Vous voulez voir cette page en français ? Cliquez ici.

8 used & new from CDN$ 2.49
See All Buying Options
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
 
A Good Year
 
 
Share your own customer images
Search inside another edition of this book

A Good Year [Large Print] (Hardcover)

by Peter Mayle (Author)
3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)

Available from these sellers.


3 new from CDN$ 86.95 5 used from CDN$ 2.49

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

A Year in Provence

A Year in Provence

by Peter Mayle
4.3 out of 5 stars (100)  CDN$ 10.95
Hotel Pastis: A Novel of Provence

Hotel Pastis: A Novel of Provence

by Peter Mayle
4.3 out of 5 stars (21)  CDN$ 15.33
Encore Provence: New Adventures in the South of France

Encore Provence: New Adventures in the South of France

by Peter Mayle
3.4 out of 5 stars (69)  CDN$ 11.64
Toujours Provence

Toujours Provence

by Peter Mayle
4.2 out of 5 stars (20)  CDN$ 13.83
French Lessons: Adventures with Knife, Fork, and Corkscrew

French Lessons: Adventures with Knife, Fork, and Corkscrew

by Peter Mayle
4.3 out of 5 stars (36)  CDN$ 11.64
› Explore similar items

Product Details

Product Description

From Publishers Weekly

Mayle's breezy, uncomplicated fifth novel (Chasing Cezanne, etc.) and ninth book follows 30-something Max Skinner from a sabotaged financial career in London to his adoption of the Provençal lifestyle on an inherited vineyard in France. Max spent holidays at his Uncle Henry's vineyard as a child, so when he inherits the place, the prospect of returning is tempting; a generous "bridging loan" from ex-brother-in-law Charlie seals the deal. The estate, Le Griffon, is in a dire state of disrepair and the wine cellar is filled with bottles of a dreadful-tasting swill, but it's nothing that vineyard caretaker Claude Roussel and prim housekeeper Madame Passepartout can't resolve. Max settles into his new life easily thanks to the attentions of local notary Nathalie Auzet and busty cafe owner Fanny. The arrival of young Californian "wine brat" Christie Roberts, Uncle Henry's long-lost daughter, complicates matters for Max, but her surprise offer and Charlie's arrival lessen the impact of a vicious vineyard scandal involving a delicious, high-priced, discreetly produced wine called Le Coin Perdu. Mayle's simple story provides lighthearted if unadventurous reading and a fond endorsement of the pleasures of viniculture.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.


From AudioFile

The brief bio on Peter Mayle's latest literary soufflé says he "eats, drinks, writes, and lives in Provence." As the emphasis indicates, the taste buds play a starring role in this novel. Wine is the focus as a broke young Englishman inherits a run-down Provençal vineyard. He finds a mystery involving a forgotten corner of the vineyard, a long-lost cousin, romance (with a restaurant owner, of course), and lots of fine dining. Ben Chaplin reads with lively good humor and heavy, yet clearly understandable, French accents. After the novel, you'll hear Mayle himself talking about his experiences in France. This well-crafted escapism will be welcome to listeners looking for a break from everyday cares. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.
See all Product Description
Inside This Book (Learn More)
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt
Search inside this book:

Tag this product

 (What's this?)
Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items.
Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags

What do customers ultimately buy after viewing this item?

A Good Year
43% buy the item featured on this page:
A Good Year 3.5 out of 5 stars (12)
A Year in Provence
22% buy
A Year in Provence 4.3 out of 5 stars (100)
CDN$ 10.95
Toujours Provence
13% buy
Toujours Provence 4.2 out of 5 stars (20)
CDN$ 13.83
The Lost Symbol
12% buy
The Lost Symbol 2.8 out of 5 stars (61)
CDN$ 18.48
Explore similar items
 

Customer Reviews

12 Reviews
5 star:
 (4)
4 star:
 (2)
3 star:
 (3)
2 star:
 (2)
1 star:
 (1)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.5 out of 5 stars (12 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most helpful customer reviews

