WE'VE ALWAYS HAD PARIS... AND PROVENCE
BY PATRICIA AND WALTER WELLS, 2008
Well, what can you say about this book by two accomplished journalists who worked at the New York Times, Washington Post, and the international edition of the Herald Tribune, and its successor founded by the Times?
Patricia Wells is a well known prolific author of many cookbooks and food critic, and Walter is a respected editor of those newspapers. In addition to their many accomplishments, they restored a Provence farm house, Parisien apartment and townhouse; became friends and confidents of the best chefs in France, as well as Julia Childs; and developed and gave cooking classes, amid a whirl of successes to be envied with Mrs. Wells smiling face gracing almost every page.
But this book – what about this particular book? As one would expect of the product of two successful journalists, it is well edited – almost too much so, and in other ways not enough.
Let me be blunt. It reads like your grocery list, your to do list, or appointment calendar. They did so many things that they probably edited out that special human quality. A good narrative did manage to creep into one of the stories that Mr. Wells relates. But mostly, although personal information is related, it lacks that special quality that one finds in David Lebovitz book, THE SWEET LIFE IN PARIS, about the life of chefs and food lover's life in Paris.
In their book, one can tell that the Wells come from a different social and office set than David, who lives just above a pauper's existence during his Paris days, while the Wells manage to live in better quarters and meet people at the top of their professions.
In all the pages of the Wells' book, one did not get to feel you know them, except externally by what they did.
Recipes are cutely scattered about the pages as well as photographs.
I think you could say, they decided what they wanted in life when they were young and went for it – thoroughly – no diversions – no distractions, or few, if any. Their disappointments did not deter them but led to even bigger opportunities. We can say, "Well done" and applaud for them. But don't expect this book to give you any of depth of soul. From people who achieve success, one wants to see who they are inside, but we don't get to know the real persons.
Another disliked aspect of this book was the way it was put together. They did not actually co-write the book. She wrote her impressions and he wrote his – separately. She wrote like a busy woman full of determination would write, but he wrote with a little more sensitivity and compassion. He is almost her appendage in this endeavor. Mr. Wells plays the supportive role or at least, he does not try to be the star of her show.
Compare this book to David Lebovitz book, THE SWEET LIFE IN PARIS, and you get an entirely different perspective of Paris daily life. David writes from the street and shop life view, and seems more like a real person, while the Wells move through their seemingly elevated social strata like shadows. The Wells are so successful, it looks as though they do not have time to feel or convey its meaning in this book.
Patricia Wells became one of the foremost authors of French cookbooks, as well as Italian cuisine. If you like the genre, she is an excellent source.
Books by Patricia Wells include:
Vegetable Harvest, The Provence Cookbook
The Paris Cookbook
L'Atelier of Joel Robuchon
Patricia Wells at Home in Provence
Patricia Wells' Trattoria
Simply French
Bistro Cooking
The Food Lovers' Guide to France
The Food Lovers' Guide to Paris
Books by Walter Wells
Dangerous De-Liaisons – What's Really Behind the War Between France and The U.S.
1776
BY DAVID MCCULLOUGH
Published by Simon and Shuster, 2005
David McCullough is a well-known and popular author of historic narrative gems dealing with public figures and events. One cannot just say that his book, 1776, is well-done and interesting, because most descriptions will fall short of its excellence.
This book portrays that part of early U.S. history of the revolutionary period beginning after the uprising in New England and fighting of Bunker Hill to the period after the issuing of the Declaration of Independence to just after Washington crosses the Delaware into Pennsylvania. The British have the upperhand at this point and the new young Continental army is fighting for survival. It is an exciting and descriptive filling out of history which most of us did not get in depth while in school.
Many histories include fighting in New England, give brief story of New York activity, and then stop with the Declaration of Independence which was far from the dire reality of the situation.
Read this book to get the details of how our forces were so close to defeat. McCullough thoroughly researches the material.
Books by David McCullough include:
John Adams
Americans in Paris
Truman
Mornings on Horseback