So many people flocked to southern France after Peter Mayle's hugely successful memoirs (A Year in Provence, Toujours Provence) that the former adman decamped. Now, after a four-year hiatus, he's back with Encore Provence: New Adventures in the South of France, once again detailing the ordinary delights of the region: hunting for truffles, visiting a corkscrew museum, touring an olive oil press. While his perpetual salute to Gallic sensibility occasionally feels a bit tired, he does manage wickedly funny moments. Don't miss the chapter where he berates former New York Times restaurant critic Ruth Reichl for a negative article about her disappointing Provence vacation. Mayle goes to the mat on this one, dukes it out, and — voila! — wins. B-
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