Francophile reading - a personal selection by A.B.Patterson.

Tonight I've added my "Francophile Corner" to the "Reading" page of my website.
Enjoy.
Cheers,
ABP


If you've looked at other parts of my website, then you'd already be aware that I'm an unabashed Francophile!
I spent a fair (and the best) portion of my childhood in the south-west of France, back in the 1970s when my family were living there.  Whilst I was at boarding schools in England for most of my schooling (horrendous experiences), I was in France for all the school holidays, and this was the backdrop to what turned out to be the best memories of my childhood.  The reprieve that those holidays provided, and in one of the most beautiful parts of the world, have shaped my life ever since.
Anyway, enough about me.  What about Francophile reading?

So, I tend to pick up pretty well anything with a Francophile slant, and this page is my tribute to the ones I have enjoyed.  I have a personal policy when it comes to mentioning other authors' work: if I like it I'll talk about it, so it's either "good" (3 stars), "very good" (4 stars), or "excellent" (5 stars) - this is the rule of thumb I use when rating books on Amazon or Goodreads.  If I didn't like a book I read, then I don't go and slag it off online.  I've had it done to me, and it's not pleasant.  So, there are books in this category I've read and really didn't enjoy - I simply don't mention them.  I'm only interested in spruiking the ones I enjoyed.
Here goes!
Oh, and the list will grow over time, of course!

​The collection on this page is, understandably, a mish-mash of genres, given it can include anything Francophile that I've enjoyed.  So we have memoir, non-fiction, and fiction (including crime - of course, I'm a crime writer!)

Cheers,
ABP


A House in the Sunflowers
Ruth Silvestre's memoir (there are 2 more following it which I haven't read yet) is of living in the Lot-et-Garonne in the 1970s - the same time that we were in the same département, hence it takes pride of place.  This was a wonderful read, and evoked so many memories for me.
The next two books are on my very large TBR pile!

French Collection 
Vanessa Couchman now lives in the south of France and writes about a whole range of French things.  This collection is a set of fictional short stories, which beautifully capture so much that is French.  I absolutely loved this read.
I've reviewed this book on my blog, take a look. 

Beginning French
Another memoir of moving to the south of France and all the trials and tribulations, this time from an American couple, Eileen McKenna and Marty Neumeier.  This, too, was a great read and made me want to be there.
I've reviewed this book on my blog, take a look. 

A House Among Vines
Marguerite Smith's memoir of moving to the south-west of France and all that life entailed.  Another memoir that did it for me.

Bruno Chief of Police
​Well, back to fiction, and into crime!  Martin Walker has produced a great series of crime novels centred on the Dordogne and his police chief protagonist, Bruno.  I've read all of them (8 so far) and, whilst they are pretty good as crime stories, the Dordogne lifestyle makes these books.

Treachery in Bordeaux
This is the first in a series of wine-influenced crime novels.  Again, the crime side is good, but the wine and everything French is the drawcard.

1914
​Okay, so to depart the beauty of the vineyards of south-west France, and to try some historical fiction.  We all know, or should know, that the French paid a horrendous price in the First World War.  This short novel captures and evokes so much - it is brilliant writing.  But don't expect to be smiling afterwards.
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