverse as architecture, expatriates, lavender, linguistic oddities, the museum of the corkscrew and a bawdy folklore character named Fanny. And, of course, he writes about food and drink: truffles, olives, bouillabaisse, and the cheese that killed a Roman Emperor. He also features artwork that he has gathered over the years - drawings, advertisements, photos and pieces from tourist brochures. Anything qualifies, as long as it has piqued Mayle's curiosity - hence the inclusion of a recipe for tapenade and a morning spent with a public executioner.

Peter Mayle is the author of 11 books on Provence, including the best-selling non-fiction works A Year In Provence and Toujours Provence. His novels include A Good Year, which will be released as a film in October 2006. He has contributed to a wide range of publications in England, France and America, and his work has been translated into 22 languages. He lives in Provence with his wife.