They agreed on one thing before retiring-they would travel, sniff around at other countries and other lifestyles, and discover along the way which place came closest to "having it all." There they would drop anchor and go with the flow. The going has been good, so much so that these former Washingtonians have decided to make France their permanent home. They chose the city over the countryside and took on the challenges and pleasures of Aix-en-Provence, where they have been doing as the locals do for more than a decade now. The daily markets, strikes, gypsies, curious villagers, ancient traditions, truffle cheaters, pagan and religious celebrations, secret swimming spots in the middle of Marseilles-it's all there to be suffered and enjoyed. Not to mention an interest in food that borders on the obsessive. Add good weather, a pinch of hedonism, a dose of culture, and it all adds up to that elusive prize: quality of life. In this collection of vignettes, take a ride in the slow lane with Taking Root in Provence, through la France profonde, ancient Roman cities, and that wonderful blend of the old and new worlds that is today's Provence.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
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I had earlier purchased and read "Ten Years in Provence" published in 2008. I enjoyed reading that book. Three years later in 2011 "Taking Root in Provence" was published. One would think that that the 2011 publication was a different book based on the title and Amazon's description. Surprisingly, it is the same book as the 2008 publication, but with a new title and an additional six chapters of approximately 30 pages which the author admits at the bottom of the Introduction in small print. The 2011 version is still a good read for someone who had not already purchased the 2008 edition.
I believe that Amazon needs to make this clear in its product description. Maybe the author should have waited until she had enough original material for a new book rather than creating what may appear to some to be a marketing deception.
I believe that Amazon needs to make this clear in its product description. Maybe the author should have waited until she had enough original material for a new book rather than creating what may appear to some to be a marketing deception.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
If you are looking for an armchair getaway filled with charm, subdued sophistication and grace, pick up a copy of "Taking Root in Provence" by Anne-Marie Simons. A writer and traveler, Anne-Marie has that certain way of casually transporting you to a different place through the eyes of a local.
As a former American, the Simons' decided on retiring in the South of France. The main draw? Quality of life. The beaches, mountains, fresh air, ancient cities, remote villages and culture drew them in. Get a little glimpse of the daily life of an American in Provence; and experience drama of the daily markets, village life, transportation strikes, gypsies, curious villagers, French traditions, truffle cheaters, winter festivities, apartment mishaps, the humor of being lost in translation, wine and of course, food.
The book reads as part memoir and part travel guide, as we go from Provence to Marseilles to Nice exploring the culture, life and cuisine of Southern France.
As a former American, the Simons' decided on retiring in the South of France. The main draw? Quality of life. The beaches, mountains, fresh air, ancient cities, remote villages and culture drew them in. Get a little glimpse of the daily life of an American in Provence; and experience drama of the daily markets, village life, transportation strikes, gypsies, curious villagers, French traditions, truffle cheaters, winter festivities, apartment mishaps, the humor of being lost in translation, wine and of course, food.
The book reads as part memoir and part travel guide, as we go from Provence to Marseilles to Nice exploring the culture, life and cuisine of Southern France.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Travel books, books about moving overseas, books that examine the culture of a country and its people (how unique we all are!), and books about delectable cuisines and cooking all tickle my fancy. So it was fated that I'd love Taking Root in Provence--a single book that blends all four aspects and manages to do it with graceful panache.
This is a rare book, as fulsome as a triple chocolate bon-bon. Because Provence is high on my personal 'bucket list' of must-see travel spots, I was eager to see what the author would tell me. She told me well. A natural story-teller with finely honed powers of observation, the author took me along on a happy romp. I finished the book with a sigh, sad at its end, having learned, tasted, laughed and explored this magical part of the world.
Ms. Simons is a tour guide of wit and puckish humor. Sometimes laudatory, sometimes gently critical, she reveals a multi-layered Provence, lovingly dissected in chapters that stand as separate stories. Taking Root in Provence is like a box of bon-bons, pick one and savor it, pick again to find a new treasure, or practice willpower and try not to devour the entire box at one gulp.
Me? I devoured the book in one binge into the wee hours, too fascinated to put it down.
Why have so many artists been drawn to Provence, painted its streets, its people, its landscapes? Simons observes, "There are other beautiful places in the world, so what is it about this area that so inspires artists? ...of course the climate and the beauty of the place contribute to a sense of general well-being, but in the end I believe the answer is to be found in the particular luminosity of Provence."
