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A Good Year
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A Good Year
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A Good Year
Audiobook7 hours

A Good Year

Written by Peter Mayle

Narrated by John Lee

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

3.5/5

()

Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this audiobook

From Peter Mayle, a wonderful new novel steeped in wine-and the business of wine?and set in, bien sûr, Provence.

Max Skinner is not exactly setting the London financial world on fire?and when his supervisor steals his biggest client, it's definitely time to inspect the vineyard in Provence that his recently departed uncle left him. Heartily and happily distracted upon his arrival by the landscape, the weather, and the food?not to mention the gorgeous notaire handling the estate and the stunning owner of the local bistro?Max almost forgets about his inherited property.

Which might have been a good idea, because the wine produced there is swill. But then why, Max has to wonder, is his caretaker so anxious to acquire the land? When a beautiful young woman from California arrives with what might be a legitimate claim on the estate, and knowledge of vineyards that far outstrips Max's own, the plot begins its twists and turns into and out of truly wonderful complications and resolutions.

This is luscious reading?soothing us with the sensual wonders of Provence while it tells a fascinating tale of the hugely lucrative and competitive boutique-wine trade. It is Peter Mayle's most satisfying, most delectable novel yet.


From the Hardcover edition.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateMar 4, 2004
ISBN9781415904794
Unavailable
A Good Year
Author

Peter Mayle

Peter Mayle (1939-2018) spent fifteen years in the advertising business before escaping in 1975 to write books, including his bestselling A Year in Provence and Toujours Provence. His work has been translated into seventeen languages and he has contributed to a variety of newspapers and magazines.

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Reviews for A Good Year

Rating: 3.5542636085271315 out of 5 stars
3.5/5

258 ratings16 reviews

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  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    "A Good Year" is light, amiable reading, endearing its characters to the reader and posing an almost tongue-in-cheek mystery part to round it out. This book is visually pleasing and gently satisfying. If you are in need of an easy and pleasing bit of fluff that won't take too long, try this one. On that basis, I do recommend it. I second sweetiegherkin's review of this book, every word. It's more detailed and quite accurate.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Guy inherits farm in France just as career dives. Moves to rural France, with no money worries, and grows crops, has animals - everyone's dream. Sort of a fictional account of 'A Year in Provence' by the same author. Mundane in that regard, but relaxing to read.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A great story which conjured images of the village life, the strangeness of farming grapes and all the intricacies of making a famous vintage. I never did like that the crooked lawyer and the venal wine merchant escaped with ill-gotten gains that belonged to Max, so my overall feel for the story was shadowed.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This book is a light, quick read, perfect for a short plane ride or as a "beach book." The narrative opens up with Max Skinner, an overworked young businessman from London, losing his job but finding out the same day that his uncle has passed away and left him a vineyard in France. With nothing left to lose, Max decides to try his hand at wine-making and packs up his things to move to France. While in France, he meets a host of interesting characters and stumbles upon a number of secrets. The writing is not superb but nor is bad, and the author makes a point of avoiding vulgarity, which is a pleasant surprise. The characters are not deep, but they are entertaining and you will find yourself enjoying the pleasure of their company as you settle into France along with Max.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I really like Peter Mayle's writing style. It's light hearted, easy to read, warm and friendly and usually quite humourous. A Good Year was A Good Read! I had previously seen the film, starring Russell Crowe, so I knew a bit about the book beforehand, but it was quite different to the film. The character of Max is a lot more gentle in the book, in fact all the characters are - also the story is quite different from the film version. That said, I enjoyed them both. The book is about Max, who works in London in the Square Mile. His boss 'steals' a deal from him that he's been working on and so Max quits. Luckily for him (or unluckily for his uncle) his Uncle, who had a mini-chateau in France has just died and he inherits the chateau and surrounding vineyards. There are quite a few different character, Christie, who turns out to be the Uncle's daughter comes to find her father, only to find he has died and that she might inherit the chateau, just as Max is deciding to settle in... There's also the mystery of the 'garage wine' that's been sold for $100,000 per case that becomes part of the story.Excellent reading!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    While this book was not the most amazing, wonderful and fresh story, it was still enjoyable enough -- probably because I am a wino. While a bit predictable, I still found it amusing and worth the quick read that it was -- just suspend your disbelief a bit and perhaps your knowledge of other Mayle books (or similar style books from other authors) and you'll enjoy it too.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is a quick and relaxing read, and entirely engaging even if you have seen the movie and allowed that to draw you to the book. You'll have a yearning for french food and a ready glass of wine while reading, for Mayle's descriptions are carefully accurate as well as creative. Wonderfully recommended.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    A good yarn, nut the ending didn't work for me.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I just finished this today. I read a German translation, so that may colour my perception of the book. This book has recently been made into a film to be released in November 2006, directed by Ridley Scott and starring Russell Crowe as Max Skinner, the investment banker-turned-winemaker. I just hope that this is a case where the film is better than the book, since I wasn't impressed that much by the book. Apart from some hilarious lapses in translation ("elbow grease" to "Armschmalz"? Puleeeze...), at no point did I feel pulled in by the story or the characters. There's not enough information about the winemaking to get me really interested and the romantic angle also isn't really explored. The denouement of the plot felt tacked on; you've got a story about a winery in some godforsaken nest in Provence, and suddenly there's Big Crime looming... I'll still have a go at the film, because I like the stuff Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe have done so far. A good read with the same premise (from London to the Downs to build a winery) is Gay Biddlecombe's "A Vine Romance" (ISBN: 0330327674).
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Mayle's first few books were funny, fresh, even insouciant. I liked them, enjoyed them, and read two, maybe three, maybe even four. Haven't read him for a few years. Still, it is clear he is now writing the same book with a few details changed, not a new story, not a new book, really.I found "Good Year" predictable, unimaginative, and boring. Pains me to have to pan Mister Mayle, but this book is a turkey.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A charming, escapist novel about an over-worked English man who finds himself forced out of a job on the very day he receives notice that he's inherited a vineyard in France. With nothing holding him in England, Charlie decides to throw caution to the wind and jet off to France to inspect his properties. Charlie is surprised to find himself at home in the vineyard, in the village, in the French language. Enchanted by his new acquaintances and the glorious weather, he decides to remain in France and make a go of viticulture.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    A light frolic among the vineyards - undoubtedly exactly what Mr Mayle is going for. I read this for my book club. If you're looking for any literary meat on the bone, go elsewhere. I thought of a good BBC- adaptation title: The Grapes of Mirth.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    It was an easy read, so easy that it does not really have a well-thought of story. It was average and bordering boring. There was no clear, real, exciting plot. If you like wine maybe you'll like this but this book is not for me.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    True to form Mayle. Most enjoyable.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    A British man in a dead-end job in London gets fired and, on the same day, inherits a vineyard in Provence — that is the premise for this light novel. It was entertaining enough, but a trifle fluffy for my tastes I wish more of the narrative had been spent on wine and food, and less on silly conspiratorial plots and even sillier romances.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The story is simple: a Londoner loses his job and goes to the Lubéron to inspect an inheritance. It includes a big house and vineyards. The subject is well treated, light, no frills, and includes the comedy tone of other novels by the same author. Good, light reading, this book should find its place in your bag when travelling or on the seaside.