Provence, 1970

M.F.K. Fisher, Julia Child, James Beard, and the Reinvention of American Taste

By: Luke Barr

Narrated by: John Rubinstein

Provence, 1970 is about a singular historic moment. In the winter of that year, more or less coincidentally, the iconic culinary figures James Beard, M.F.K. Fisher, Julia Child, Richard Olney, Simone Beck, and Judith Jones found themselves together in the South of France. They cooked and ate, talked and argued, about the future of food in America, the meaning of taste, and the limits of snobbery. Without quite realizing it, they were shaping today’s tastes and culture, the way we eat now. The conversations among this group were chronicled by M.F.K. Fisher in journals and letters—some of which were later discovered by Luke Barr, her great-nephew. In Provence, 1970, he captures this seminal season, set against a stunning backdrop in cinematic scope—complete with gossip, drama, and contemporary relevance.

©2013 Luke Barr (P)2013 Random House

Critic reviews

“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. This book is beautifully written and totally fascinating to me, because these were my mentors—they inspired a generation of cooks in this country.” —Alice Waters

“Luke Barr conjures the past and pries open the window on a little known moment in time that had profound implications on how we live today. With an insider’s access, a detective’s curiosity, and a poet’s sensitivity, he illuminates a culinary clique that not only changed the way we eat, but how we think about food. Provence, 1970 is as much a meditation on the nature of transition and the role of friendship, as it is on the power of food to unite, divide, and ultimately nourish the soul. For this a ‘non-foodie’ it was a revelation—for the connoisseur among us, it may well be orgiastic.” —Andrew McCarthy, author of The Longest Way Home: One Man’s Quest for the Courage to Settle Down

“Luke Barr has brought the icons of the food world vibrantly to life and captured the moment when their passion for what's on the plate sparked a cultural breakthrough. His graceful prose provides a thorough, affecting account of their talents and reveals how their disparate personalities defined the very essence of French cuisine.” —Bob Spitz, author of Dearie

“Brilliant conversation, dimmed lights, culinary intrigue, urchin mousse, a glass of Sauternes . . . Luke Barr has written one of the most delicious and sensuous books of all time. It brims with love of food and wine.” —Gary Shteyngart, author of The Russian Debutante’s Handbook and Super Sad True Love Story

“Luke Barr has written a lovely, shimmering, immersive secret history of an important moment that nobody knew was important at the time.”
—Kurt Andersen

What conversations they must have had!

I found this book interesting reading for several reasons. The first is that it gave me more information about and insight into Richard Olney and M.F.K. Fisher, and their work. And then it brought them together with our more well known friends the Childs, Judith Jones, James Beard, and Simone Beck for various rousing encounters. This book was just an all around feast.

Excellent diversion

I enjoyed this book tremendously - it was well read and well written and mostly well conceived although I think more importance was given to these individuals than their actual roles in a shift I believe was the result of much larger forces than this book suggests. However the stories were interesting and well told and I very much enjoyed the book as well as the performance.

Superb Narration, Engrossing Tale

Would you consider the audio edition of Provence, 1970 to be better than the print version?

I'd consider them equal, depending on one's preference. The narrator is mostly quite good.

What other book might you compare Provence, 1970 to and why?

Reflexions by Richard Olney would be a good companion read to this.

What does John Rubinstein bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

A very good narrator, I just wish men would learn not to attempt women's voices, as Rubinstein does to a small degree when speaking M.F.K. Fisher. I never like this. It always reminds me of Norman Bates speaking as his mother to some degree. To Rubinstein's credit, it's a small degree of annoyance, nothing that matters much as some others do (listen to the narrator of The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt released on the same day -- much worse [in that case I decided to forego the audiobook as a result]).

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No, but it enriched my understanding, gave a different perspective somewhat, and showed these people such as Julia Child more humanly than their public personas allowed.

Any additional comments?

It's the first audiobook that makes me want to start all over after I've finished.

Loved it.

The story of the convergence of these influential people is enjoyable and I really enjoyed the performance as well.

What a fabulous celebration!

This was a spectacularly enjoyable book. I especially loved Barr's masterful usage of diaries and private correspondence which made the characters come alive. Some of these characters could be catty and mean, downright nasty even. But somehow Barr manages to preserve their characteristics, rough edges and all, while giving them their due. If you're a lover of the works of MFK Fisher, Julia Child, James Beard, or Richard Olney, you will appreciate this careful and delicate seance-like gathering together of these pioneering cooks and artists. it made me wish he could spend more time with each one of these innovators. You have to love a book that keeps you wanting more, never fully sated, but entranced all the way through.

You really gotta be a Chef head to like this one

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Only if they where seriously into the minut back story the way American cooking has developed

Would you listen to another book narrated by John Rubinstein?

Im not going to go looking for him

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Nope

Any additional comments?

You have got to seriously want to know the back story of these people and this topic to be interested in this book. I couldnt have read this book, if it haddent been on audio Id never have finished.

Fun, gossipy memoir

Everything you never knew you wanted to know about food writers and the blossoming of American cooking in the sixties and seventies. Lotts of good stories and incredible food.
A really enjoyable read

A winner all round!

A perfect story of friends, food, and culture told by an excellent reader. Will listen to again.

lovely settings, wit, inspiration in the kitchen

Summer in Province, what could be better and the memories of extraordinary chefs. A goid listen

Very nice incite to a time past

I found the book to give very good insight into a time past, and into a handful of people that changed American culinary arts, and also in the process of doing, so, made America a predominant force in cuisine