This is a lovely book. It's well written and the subject was, for me, very nostalgic. I wasn't party to any of the events and I never met any of the people. Those included M.F.K. Fisher (the author's great aunt), Julia and Paul Child, Judith Jones, James Beard, Simone Beck, and others. I'm not much of a cook, but I love the pleasure of both eating and reading about good food and the people who do the cooking and of course I, like many others, used to watch Julia on TV. I think I've read all of M.F.K. Fisher, also of and about Julia Child, and so in that way I know them.

Barr explains by relating the last time they were all together in Provence, what each of them did to introduce and promote good cooking in America. And we are all the descendants of that turning point in American culinary history when the tide turned and good cooking became a little less French and a little more American. As Alice Waters writes, "Luke Barr has inherited the clear and inimitable voice of his great-aunt M.F.K. Fisher, and deftly portrays a crucial turning point in the history of food in America with humor, intimacy, and deep perception. Provence 1970 is beautifully written and totally fascinating." I'll drink to that. ( )

This is a delicious book about some of America's gastronomic greats. Read it someplace beautiful with some decadent nibbles by your side because it will definitely make you hungry. ( )

I really enjoyed this book. I cannot cook, but appreciate the time and effort that is put forth in to cooking and I enjoyed reading about the personalities who have shaped our tastes and cooking skills. Highly recommend, even for the non-foodie. ( )

nonfiction; cooking memoirs (written by MFK Fisher's grand-nephew, or something like that). I might enjoy this more as an audio-book; the written text is not that absorbing and I didn't find myself lost in 1970s Provence as I hoped I would be. ( )

More than a bit on the pretensious side, as much as he complains about snobbery. Still, an enjoyable read about people I knew something of but learned much more.