Ultimately, that's why I enjoyed Ms. Simon's writing. She, too, populates her book with luminous words that engage all our senses. Her portraits of Provence's flavors and colors remain with me, such as her chapter on the remote Camargue region, colored with its white horses, black bulls and thousands of pink flamingos. I see them through her eyes.
Simon's observations on Provence culture made this reader drool with envy--memorable meals eaten and cooked, Provence's many festivals deeply implanted with ancient roots, the Summer opera and theater season where food for the mind is offered in such abundance, an embarrassment of riches.
Ms. Simons reveals Provence as complex, earthy and subtle as a truffle. Speaking of which, Ms. Simon's covers truffles with her insider's look at the tricks and history of the truffle trade and trafficking of this 'back-gold' morsel so desirable that fake made-in-China truffles are on offer to the unwary.
After you've read this book, you won't be one of the unwary. You will have become a Provence insider thanks to Taking Root in Provence.
If finances are keeping you close to home right now, do the next best thing. Buy the book, it's a trip to Provence for well under $20...truffles not included.
This is a rare book, as fulsome as a triple chocolate bon-bon. Because Provence is high on my personal 'bucket list' of must-see travel spots, I was eager to see what the author would tell me. She told me well. A natural story-teller with finely honed powers of observation, the author took me along on a happy romp. I finished the book with a sigh, sad at its end, having learned, tasted, laughed and explored this magical part of the world.
Ms. Simons is a tour guide of wit and puckish humor. Sometimes laudatory, sometimes gently critical, she reveals a multi-layered Provence, lovingly dissected in chapters that stand as separate stories. Taking Root in Provence is like a box of bon-bons, pick one and savor it, pick again to find a new treasure, or practice willpower and try not to devour the entire box at one gulp.
Me? I devoured the book in one binge into the wee hours, too fascinated to put it down.
Why have so many artists been drawn to Provence, painted its streets, its people, its landscapes? Simons observes, "There are other beautiful places in the world, so what is it about this area that so inspires artists? ...of course the climate and the beauty of the place contribute to a sense of general well-being, but in the end I believe the answer is to be found in the particular luminosity of Provence."
Ultimately, that's why I enjoyed Ms. Simon's writing. She, too, populates her book with luminous words that engage all our senses. Her portraits of Provence's flavors and colors remain with me, such as her chapter on the remote Camargue region, colored with its white horses, black bulls and thousands of pink flamingos. I see them through her eyes.
Simon's observations on Provence culture made this reader drool with envy--memorable meals eaten and cooked, Provence's many festivals deeply implanted with ancient roots, the Summer opera and theater season where food for the mind is offered in such abundance, an embarrassment of riches.
Ms. Simons reveals Provence as complex, earthy and subtle as a truffle. Speaking of which, Ms. Simon's covers truffles with her insider's look at the tricks and history of the truffle trade and trafficking of this 'back-gold' morsel so desirable that fake made-in-China truffles are on offer to the unwary.
After you've read this book, you won't be one of the unwary. You will have become a Provence insider thanks to Taking Root in Provence.
If finances are keeping you close to home right now, do the next best thing. Buy the book, it's a trip to Provence for well under $20...truffles not included.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
This book calls you back again and again!
Anne-Marie Simons is living my dream ... and from what I hear, it's a dream harboured by many others: she and her husband, Oscar, retired to the south of France several years ago. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Patricia L. Sands
5.0 out of 5 stars
Anne-Marie Simons has done it again!
Anne-Marie Simons has done it again with Taking Root in Provence. After reading her first offering, Ten Years in Provence, I was hoping that she would give us more, and she did... Read more
Published 19 months ago by Charlie
5.0 out of 5 stars
Armchair travelling at its best!
The book "Taking Root in Provence" had me captured from just one word in the title... PROVENCE. That name conjures up heavenly visions of some of the world's greatest artists, Van... Read more
Published 20 months ago by M. Kausch
5.0 out of 5 stars
a year in the life...
I get a LOT of travel books to review. This one stands out - it's not a travel guide, per se - more a meander through a year in provence. Read more
Published 24 months ago by Jessica Voigts
5.0 out of 5 stars
Taking Root in Provence
For anyone who has visited France, this book is a must read! The author, clearly in sync with her surroundings, takes a perceptive and humorous look at all aspects of life in... Read more
Published on May 4, 2011 by C F Beyer
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