 
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A Mayle Triumph, Nov 3 2008
This review is from: A Good Year (Paperback)
This book certainly follows the pattern of a year in Provence with an up-close and in-depth look at the rural culture of a town in provence. The book, however, starts off in London where the life of the hero, Max has just fallen apart. His friend, Charlie, helps him travel to the warmer, more exotic environs of southern Provence where the weather is warmer and the people somewhat strange and mysterious. He takes up residence in the house of his uncle which sits on a vineyard that produces a wine of horrific qualities. The story takes off from there into a tangled but fascinating whirlwind of romance, crime, boutique wineries, local culinary customs and some rather unique, local personalities. Mayle peppers the story with witticisms that add extra life to the story...a good read.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Vintage Peter Mayle? Non!, Jun 5 2004
By Provencal "stremy" (Washington, DC USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: A Good Year (Hardcover)
For the most part, Peter Mayle's books have distinguished themselves because of their apt and charming descriptions of the cultural idiosyncrasies of small-town Provence. Mayle's primary and secondary characters were full-bodied -- people whom could easily visualize and with whom you could empathize. The Provencal countryside and markets were alive and stimulated your palate.

In comparison with his earlier works, Mayle's latest endeavor falls flat! The characterizations are shallow, the plot simplistic, and the spirit of the Luberon is not much in evidence. In "A Year in Provence" and "Toujours Provence" you could feel the physical impact of the Mistral's battering winds. While breezy, "A Great Year" has none of the full-fledged richness of his earlier works.

Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
1.0 out of 5 stars A Good Year, but a Bad Book, April 6 2007
This review is from: Good Year (Hardcover)
What has happened to Peter Mayle? From the triumphs of A Year in Provence and Hotel Pastis, he has descended to the depths of churning his earlier books. A Good Year simply recycles characters and text. There are so many sentences copied nearly verbatim from earlier works that I had the impression that I had read the book before.

I thought that Chasing Cezanne was scraping the bottom of the barrel, but this takes scraping to new lengths.

Absolute rubbish - avoid at all costs.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 		 Most recent customer reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars A Votre Santé
A Good Year is the first I've read by Peter Mayle. I did not know that it had been headed to Hollywood, but one certainly suspects it. Read more
Published on Jul 7 2004 by S. A. Cartwright

4.0 out of 5 stars Head Off to the South of France Sans Luggage This Summer
If a trip to the South of France doesn't fit into this summer's budget, head to your bookstore instead, for copy of Peter Mayle's latest look at the charms and the foibles of the... Read more
Published on Jul 5 2004 by L. Young

2.0 out of 5 stars No legs
I am a devoted fan of Peter Mayle and always look forward to his next work. I am a frequent traveler to Provence as well and know most, if not all, of the non fictional places he... Read more
Published on Jul 1 2004 by Dale Bentson

5.0 out of 5 stars Book on CD
I am a big fan of Peter Mayle and in addition just last week returned from a trip to France. I listened to the book on CD during a car trip from NJ to Boston (about 5 1/2 hours... Read more
Published on Jun 28 2004

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Summer Reading
This is another great Peter Mayle book. While the characters are familiar, pretty girls with great legs, loveable locals, a snoppy housekeeper, cautious neighbors etc. Read more
Published on Jun 18 2004 by Robert Whitney

2.0 out of 5 stars sour grapes
While still a lighthearted, fun read, this book disappoints on many levels. Too much focus on plot, not enough on the characters. Why hadn't Max seen his uncle in years? Read more
Published on Jun 17 2004

3.0 out of 5 stars Good light reading
Peter Mayle's novel about a man who leaves his high-stress job in London for an inherited vineyard in southern France is not a great book, but it is a good enough story to enjoy,... Read more
Published on Jun 13 2004 by Brent Wigen

3.0 out of 5 stars Pleasant enough, but ....
Once again Peter Mayle writes what he knows -- in this story a 30-something, burned-out, over-drafted London businessman inherits a winery in Provence, chucks the rat race and... Read more
Published on Jun 10 2004

5.0 out of 5 stars The Very Best of Vintage Mayle
I am a native of Provence, so I love the novels of Peter Mayle (I've read everything he's ever published) and I see, no doubt more clearly than most, how wonderfully they capture... Read more
Published on Jun 1 2004 by Totally Anonymous

Only search this product's reviews


Listmania!

Create a Listmania! list

Look for similar items by category

Look for similar items by subject













i.e., each book must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ...

Feedback

Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.